Important Days of DPRK Observed Abroad

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- Meetings and round-table talks took place in Sweden, Bulgaria and Egypt between December 19 and 21 on the occasions of the 15th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's assumption of office as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and the 89th birth anniversary of anti-Japanese war hero Kim Jong Suk. Displayed in the venues of the functions were photos showing the undying feats performed by the three generals of Mt. Paektu.
    Christer Lundgren, chairman of the Sweden-Korea Friendship Association, speaking at a meeting, said that Kim Jong Il has put into practice the original Songun political mode by developing in depth President Kim Il Sung's idea of attaching importance to arms, the idea of giving priority to the military affairs.
    It is thanks to the Songun policy of Kim Jong Il that the Korean people have made a great stride forward in building a great prosperous powerful nation while firmly defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and the socialist cause, he added.
    He referred in detail to the fact that Kim Jong Suk devotedly protected the safety of Kim Il Sung in every hard-fought battle and devoted her all to building a new country after the liberation.
    Mikhail Gigov Stoyanov, secretary general of the Bulgarian Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, in a speech at a meeting said that the Korean People's Army has grown to be a matchless army under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il. Wahid Al Uksouri, chairman of the Misr Arab Socialist Party of Egypt, addressing the round-table talks, noted that the DPRK led by Kim Jong Il is powerfully inspiring the people of the developing countries.
    Congratulatory messages to Kim Jong Il were adopted at the meetings held in Sweden and Bulgaria.

Demolition of Concrete Wall Demanded by Arab Lawyers Union

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- The Arab Lawyers Union issued a statement on Dec. 20 demanding the demolition of the concrete wall 27 years since it was built. The statement said that Korea's reunification is the cherished desire of its people, hoping that Korea would be reunified in the near future on the principle of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity. It supported the Korean people in their just struggle to achieve the reunification of the country and ensure peace of the Korean Peninsula, holding that foreign troops should quit south Korea as required by the Korean people and the trend of the times.

Japanese Authorities' Suppression of Chongryon under Fire in Egypt

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- The Egypt-Korea Friendship Association issued a statement on Dec. 19 rapping the Japanese authorities' evermore brutal suppression of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon). The attitude of the Japanese authorities is aimed to tarnish the image of Chongryon as it is an illegal act of encroaching upon the rights of Koreans in Japan, the statement said.
    Holding that the Japanese authorities should respect the freedom and rights granted to the Koreans in Japan, the statement demanded the authorities stop the suppression of Chongryon according to international law and norms.
    The chairman of the Misr Arab Socialist Party of Egypt in a statement on Dec. 20 said that Chongryon is an overseas citizens organization of the DPRK recognized by the Japanese law. The statement termed the Japanese authorities' suppression of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan and their human rights abuses absolutely groundless and inhumane acts.

Unity of All Fellow Countrymen Urged

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- Minjok Thongsin, Internet homepage in the United States, on Dec. 23 posted an article of its editor calling upon all the Koreans to unite in the struggle for national reunification. The article referred to the evermore undisguised moves of the U.S. and the south Korean anti-reunification forces to obstruct and block the struggle of the fellow countrymen for independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity this year.
    The U.S. and the south Korean anti-reunification forces have constantly engaged themselves in the expansion of U.S. military bases, negotiations for the conclusion of the "Free Trade Agreement" and various types of joint military exercises for the preparation of a war against the DPRK, the article noted. It stressed the need to decisively reject the U.S. occupation of south Korea, the chief obstacle to the reunification of Korea, and the moves of the pro-U.S. flunkeyist forces against reunification.
    To reunify the country, the entire Korean nation should achieve great unity, it said, stressing: The only way out for all the fellow countrymen is to reject the flunkeyist forces and join hands with each other.

Exalting History of Great Revolutionary Upswing Urged

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 50th anniversary of the historic speech made by President Kim Il Sung at the Kangson Steel Works in which he called for using locally available production potentials to the maximum to boost the production of steel. He visited the works in the wake of the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in December 1956. Rodong Sinmun in an editorial Thursday says:
    Kim Il Sung had the historic plenary meeting convened in December Juche 45 (1956) when the Korean revolution was undergoing a grim test, at which he set forth the revolutionary policy calling on all the Party members and other people to brace themselves up and effect a dramatic upswing in building socialism. Then he went down to the workers in Kangson and aroused their ardent patriotic zeal, thus ushering in the new history of Chollima march.
    Leader Kim Jong Il has seen to it that the history of socialist construction in the DPRK has been constantly carried forward as a history of a great revolutionary upswing, true to Kim Il Sung's blueprint of building a prosperous powerful country, and has recorded every decade of the revolution and construction as a heroic epic. Kim Jong Il's energetic leadership finds it traces in the course of the advance in the 1970s and the 1980s when the Koreans rushed forward like the wind by adding speed to the gallop of Chollima and in the three revolution red flag movement, a new higher stage of the Chollima work-team movement, which serves as a powerful driving force for building a great prosperous powerful nation.
    It is a significant historic exploit performed by him that he energetically led the work to glorify the tradition of the great revolutionary surge in the days of the "Arduous March" and the forced march.
    The history of building socialism in the DPRK in which the Koreans have written the heroic epic of the great revolutionary upswing for many years is a history of the tested leadership of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. All the people should turn out like a giant and set off a raging storm of leaping progress in every field and domain of socialist construction like the people who upheld the spirit of the historic plenary meeting in 1956, urges the editorial.

Okryu Restaurant in Pyongyang Renovated

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- Okryu restaurant, a treasure of the nation and the pride of Pyongyang, has been put on a new look suited to the aesthetic sense of the new century. The outer walls of the restaurant were plastered like white marble while keeping its architectural style as it was. Its detailed decorations were made in an exquisite way. The bright and elegant look of the restaurant is in well harmony with the River Taedong, which reminds the viewers of an art object.
    The interior of the main building, which was the main in the reconstruction, has been completely refurbished in the aspect of architectural aesthetics. The entrance hall of the main building, screw-like stairs and corridors were decorated with various ornaments like an art theatre according to a unique architectural design. More than 20 dining rooms including separate dining rooms, popular dining rooms and reception halls were also renovated beyond recognition.
    High-grade furniture such as tables, chairs and reception tables, various kinds of lamps and chandeliers add gracefulness to the restaurant.
    The double ceilings of dining rooms and corridors, the ceiling corners and walls decorated in bolder relief and pictures blend in well with each other. Kim Hyon Ho, 70, residing in Chukjon-Dong No. 2 of Mangyongdae District, told KCNA in admiration that the famous Pyongyang cold noodle and other folk dishes will enjoy greater popularity.

Floral Basket and Congratulatory Message to Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with a floral basket and a congratulatory message by the Economic and Commercial Councillors' Corps here on the occasion of the New Year Juche 96 (2007). The floral basket and message were conveyed to an official concerned on Thursday by Evelio Duenas Ponce, commercial councillor of the Cuban embassy who is doyen of the corps.

For Spanish-speaking people

Rodong Sinmun exhorta a glorificar la historia de auge revolucionario

    @Pyongyang, 28 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Hace ahora exactamente 50 anos, despues de terminada la sesion plenaria de diciembre de 1956 del Comite Central del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, el Presidente Kim Il Sung visito la Aceria de Kangson donde pronuncio un historico discurso de producir mayor cantidad de materiales de acero utilizando total y eficazmente los recursos existentes. @En homenaje a ese dia (28 de diciembre), el diario Rodong Sinmun difundio este jueves un editorial que sigue:
    En el 45 (1956) de la Era Juche, en que la revolucion coreana atravesaba duras pruebas, el Presidente Kim Il Sung organizo el historico pleno de diciembre del CC del PTC y presento la revolucionaria orientacion de registrar un auge en la construccion del socialismo mediante la movilizacion general de todo el partido y el pueblo. @ Inmediatamente despues acudio a los obreros de Kangson y dio inicio a nueva historia de la Marcha de Chollima (corcel mitologico que de un trote llega a unos 400 kilometros) al poner de pleno manifiesto el patriotismo de ellos. En pleno acato al proyecto de construccion de una patria prospera del Presidente, el Dirigente Kim Jong Il posibilito que la historia de construccion del socialismo de nuestro pais diera paso a la de gran auge revolucionario y corono con epopeyas cada decada de la revolucion y la construccion.
    La dinamica orientacion del Dirigente esta impregnada en la marcha de las decadas de 1970 y 1980, en que el pueblo coreano avanzo a todo galope sumando mas velocidad a Chollima, y tambien en el movimiento por la obtencion de la bandera roja de las tres revoluciones, que deviene el motor poderoso de la construccion de una gran potencia prospera, siendo el nivel mas alto del movimiento de las brigadas del trabajo Chollima. Es un gran merito historico el que el Dirigente guio dinamicamente al pueblo coreano para que diera continuidad a la tradicion de gran auge revolucionario aun en el periodo de la "Marcha penosa" y la forzada.
    Por lo tanto, la historia de construccion del socialismo de Corea, en que nuestro pueblo vino creando epopeyas de gran auge revolucionario durante largo tiempo, es precisamente la trayectoria de probada direccion del Presidente y del Dirigente. @Al igual que aquellos tiempos en que apoyaba el espiritu del pleno referido, todo el pueblo debe levantarse como un gran oleaje para registrar un gran salto en todos los sectores y ramas de la construccion del socialismo.

Crecen en el mundo voces de elogio a tres generales del monte Paektu

    .(Pyongyang, 28 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Se elevan cada dia mas las voces de elogio de la humanidad progresista del mundo a los tres generales del monte Paektu. Con motivo del Dia del Sol (15 de Abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il) de este ano fueron constituidos los comites preparatorios y desarrollados diversos actos en mas de 50 paises y regiones, incluso Mongolia y Bangladesh, y en las organizaciones internacionales. En ocasion del 42o aniversario del inicio del trabajo del Dirigente Kim Jong Il en el Comite Central del Partido del Trabajo de Corea los partidos politicos y entidades de mas de 50 paises auspiciaron en mas de 200 ocasiones mitines, seminarios y charlas, apenas en mas de 20 dias de junio.
    Tambien, en ocasion del XII aniversario del fallecimiento del Presidente Kim Il Sung, en Camboya, Polonia, Austria, Sudafrica, Guinea y otros paises fueron constituidos los comites de recordacion de el bajo la participacion de las personalidades de los partidos politicos, entidades y organizaciones regionales y tuvieron lugar encuentros de recordacion, seminarios, conferencias y otras actividades en mas de 60 paises y organizaciones internacionales y regionales.
    De otro lado, varios paises del orbe otorgaron a los tres generales del monte Paektu los titulos honorarios, ordenes, medallas y diplomas.
    El Consejo de Apoyo al Fondo Internacional de Caridad "Protectores del arte secular" otorgo al Presidente la orden de estrella dorada "Estrella defensora del arte" -la maxima condecoracion social de Rusia- mientras el comite organizador de la misma entidad y los comites permanentes de la "Academia Protectora del Arte Internacional" y del Movimiento Social de Caridad "Hombres Honestos del Mundo" confirieron al Dirigente el Titulo Honorario del "Protector y filantropo del arte mundial de 2005" -premio social internacional-, y el Titulo del Academico Honorario de la "Academia Protectora del Arte Internacional".
    El municipio de Yantzaza de la provincia de Zamora Chinchipe del Ecuador otorgo el certificado de ciudadano honorario a los Tres Generales del monte Paektu y la Asociacion Nacional de Escritores y Artistas del Peru (ANEAP) eligio como su presidentes honorarios al Presidente Kim Il Sung y al Dirigente Kim Jong Il y otorgo la gran medalla y el certificado del "Sol de la ANEAP" al primero y a la camarada Kim Jong Suk.
    Nigeria concedio a esta ultima el titulo de la jefa del tribu "Gran madre de todo el pueblo" y la llave conmemorativa de la ciudad de Aba.
    El Fondo Internacional de Caridad de Rusia "Protectores del arte secular" grabo eternamente los nombres del Presidente y del Dirigente bajo los numeros 000001 y 000002 en el Monumento "Angeles bondadosos de la paz".
    Con motivo del 15o aniversario del nombramiento del Dirigente Kim Jong Il como Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea y del 89o aniversario del natalicio de la heroina de lucha antijaponesa Kim Jong Suk, prosiguen en varios paises y regiones del mundo las actividades de varios temas.

Remodelado Restaurante Okryu

     (Pyongyang, 28 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Fue remodelado conforme al sentido estetico del nuevo siglo el capitalino Restaurante Okryu, que deviene un patrimonio nacional y orgullo de Pyongyang. Aunque se mantiene en su estructura original, la parte exterior del restaurante fue repellada de modo que diera la impresion del marmol blanco, en reemplazo del anterior repello de piedra artificial.
    Ademas, los adornos hechos de manera superfina aportan mas claridad y elegancia al restaurante, que se asemeja a una obra de bellas artes a la ribera del rio Taedong. En particular, el interior del edificio principal del restaurante, proyecto clave de la reconstruccion, fue cambiado de manera irreconocible.
    El salon, caracterizado por el original diseno arquitectonico y variados atavios llamativos, y la escalera espiral de piedra, que conduce al corredor, dan la impresion a los huespedes de que estuvieran en un teatro de arte.
    Por otra parte, cambiaron de su fisonomia cerca de 20 cuartos como los apartados, los comedores y la sala de recepcion.
    Todos estos fueron amueblados finamente con las mesas, sillas, mesitas del camarero, bombillos y aranas de lamparas bien confeccionados.
    Estan en perfecta armonia los comedores, dobles techados y sus bordes decorados en diferentes formas, paredes y los cuadros.
    Muy maravillado por la reestructuracion, el septuagenario anciano Kim Hyon Ho, habitante del barrio de Chukjon No. 2 del municipio de Mangyongdae, declaro a la Agencia Telegrafica Central de Corea que la remodelacion permite desarrollar mas el fideo en caldo frio de Pyongyang y otros platos nacionales, famosos desde remota antiguedad.