Exploits of WPK Praised by Foreigners

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Political figures in different countries in their statements released on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the Workers' Party of Korea praised it for its immortal exploits performed in the revolution and construction. Advisor to the Thai Prime Minister Krasae Chanawongse who is member of the Thai Rak Thai Party said in his statement that the WPK has reliably defended its character, traditions and cause as the working class vanguard and it is, therefore, called the party of President Kim Il Sung, the founder of the party.
    He continued:
    Leader Kim Jong Il has developed in depth the Juche Idea as required by the era and the developing revolution. What is most important is that he formulated Kim Il Sung's idea of attaching importance to military affairs and the Songun idea as a monolithic revolutionary idea. The WPK has been able to defend the national sovereignty and dignity and work such a miracle as paving a wide avenue for building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation, guided by the Songun idea. Latigo Oral, deputy director for Foreign Relations of the Secretariat of the National Movement of Uganda, said that the WPK which was founded by Kim Il Sung and won only victories under his wise leadership has grown stronger under the guidance of Kim Jong Il.
    He laid down a programme for modeling the whole party and society on the Juche Idea and has led the work to thoroughly implement it and pursued the Songun politics to cope with the extreme offensive of the imperialist allied forces, winning shining victories, he noted, stressing:
    The WPK is sure to triumph in the future, too, under his leadership.

Folk Cultural Festival Held

     Mt. Kumgang resort, September 29 (KCNA) -- A folk cultural festival for the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration was held at Mt. Kumgang resort on Sept. 28 and 29. Its program included a political forum, an art performance, an exhibition of special products and folk games.
    Attending there were the north side's delegation headed by Ko Jong Dok, chairman of the Kangwon Provincial People's Committee, and a delegation of south Korean Kangwon Province headed by Governor Kim Jin Son.
    An opening address was made by the north side on Sept. 28. Then speeches were made at the political forum.
    Ko Jong Dok said in his speech that since the publication of the historic June 15 joint declaration the severed sea routes and road links in the north and the south were rejoined and brothers and sisters are now meeting with each other in Mt. Kumgang, a famous mountain of the nation, to pave the way for reunification. He called upon all the people to make tangible contributions to materializing the idea of "By our nation itself" to build a rich and powerful reunified country without fail. Kim Jin Son in his speech referred to the inter-Korean cooperation that has been under way in various fields for the last five years, underscoring the need for the north and the south to join hands and pool wisdom and energies to achieve reunification. Then followed speeches by delegates of the north and the south. The political forum was followed by an art performance given by artistes of the north and the south.
    The artistes of the north side put on the stage folk songs such as "Blue Sky above My Country" and "Ballad of Mt. Kumgang" and songs and folk dances on the theme of reunification and those from the south side folk songs including "Arirang of Kangwon Province" and "Ballad of Markets in Kangwon Province".
    At the end of the art performance an exhibition of special products took place. On the afternoon of the same day the delegates of the north and the south jointly toured the area around Samil Lagoon.
    Folk games took place on Sept. 29.
    The folk cultural festival, the first of its kind in the history of division, marked an important occasion in carrying forward and developing the advantageous folk culture of the Korean nation that has lived in harmony in the same land as a homogenous one for thousands of years, creating a brilliant history and culture.

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Preserving National Character

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- It is imperative to preserve and embody the national character of the revolution and construction in order to steadily advance and accomplish the cause of socialism at present. Rodong Sinmun says this in a signed article today.
    The cause of socialism is the cause of the working class and, at the same time, the cause of national independence for national development and prosperity and a struggle to defend socialism and preserve national character, the article points out, stressing that the U.S. imperialists are now viciously intensifying ideological and cultural infiltration to undermine the DPRK, while speeding up their moves for military aggression on it.
    The article proves that to keep national character is an important requirement to establish Juche firmly and push ahead with the revolution and construction our own way, a sure guarantee for firmly defending the dignity and honour of the country and the nation and an important matter to foil the ideological and cultural infiltration moves of the U.S. imperialists and defend socialism.
    Although there are many countries and nations in the world, all of them are not establishing their independent spirit and not carrying on the revolution and construction as they intended, the article says, and goes on:
    Only the country which pursues the policy of giving full play to the good traditions of its nation, believing on the inexhaustible strength of its nation is able to establish Juche firmly in the revolutionary struggle and infinitely glorify socialism. The lofty honour of a nation is not glorified by anyone. It is wrong to think that the dignity and honour of a nation can be glorified by much money and wealth. If all people rise up as one with the consciousness that they are members of the nation, they can achieve national prosperity and glorify the dignity of the nation even under any difficult conditions.
    The struggle to frustrate the ideological and cultural poisoning moves of the U.S. imperialists is a struggle as serious as military showdown. The U.S. imperialists are now craftily scheming to obliterate the national character of other countries under the deceptive signboard of "globalization".
    A struggle to preserve national character in all fields of social life is now being invigorated in the DPRK thanks to the wise leadership of the party. No U.S. imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning goes down with the Korean people.

Cambodian Diplomats Help Korean Farmers in Harvesting

     Sinchon, September 29 (KCNA) -- Charge D'Affaires Ad Interim Ken Bun Tha and staff members of the Cambodian embassy here helped the DPRK-Cambodia Friendship Paeksok Co-op Farm, Sinchon County, South Hwanghae Province, in harvesting on Sept. 29. The guests joined farmers in rice harvesting.
    They enjoyed an art performance given by kindergarteners of the farm and conversed with the farmers, deepening the friendship.
    The charge d' affaires a. i. expressed the will to boost the bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation growing strong under the deep care of leader Kim Jong Il and hoped that the farm would register greater success in harvesting.
    The guests handed aid materials to the farm.

Chinese Ambassador Hosts Reception on National Day of China

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wu Donghe hosted a reception at Okryu Restaurant on Thursday evening on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China. Present there on invitation were Vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK Kim Yong Dae, Minister of Public Health Kim Su Hak who is chairman of the Central Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, and officials concerned.
    Also present there on invitation were foreign diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations here.
    Addressing the reception, Wu Donghe said that the Chinese people have worked hard single-mindedly united under the leadership of the Communist Party of China for the past 56 years and exerted efforts for accomplishing the cause of socialist construction, thus bringing about eye-opening changes in China.
    China will as ever keep to the road of peaceful development, maintaining the independent and peace-oriented diplomatic policy under the uplifted banner of peace, progress and cooperation, he noted, and continued:
    The fraternal Korean people have victoriously advanced socialist construction by displaying the spirit of self-reliance and fortitude under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea led by General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
    He sincerely wished the heroic Korean people fresh steady successes in their efforts to build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.
    It is the unshakable policy of the Chinese party and government to steadily boost the friendly and cooperative relations with the DPRK, he noted, stressing that China would steadily develop these relations as required by the new century in accordance with the desire of the two peoples.
    Vice-President Kim Yong Dae in his speech said that the Chinese party, government and people have registered achievements in their efforts to build a comprehensively well-off society and reunify the whole country and steadily raised the international position of the country in order to implement the tasks set forth at the 16th Congress of the Communist Party of China.
    He said that the Korean people are rejoiced as over their own over all the achievements made by the fraternal Chinese people and sincerely hope everything would go well in the friendly neighbor in the future, too.
    It is the consistent stand of the WPK and the DPRK government to set store by the traditional DPRK-China friendship that has stood all tests of history and steadily develop it generation after generation, he said, expressing the belief that the bilateral friendship would grow stronger in its vitality thanks to the joint efforts of the two parties, governments and peoples in accordance with the spirit agreed upon between the top leaders of the two countries.

Caustic Soda Production Process Commissioned

     Hamhung, September 29 (KCNA) -- A caustic soda production process has been built and commissioned at the February 8 Vinalon Complex. A commissioning ceremony took place on the spot on Sept. 29. Vice-Premier of the Cabinet Ro Tu Chol conveyed a message of thanks of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea to the builders for their feats performed in the construction.
    The message extended thanks to all the builders for registering great achievements in the construction through patriotic devotion.
    The workers of the complex have stepped up the construction and, at the same time, pushed forward the project for rebuilding and repairing the vinyl chloride production process and successfully completed it, designers of the Hamhung Chemical Designing Institute ensured the designing of the caustic soda production process and guidance over its building in a responsible manner while the workers of the Ryongsong Machine Complex manufactured and supplied the custom-built equipment in good time, the message noted.
    Jang Myong Hak, manager of the February 8 Vinalon Complex, made a report on the commissioning which was followed by speeches.
    At the end of the ceremony the participants went round the newly built caustic soda production process.

U.S. Urged to Implement Joint Statement of Six-Party Talks

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Organizations of south Korea are reportedly urging the U.S. to sincerely implement the joint statement agreed upon at the six-party talks. The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification in a commentary on Sept. 20 said that it depends on the act of the U.S. whether the joint statement agreed upon at the 4th round of the six-party talks will be a significant historic document or a sheet of paper.
    Noting that the six-party talks originated from the U.S. nuclear threat to the Korean nation, the commentary said that the hard core of the joint statement lies in how substantially the U.S. nuclear threat will be removed and what practical measures will be promptly taken.
    The Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration in a statement on Sept. 21 said that the U.S. is laying an artificial obstacle in the issue of providing light water reactors even before the ink of its signature to the joint statement was dry. There will be no change in the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsular unless the U.S. discards its self-complacent attitude.

Harvest Brisk in DPRK

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) --All people in the DPRK are now out to give helping hands to the farmers in harvesting. Special trains are in service to thousands of officials, workers and members of the neighborhood units in Pyongyang going everyday to the farms in North Hwanghae Province and on the outskirts of the capital city to help the farmers there in harvesting and threshing.
    The daily number of them averages at least 1.17 million.
    The rice and maize harvesting quotas have been carried out at 12.9 and 52.4 percent respectively, taking the country as a whole.

Greetings to Cyprian President

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Tassos Papadopoulos, president of Cyprus, on Sept. 30 on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of its independence. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Cyprus will develop on good terms in the future, too, the message wished the Cyprian president great success in his work for the peaceful settlement of the Cyprian issue and the development of the country.

Greetings to Chinese Party and State Leaders

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, together with Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Friday sent a message of greetings to Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC, Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the PRC, and Wen Jiabao, premier of the State Council of the PRC, on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of its foundation. The message said:
    We, in the name of the Workers' Party of Korea, the DPRK government and the Korean people, extend warm felicitations and cordial greetings to you and, through you, to the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government and the fraternal Chinese people on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the foundation of the PRC. The foundation of the PRC was a precious victory won through a protracted revolutionary struggle and a historic event which enabled the Chinese people in distress to embark upon the road of creating a new life.
    Over the last 56 years the Chinese people have built a rich and prosperous socialist China while firmly defending the sovereignty and dignity of the country and courageously overcoming all difficulties and obstacles under the correct leadership of the CPC.
    Today the Chinese party, government and people are registering great achievements in their efforts to build a comprehensively well-off society and reunify the whole country and the position and role of the PRC are rising on the international arena as the days go by.
    The Korean people are rejoiced as over their own over all these achievements made by the fraternal Chinese people and sincerely wish them greater success in the future. It is the consistent stand of our Party and the DPRK government to set store by the DPRK-China friendship that withstood challenges and tests of history and steadily consolidate and develop it generation after generation.
    Availing ourselves of this opportunity, we wholeheartedly wish you greater success in your responsible work for the prosperity of the PRC and the Chinese people happiness in the belief that the traditional DPRK-China friendship will grow stronger in its vitality thanks to the joint efforts of the two parties, governments and peoples.

S. Korean NA Urged to Take Practical Action in Support of June 15 Joint Declaration

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- The major objective of a "special committee for the development of the south-north relations" which the south Korean "National Assembly" is keen to reorganize is to meddle in the inter-Korean relations under the pretext of "general review of them" and hinder every undertaking for inter-Korean cooperation under the pretext of "transparency" and "prior consultation." A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland said this in a statement on Sept. 30 as regards the south Korean NA's recent decision to reorganize the special committee inside the NA. The south Korean NA has not yet expressed any support to the June 15 joint declaration, the statement said, and continued: Nevertheless, it is taking issue with the inter-Korean cooperation undertakings in a bid to hinder them. This is intolerable. What is serious is that the issue of reorganizing the special committee had been conceived by the GNP, a group of pro-U.S. and anti-reunification traitorous elements, and the NA is acting under its pulls and pressures.
    It is as clear as noonday that the special committee which will certainly play into the hands of the GNP will hamstring the progress of warming up the relations as this party is dead-set against the improved inter-Korean relations.
    If the NA is to truly contribute to the development of the inter-Korean relations, it should not meddle in the cooperation, talking about "transparency", but abolish the "National Security Law", the biggest stumbling block lying in the way of the above-said process, and show a practical action in support of the June 15 joint declaration. We will closely follow the future moves of the south Korean "National Assembly".

More than 170 Cases of U.S. Aerial Espionage

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists' aerial espionage on the DPRK by all sorts of strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes numbered more than 170 in September, according to military sources. The number of aerial espionage by "U-2" high-altitude strategic reconnaissance plane reached nearly 30.
    On September 29 the plane made a shuttle flight in the sky 120 km west of Tokjok Islet and 50 km east of Phochon and Sokcho to spy on strategic objects in the depth of the DPRK.
    The U.S. imperialists intensified aerial espionage on strategic military objects in the depth of the DPRK and the area of our side of the Military Demarcation Line by more than 10 reconnaissance planes of different types including strategic reconnaissance planes "RC-135" and "U-2" on Sept. 16 when the 4th round of the six-party talks was being held in earnest.
    The U.S., which made commitments to the international community that it has no will to attack or invade the DPRK, is still hell-bent on the aerial espionage aiming to mount a preemptive attack on the DPRK. The reality shows that the U. S. imperialists are impelling us to strengthen our self-reliant war deterrent force.

Choe Thae Bok Meets Member of House of Lords of Britain

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a talk with member of the House of Lords of Britain Guthrie and his party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Friday. On hand were Ri Jong Hyok, deputy to the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly who is chairman of the DPRK-Britain Friendship Parliamentary Group, officials concerned and British Ambassador to the DPRK David Arthur Slinn.

Kim Yong Nam Meets Russian Delegation

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a friendly talk with the delegation of the Russian International Charity Fund "Protectors of Arts for the Century" led by its President Oleg Vitaliyevich Oleinik at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Friday. Present there were Minister of Culture Choe Ik Gyu, Acting Chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Mun Jae Chol, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kung Sok Ung, officials concerned and Russian Charge d' Affaires a.i. Oleg Davydov and staff members of the Russian embassy here.

Developing Industrial Fine Art

     Pyongyang, September 30 (KCNA) -- The national industrial fine art show was held with success at the Three-Revolution Exhibition on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the Workers' Party of Korea. On display were more than 1,200 pieces of design works and 650 items of manufactured goods presented by industrial fine art studios of ministries and national institutions, provincial industrial art studios and by industrial establishments across the country.
    More than 50 pieces of design works were highly appreciated at the show for their reflection of the demand of the times and the artistic quality of virtual utility. Among them were "Mark design for the Mansudae Art Theatre," "Design for street decoration," "Design for Korean costume," "Design for porcelain patterns" and "Design for printed cloth patterns" exhibited by the Mansudae Art Studio, the Industrial Fine Art Studio under the Ministry of Machine-Building Industry, the Light Industry Fine Art Studio under the Ministry of Light Industry and Pyongyang University of Fine Arts. Besides, more than 100 items of manufactured goods such as accordion, brass ware, car, lubrication oil and plastic sashes presented by the Pyongyang Musical Instrument Factory, the Pothonggang Ironware Factory and various other factories were estimated for their style and quality.
    The show fully demonstrated the validity and vitality of the Juche-oriented idea on industrial fine art and the developing industrial fine art commensurate with the new century.

For Spanish-speaking people

Terminado festival cultural folclorico en el monte Kumgang

    @Monte Kumgang, 29 de septiembre (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar los dias 28 y 29 en este monte el Festival Cultural Folclorico para la Ejecucion de la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio. En el marco del certamen hubo un foro politico, funcion artistica, exhibicion de productos especiales y juegos folcloricos.
    Asistieron aqui la delegacion de la parte Norte presidida por Ko Jong Dok, presidente del Comite Popular de la provincia de Kangwon, y la de la provincia homonima del Sur de Corea encabezada por el gobernador Kim Jin Son.
    El dia 28, nuestra parte pronuncio un discurso de apertura. Acto seguido, se efectuo un foro politico en el cual hicieron uso de la palabra varias personalidades. Ko Jong Dok, en su discurso, senalo que despues de la publicacion de la historica Declaracion Conjunta, se hace realidad el empalme de las antes cortadas rutas maritimas y terrestres entre el Norte y el Sur y anadio que ahora nuestros compatriotas y hermanos se reunen en el monte Kumgang de fama nacional para abrir el camino de reunificacion.
    Llamo a todos a hacer aportes especiales a la materializacion del ideal de "Con las fuerzas unidas de la nacion coreana" para construir a toda costa una patria reintegrada y prospera.
    Le siguio en usar la palabra Kim Jin Son quien se refirio a que durante el ultimo quinquenio se desarrollo la cooperacion Norte-Sur en varios sectores y exhorto a todos los coreanos de ambas partes a aunar sus fuerzas y voluntades para adelantar el dia de reunificacion.
    A continuacion, hubo intervenciones de los delegados del Norte y el Sur. Seguidamente, los artistas nortenos y surenos ofrecieron una funcion artistica. Los nortenos pusieron en la escena las canciones folcloricas de fuerte matiz nacional como "El cielo azul de mi pais" y "Canto del monte Kumgang", las otras con tematicas de reunificacion y danzas folcloricas, mientras los surenos interpretaron las canciones folcloricas "Arirang de la provincia de Kangwon" y "Canto de la salsa de soya de la provincia de Kangwon" y otras piezas.
    Terminada la funcion, se abrio una exhibicion de productos especiales. El mismo dia, por la tarde, los delegados de ambas partes realizaron juntos un alpinismo sobre la region del lago Samil. Al dia siguiente, se entablaron juegos folcloricos.
    Este certamen desarrollado por primera vez en la historia de division nacional marco un importante hito para desarrollar la excelente cultura folclorica de la homogenea y armoniosa nacion coreana que vino creando durante varios milenios su historia y cultura esplendidas en su territorio integrado.

Extranjeros y coreanos en ultramar llegan a Pyongyang para ver Arirang

    @Pyongyang, 30 de septiembre (ATCC) -- No cesan de llegar a esta capital los extranjeros y coreanos residentes en ultramar para presenciar la funcion gimnastico-artistica masiva "Arirang" que tiene lugar con solemnidad en el Estadio Primero de Mayo situado en un lugar pintoresco de esta capital. Arribaron el dia 28 los grupos de espectadores de China, Hong Kong de China, Mongolia, Guinea, Gran Bretana y otros paises, y el dia 29, los de Rusia y de coreanos residentes en este pais.
    Ellos vinieron aqui a bordo del avion "Arirang", que opera especialmente la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea para que los visitantes extranjeros tengan un buen viaje. Los espectadores, que vieron la funcion "Arirang", gran obra maestra del siglo XXI, se quedan muy admirados.
    Se incrementa cada dia mas el numero de tales grupos.