Kim Jong Il Enjoys Performance Given to Celebrate New Year

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, appreciated the performance "Blue Sky over My Country" given to celebrate the New Year. The performance began with mixed duet and chorus "Blue Sky over My Country". The repertoire included chorus "Song Devoted to Marshal Kim Il Sung", female solo "O, Mother Party", male chorus "We Will Never Forget Those Days", singing to the accompaniment of Oungum and pangchang "We Will Be Always with the Lodestar", female duet and chorus "Song Devoted to Comrade Kim Jong Il" and other colorful numbers.
    The performance was highly acclaimed by the audience for its solemn and rich emotion and refined artistic representation. He was greatly satisfied to watch the splendid performance jointly given by artistes of the army and society to instill confidence and courage into the Party members and other working people who have turned out in the drive for the new year in sky-high spirit. He extended his thanks to them and expressed expectation and conviction that all artistes would conduct more dynamic revolutionary artistic activities in the new year, too, and thus creditably fulfill their honorable mission and duty as forerunners on the front of literature and arts.
    Among the audience were Kim Yong Chun, chief of the General Staff of the KPA, Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, general officers including staff members of the Supreme Command of the KPA, Party officials and KPA servicepersons.

Kim Jong Il Meets Boys of Rare Talent

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il met Ku Tae Hong and Kim Hyok Il, six-year old boys of rare talent, from the Ponbu Kindergarten in Sinuiju City. They offered their wholehearted New Year's greetings to him and showed their calligraphic and painting skills to him.
    Kim Jong Il was greatly satisfied to see their calligraphies and paintings and highly praised their distinguished talents.
    He asked them how old they were and what were their hopes. After acquainting himself with their parents' jobs and the education of them, he praised the teachers in charge of the children for having found out the sprouts of their talents and nurtured them with all care.
    Such geniuses as these boys can be produced only under the socialist system of the DPRK where everyone can bring his or her talent into full bloom, Kim Jong Il said, instructing that they be brought up well as excellent men of talent.
    Then he had a photograph taken with the boys.
    He was accompanied by Choe Thae Bok, Kim Kuk Thae, Kim Ki Nam, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Il Chol and others.

U.S. Smear Campaign against DPRK under Fire

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union strongly protests the persistent smear campaign of the U.S. administration against the DPRK. The secretariat said this in a statement issued on Dec. 28 last year in denunciation of the evermore frantic "human rights racket" kicked up by the U.S. against the DPRK.
    The statement continued:
    The U.S. ruling quarters got "a resolution on human rights issue" in the DPRK adopted at the UN with the backing of its allies and attempted to pass it through other international bodies and kicked up a row over the "north Korean human rights issue" in Seoul some days ago under the signboard of an "international conference."
    The U.S. is a typical police state, a criminal state, the ringleader of world neo-fascism and No. 1 international terrorist state as it has perpetrated high-handed acts under the pretext of "defending the human rights," causing confusion and bloodshed in different parts of the world.

Action against Transfer of U.S. Military Base Starts in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The members of the Phaengsong-up measure committee against the expansion of the U.S. military base started on Jan. 3 a tour of all parts of south Korea by tractors in protest against the transfer of the U.S. military base in Ryongsan to Phyongthaek, according to the south Korean MBC. They held a ceremony of starting the tour near the U.S. military base in Phyongthaek that morning. Speakers there declared their action was to pool the will of the people opposed to the transfer of the U.S. military base.
    At the end of the ceremony, they left Phyongthaek, Kyonggi Province, aboard tractors.

Cuban Ambassador Hosts Reception

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Ruben Perez Valdes, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at the Taedonggang Club for the Diplomatic Corps on Thursday on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the victory of the Cuban revolution. Addressing the reception, the Cuban ambassador said that the Cuban people positively support the struggle of the Korean people to build up the country as an impregnable bulwark, while defending the socialist principle, independence and sovereignty from the aggressive moves of the imperialists. He noted that the two peoples are vigorously advancing toward a sure victory under the leadership of Supreme Commander Fidel Castro Ruz and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Il.
    Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, in his speech stated that it is the firm stand of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government to value and ceaselessly consolidate the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He expressed the conviction that the traditional ties of friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and Cuba based on the special comradely relationship between the leaders of the two countries and firmly forged in the joint struggle to defend independence and socialism against imperialism would invigoratingly develop in the future, too.
    Present on invitation were Ro Tu Chol, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Rim Kyong Man, minister of Foreign Trade, Kim Yong Jin, minister of Education, who is chairman of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee, Kim Kyong Ho, first secretary of the C.C., the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and others.
    On hand were officials of the Cuban embassy.

Anti-Imperialist Independence Called for

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea and the Korean people, in a joint editorial issued by Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi, declared at home and abroad their steadfast stand to make a positive contribution to building an independent, peaceful and friendly new world, holding aloft the banner of anti-imperialist independence and socialism. Anti-imperialist independence is the most correct way of realizing the desire of humankind to independently live and develop, Rodong Sinmun Friday says in a signed article, stressing that if the world progressive people staunchly fight, upholding anti-imperialist independence as the joint banner of struggle, they will surely smash the moves of the imperialists for aggression and war.
    The daily goes on:
    It is the important task of humankind to smash the imperialists' moves for aggression and war and defend peace at present.
    World peace and security can be achieved only through the struggle against imperialism.
    The present international situation requires the revolutionary countries and peoples to have strong military strength enough to frustrate any imperialists' aggression.
    The idea of anti-imperialist independence provides all the anti-imperialist forces for independence with a foundation of close unity and guarantees a victory of the popular masses' cause of independence.
    The obtaining situation urges the world progressives to closely unite under the banner of anti-imperialist independence. The progressives who aspire after independence and love peace should unite closer in order to decisively foil the U.S. imperialists' "anti-terrorist war" and moves for world supremacy at present.
    It is the truth of history that separation goes to ruin and unity triumphs in the struggle against imperialism. The world progressives should closely unite and dynamically turn out in the struggle to frustrate the imperialists' moves for aggression and war. All the progressive forces and peace-loving people of the world should closely unite in the idea of peace and jointly fight against the imperialists' intensified moves for aggression and war and make a collective counterattack everywhere tentacles of their aggression have stretched so as to bind them hand and foot to prevent them from running amuck. It is important to direct the spearhead of attack to U.S. imperialism in the present anti-imperialist struggle.
    The world people who love peace and value justice should clearly see through the true colors of the U.S. imperialists, enemy of peace and culprit of war, and wage a vigorous struggle to baffle their moves for aggression and war.

Removal of Concrete Wall Demanded

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The concrete wall built in the area south of the Military Demarcation Line dividing the Korean Peninsula should be pulled down without delay. The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) said this in a statement on Dec. 28 last year. The wall is a shameful leftover contrary to the desire of all the Korean people for the reunification of their country, it noted, and continued:
    The WFTU will always stand by the Korean people in their struggle to achieve the reunification of the country free from any form of imperialist interference.

Intensified Movement for Korea's Reunification Called for

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun Friday says in a signed article that the joint editorial issued by newspapers Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi on the occasion of the New Year put forward a militant slogan to be held high in the movement for national reunification this year reflecting the unanimous desire and will of all Koreans. It goes on: "Let us vigorously forward the patriotic movement for independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity under the banner of 'By our nation itself'!"--this is the slogan put forward in the joint editorial to be held up in this year's movement for national reunification. Independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity constitute a main front on which the Koreans should focus their struggle at present and its main thrust. They are the goals the Korean nation should achieve and indicate the road to be followed by it.
    Independent reunification is the greatest desire of the Koreans and their supreme task and a final goal they should attain at present. Neither independent reunification nor inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation nor great national unity can be expected without a struggle for peace against war.
    Efforts to achieve great national unity mean a work to build a driving force for reunification and expand and strengthen it. This unity leads to independent reunification. Independent reunification and peace against war should be achieved through a struggle for great national unity. The slogan of the movement for national reunification for this year singles out independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity as a three-point patriotic movement, thus remarkably stirring up the patriotic enthusiasm of all the fellow countrymen and encouraging them to display it to the full.
    All members of the nation should fully display their patriotic zeal in the struggle to achieve independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity.
    Only when all Koreans display patriotic enthusiasm in the above-said patriotic movement under the uplifted banner of "By our nation itself" as called for by the slogan contained in the joint editorial, the movement for independent reunification will make a dynamic advance and a new turning point will be brought about in the cause of reunification this year, the article concludes.

Koguryo Mural Tombs, World Heritage

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Korea is endowed with many tombs with mural paintings created in the period of Koguryo. Koguryo was the first feudal state of Korea, which had great influence upon the development of the Oriental culture in the Middle Ages for its prominent architecture and drawing techniques. The mural tombs vividly mirror the then developed level of science and culture of Koguryo for their various structures of stone-piled chambers and rich content of the mural paintings.
    The mural tombs are divided into those with figure and genre paintings, with pictures of four guardians and with figure and genre paintings and pictures of four guardians according to their themes.
    The figure and genre painting reflects the then people and their living customs. This means that their soul continues to hover even after their death. Typical of such mural tombs are King Tongmyong's mausoleum, King Kogukwon's mausoleum and Tokhung-ri tombs.
    The picture of four guardians depicts four guardians defending corpses. The tombs with this kind of picture are found in Honam-ri and Jian. Tombs with figure and genre paintings and pictures of four guardians are located in Yaksu-ri and Ryodong Castle. This kind of tombs account for an overwhelming proportion of the mural toms and their chambers are well arranged and their mural paintings are varied and rich in content. Most of the mural tombs are located in Pyongyang and South Phyongan and South Hwanghae Provinces, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Jian City, Jilin Province, China.
    The Koguryo mural tombs, representing the developed culture in the northeastern Asia in the Middle Ages, are a pride of the Korean nation and a wealth common to the humankind that should be handed down through generations.
    Sixty-three Koguryo mural tombs were inscribed on the list of the world heritage at the 28th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO held in July 2004.

Movement to Follow O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- This is the significant year for the servicepersons of the Korean People's Army who regard the spirit of devotedly defending the leader as their life and soul. This year they marked the 10th anniversary of the movement for winning the title of O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment.
    It, initiated on January 1 Juche 85 (1996), is a new all-army onward movement of higher form to follow the example of the 7th regiment which devotedly defended the headquarters during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle.
    The spirit of defending the leader at the cost of their lives displayed by the regiment was based on the absolute trust in the leader. The slogans including "Let us devotedly defend the headquarters of revolution!" and "For the Party and leader!" were set forth at various stages of the Korean revolution in reflection of the spirit displayed by the members of O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment.
    During the "Arduous March" and forced march, the soldiers of the DPRK discharged their honorable mission in the struggle for consolidating the military position of the Korean revolution and defending socialism under the slogan " Let the whole army become O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment today in devotedly defending the headquarters of revolution!".
    Rodong Sinmun, the official organ of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, on November 9, Juche 84 (1995), carried the song "7th Regiment Is in the Van of Us Today, Too" reflecting the ardent wish of the entire soldiers and people of the country to follow the pattern of the regiment. The song has widely been sung among the servicepersons and people since its publication.
    This eloquently shows that the fighting spirit and traits of O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment have a great power of influence even today, too. The joint editorial issued on the occasion of the New Year Juche 95 (2006) calls upon the KPA to fully display the invincible might of the revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu in safeguarding the leader with lives under the slogan "Let us defend the headquarters of revolution headed by the great Comrade Kim Jong Il at the cost of our lives!"

Servicepersons and Working People Vow to Implement New Year Tasks

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Meetings of servicepersons of the Ministry of People's Security and employees of the Ministry of Railways were held on Jan. 5 to vow to step up the general march for Songun revolution and carry through the militant tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial. Reporters and speakers at the meetings noted that the joint editorial serves as a militant banner clarifying the tasks and ways of this year's struggle to give full play to the advantage of Korean-style socialism in political, military, economic, cultural and all other fields by putting spurs to the general march for Songun revolution once again.
    They underlined the need for all officials and working people to prepare themselves as ardent fighters who share destiny with leader Kim Jong Il to the last, firmly believing in him only in any adversity in their transparent spirit of defending the leader at the cost of their lives and thus further consolidate the single-minded unity of all the servicepersons and the people centered around the leader.
    Mass rallies to vow to make a fresh leap forward in building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation with the might of Songun were also held in South and North Phyongan provinces, Jagang Province and Kangwon Province on the same day.
    The reporters and speakers at the rallies said that the joint editorial of the organs of the party, the army and the youth league has brought the wind of a fresh leap forward all over the country, stirring up the hearts of the whole army and all the people who are working hard to conquer the peak of a great prosperous powerful nation full of great ambition and confidence.
    We have no fortress to be unconquerable as long as there are the tested guidance of Kim Jong Il and great victories and achievements made in Songun revolution, they said, calling upon everybody to rally close around the headquarters of the revolution and open up a golden era of Korean-style socialism. Resolutions were adopted at the meetings and rallies.

Congratulations to Egyptian Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Ahmed Najef on the latter's reappointment as Egyptian prime minister. The message sincerely wished him good health and happiness as well as greater success in his responsible work for the country's progress and prosperity. Meanwhile, Paek Nam Sun, foreign minister of the DPRK, sent a congratulatory message to Ahmed Abu al-Gheit on the latter's reappointment as Egyptian foreign minister.

For Spanish-speaking people

Embajador cubano ofrece banquete por el dia del triunfo de revolucion

    @Pyongyang, 6 de enero (ATCC) -- Ruben Perez Valdes, embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Republica de Cuba en Corea ofrecio el dia 5 en el Club Taedonggang para el Cuerpo Diplomatico un banquete con motivo del 47 aniversario del triunfo de la Revolucion Cubana. El embajador, en su discurso, senalo que el pueblo cubano apoya activamente la lucha del pueblo coreano que defiende el principio socialista, la independencia y la soberania y consolida el pais como baluarte inexpugnable enfrentandose a las maniobras de agresion de los imperialistas. Destaco que bajo la direccion del Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz y el Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea Kim Jong Il los pueblos de ambos paises avanzan a pasos firmes hacia la victoria cierta.
    El vicepresidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea Yang Hyong Sop, al intervenir, dijo que es firme la posicion del partido y el gobierno de Corea de apreciar, consolidar y desarrollar ininterrumpidamente las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion con Cuba. Expreso conviccion de que tambien en lo adelante, se fortaleceran y se desarrollaran con vigor las tradicionales relaciones de amistad y cooperacion entre Corea y Cuba, basadas en la singular camaraderia entre los dirigentes de los dos paises y estrechadas con firmeza en el camino de la lucha comun por salvaguardar la independencia antiimperialista y el socialismo.
    Estuvieron invitados Ro Tu Chol, vicepremier del Consejo de Ministros, Rim Kyong Man, ministro de Comercio Exterior, Kim Yong Jin, ministro de Educacion y presidente del Comite de Solidaridad Corea-Cuba, Kim Kyong Ho, primer secretario del Comite Central de la Union de la Juventud Socialista Kim Il Sung, Mun Jae Chol, presidente interino del Comite de Relaciones Culturales con el Extranjero, etc.
    Tambien participaron miembros de la embajada cubana.

Pyongyaneses juran producir nuevos saltos con el poderio del Songun

    @Pyongyang, 6 de enero (ATCC) -- La centrica Plaza Kim Il Sung fue el dia 4 la sede del mitin de mas de 100 mil capitalinos que muy emotivos por haber recibido el editorial conjunto del Ano Nuevo, se congregaron ahi para procurar con el poderio del Songun (priorizacion militar) nuevos saltos en la construccion de una gran potencia socialista prospera. Aparecieron en la tribuna Pak Pong Ju, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop, Kim Jung Rin y otros cuadros.
    Al rendir el informe de la ocasion, Ryang Man Gil, presidente del Comite Popular de la Ciudad de Pyongyang, subrayo que los exitos logrados el ano pasado en esta capital son frutos brillantes de la extraordinaria direccion del Dirigente Kim Jong Il sobre la revolucion mediante el Songun y prosiguio: Todos los funcionarios y otros trabajadores capitalinos deben unirse mas compactamente en torno al Dirigente y prepararse como firmes revolucionarios que apoyan a su lider con la idea y la fe y le defienden a costa de la vida.
    Hay que tener una confianza absoluta en la invencibilidad del socialismo, implantar un estricto clima de dar importancia a los asuntos militares y preferencia a la industria de defensa nacional y poner de pleno manifiesto la tradicion de ayudar al ejercito.
    Se debe suministrar con preferencia la mano de obra, materiales y equipos necesarios a la agricultura al percatarse bien de la intencion del Partido del Trabajo de Corea que fijo el frente agricola como la trinchera clave de la construccion economica y llamo otra vez a movilizar y concentrar todas las fuerzas a este sector.
    Todos los trabajadores del sector agricola deben trabajar hacendosamente al asimilar el estilo revolucionario de trabajo del Ejercito Popular de Corea. Es preciso incrementar la produccion en las industrias electrica, carbonifera y ligera y convertir la ciudad de Pyongyang en una urbe mas moderna y civilizada al encauzar mas fuerzas a la edificacion de la capital y la administracion urbana.
    Es muy importante mejorar de modo revolucionario la administracion economica.
    Ademas, se debe producir la revolucion en la labor docente, resolver los problemas cientifico-tecnicos que se presentan en la construccion de una gran potencia prospera, mantener la independencia y la nacionalidad en la vida social y hacer reinar mas plenamente en todas las unidades la cultura revolucionaria de los militares.
    El conclave escucho otras intervenciones y aprobo una resolucion.