Congratulations to Regional Secretary of Syria's Baath Arab Socialist Party
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il Friday sent a congratulatory message to Bashar al−Assad, regional secretary of Syria's Baath Arab Socialist Party, on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.
The message says:
I extend warm congratulations to you and, through you, to the leadership and all the members of the Baath Arab Socialist Party on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.
Since its foundation the party has made big progress in the efforts to build new Syria, independent and prosperous, and defend the sovereignty and the dignity of the Arab nation.
Our party and people are sincerely rejoiced over it and will send positive support and solidarity to your party and people in their just struggle to achieve the development and modernization of the country and seek a fair and comprehensive settlement of the Mideast issue.
Availing myself of this opportunity, I wholeheartedly wish you bigger success in your responsible work, expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and peoples would steadily grow stronger.
Day of Sun and Army Day of DPRK to Be Commemorated in Venezuela
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- A Venezuelan preparatory committee was inaugurated in Caracas on Mar. 31 to commemorate the Day of the Sun and the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army.
Omar Lopez, chairman of the Venezuelan National Society for the Study of the Juche Idea, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
The committee decided to organize colorful functions including meeting and seminar and publish and distribute famous works of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the occasions.
Day of Sun Commemorated Abroad
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held by the Central Committee of the Nepal Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), a lecture took place at Kinshasa Vocational School in Democratic Congo and a ceremony of opening the Korean book, photo and handicraft exhibition was held by the Mexico City Council in Mexico from Mar. 26 to 30 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the birthday of President Kim Il Sung.
On display in the venues of the events were photos showing the undying revolutionary exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and their famous works and Korean publications and handicrafts showing the creative skills of the Korean people.
C.P. Mainali, general secretary of the C.C., the Nepal Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist), at the meeting said that the President is the universally recognized great leader who is always remembered not only by the Korean people but by the Nepalese people and other progressive people of the world, adding: It is quite natural for the world to admire and revere the President for the immortal feats performed for the Korean revolution and the human cause of independence.
Noting that the Korean people have waged a vigorous struggle to firmly defend socialism and build a great prosperous powerful nation under the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il, he said that this greatly encourages the Nepalese people.
The vice-chairman of the Youth Group for the Study of the Juche Idea in Democratic Congo who is director of Kinshasa Vocational School in the lecture highly praised Kim Il Sung as an outstanding leader who pioneered and led the cause of independence, which has become a main trend of the world history of politics in the present times.
A message to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting in Nepal.
Collection of Reminiscences Published
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- "Among the People" Vol.69, a collection of reminiscences, has been brought out by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House.
The book contains 18 items of reminiscences dealing with the immortal revolutionary exploits and noble popular traits of President Kim Il Sung.
The reminiscences "'I Loudly Boast Our Women Soldiers'" and "A Rifle He Put on a Small Shoulder" recount historical facts about the great revolutionary feats performed by the President in bringing up soldiers into a-match-for-a hundred fighters and energetically guiding all the people to be fully prepared for national defense.
Edited in the book are reminiscences telling how the President closely rallied the broad masses around the WPK and led the Party officials to have correct methods and style of work, reminiscences showing how he guided at the head the endeavors to achieve fresh successes in socialist economic construction, and reminiscences recounting how he built a new main base for the development of the IT industry and led the conservatory to develop into a seat of art education and a breeding station for the development of Juche art both in name and in reality.
Also contained in the book are reminiscences making the readers recall with deep emotion the whole life of the President who spared no pains to provide the people with a more abundant dietary life and telling about his warm loving care for the people.
Cuban Ambassador Hosts Reception on Day of Sun
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- Ruben Perez Valdes, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception on Thursday on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.
Present there on invitation were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Rim Kyong Man, minister of Foreign Trade, Kim Yong Jin, minister of Education, Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and other officials concerned.
The Cuban ambassador, addressing the reception, said that all the successes made by the DPRK, a military power fully prepared to reliably defend the sovereignty of the country, are a brilliant fruition of the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung.
He said that the exploits performed by the President are shining thanks to Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army. It is a great fortune for the Korean people, he added.
The material and moral aid given by the President to the Cuban people led by Fidel Castro is remembered as a good example in the history of friendship between countries and leaders, he noted.
Yang Hyong Sop in his speech said that the DPRK is pleased to note that the DPRK-Cuba friendly and cooperative relations provided by Kim Il Sung and Fidel are invariably developing on good terms despite the complicated international situation, adding: The Korean people are proud of having such comrades-in-arms strong in the revolutionary principle and in the sense of obligation as the Cuban people in the Western Hemisphere.
The DPRK will as always set store by the friendly and cooperative relations with the Cuban people who overcame the ordeal and test of history and make positive efforts to inject increased energy into the relations, he noted, and continued:
We sincerely rejoice over the enormous achievements the Cuban government and people have made in various fields of socialist construction under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba while resolutely frustrating the persistent moves of the U.S. to isolate and stifle Cuba, and wholeheartedly wish them greater success in the days ahead.
FTA Settlement Denounced in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- The Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration on April 2 issued a statement under the title "We denounce the settlement of south Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, the second Ulsa Five-point Treaty", according to a media report.
The humiliating settlement has driven the south Korean people to a situation in which they have to leave their vital rights root and all to the United States in all social spheres, the statement said. It sharply denounced the "government" for having forced the negotiations by brutal suppression which reminds one of the days of military dictatorship.
Calling upon the people of all social strata to turn out in the fight against the conclusion of the FTA, the statement said that the solidarity would wage a struggle to check the conclusion of the FTA under the slogan "Thwart the ratification of the south Korea-U.S. FTA at the 'National Assembly' and oppose the 'Grand National Party' abetting its conclusion".
U.S. Arbitrary Practices under Fire
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- The United States and the south Korean authorities recently reached a final agreement on finishing the construction of the U.S. military base in Phyongthaek by 2011 and obliging south Korea to pay about 5.6 billion U.S. dollars or more than half of the total funds amounting to almost 10 billion U.S. dollars needed for the transfer of the U.S. military base in Ryongsan, Seoul, and the second division of the U.S. army and the construction of the U.S. military base in Phyongthaek.
Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed commentary in this regard:
This is a revelation of the robber-like intention to bleed the south Koreans white and impose disasters of a nuclear war upon the Korean nation as it is a product of the U.S. imperialists' arrogant and shameless arbitrary practices and persistent pressure.
The projected transfer of the U.S. military base in south Korea and its relocation are, to all intents and purposes, very dangerous military moves to carry out the U.S. policy of aggression against the DPRK and Asian domination.
The arrogant U.S. has put all sorts of pressures on south Korea under the pretext of "security umbrella" and finally imposed upon it the burden of covering the huge expenses for the transfer and relocation of the U.S. military base.
It is clear to everybody who will benefit from the final agreement reached between the U.S. and the south Korean authorities and who will suffer from it. The world knows no such brigandish and shameless aggressors as the U.S. imperialists who imposed upon the south Koreans the heavy burden of covering the funds for the upkeep of their forces in south Korea and the transfer of their base for a war of aggression, while perpetrating all sorts of moves for aggression and plunder in south Korea for more than 60 years.
The U.S. imperialists had better quit south Korea at once, instead of transferring the base of the aggressor forces and relocating it.
Establishing Juche Character, Main Principle of Settlement of Reunification Issue
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- The establishment of the Juche character is the most important requirement for removing obstacles lying in the way of the reunification of the country and successfully accomplishing the cause of the reunification, and it is a matter of principle arising from the independent nature of the cause, observes Rodong Sinmun in an article Friday.
Noting that the reunification of the country is a cause of the Korean nation in which no one can replace it, the author of the article goes on:
Establishing the Juche character of the nation in the cause of national reunification has consistently been raised as an important issue in the whole course of the history of the reunification movement. But it stands out with greater urgency in the June 15 era of reunification.
What all the fellow countrymen want today is the independent reunification of the nation. The outside forces feeling uneasy about the desire of the Koreans for independent reunification are trying by hook or by crook to stem the flow of the times and keep their domination over south Korea.
The outside forces, out of their aggressive interests, are interfering in the internal affairs of the Korean nation and encroaching upon its interests. Nevertheless, the south Korean pro-U.S. forces, captive to the old bad habit of flunkeyism and reliance upon outside forces, are joining them in hostile moves against the DPRK, thus doing serious harms to the inter-Korean relations and the reunification movement.
Today when the situation at home and abroad is developing in favor of the reunification of the country the Korean nation feels the necessity of the establishment of its Juche character more keenly than ever before. By thoroughly establishing the Juche character the Korean nation should see that the inter-Korean relations and the movement of national reunification never play into the hands of outside forces and their followers again.
The unity of the driving force of reunification should be strengthened in the efforts to establish the Juche character and the struggle for independent reunification be intensified under the banner of independence against the U.S. so that the pro-U.S. conservative forces including the south Korean Grand National Party which persist in dependence on outside forces, bereft of the Juche character, may not strut about any longer, concludes the article.
Great Change in Thaechon Area
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- The appearance of the Thaechon area has changed beyond recognition thanks to President Kim Il Sung's grandiose plan for harnessing the nature, adding beauty to the scenery of Songun Korea stepping up the drive to build a socialist economic power.
The completion of the Power Station No. 4 this year in the wake of the construction of tiered power stations nos. 1, 2, 3 and 5 on the River Taeryong has turned the area into a reliable electricity producer with a generating capacity of hundreds of thousands of kw.
The water of the River Chungman which had flown to the River Amnok only is now converging with the water of the River Taeryong through a large water tunnel, causing the Reservoirs Thaechon and Songwon and three other man-made lakes to appear with a total storing capacity of billions of cubic meters. They are now capable of irrigating more than 100,000 hectares of farm land.
There appeared dwelling houses heated with electricity around the power stations and thick forests in the mountains surrounding the reservoirs, changing the landscape of the area beyond recognition. Now the basins of the Rivers Taeryong and Chungman are safe from any flood damage.
Patriotic Spirit of Mangyongdae Family
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- A stream of officers and men of the Korean People's Army, working people of all strata, youth and students are visiting the native home of President Kim Il Sung in Mangyongdae, a sacred place of the revolution, on the occasion of his 95th birth anniversary.
Looking round the time-honored native home, the visitors retrospect with deep emotion on the lofty patriotic spirit of the revolutionary family members who saved and defended the destiny of the country and the nation generation after generation.
The President left the brushwood gate of the old home at the age of 13 and fought against the Japanese imperialists with arms in his hands to achieve the liberation of the country. He beat back the armed invasion of the U.S. imperialists who boasted of being "the strongest" in the world to defend the dignity and sovereignty of the nation. He thus earned the fame as the legendary hero of the anti-Japanese war, ever-victorious iron-willed brilliant commander and gifted military strategist.
Kim Ung U, great-grandfather of the President, stood in the van of the battle for sinking the U.S. aggression ship General Sherman. Grandfather Kim Po Hyon always said that a man should die on the battlefield against the enemy and willingly saw his sons and grandsons leave for the revolutionary struggle.
The heritages left by father Kim Hyong Jik were the idea "Jiwon" (aim high), three contingencies, the idea to obtain good comrades and two pistols. Brother Kim Chol Ju and uncle Kim Hyong Gwon were also ardent revolutionaries who dedicated their youth and lives to the struggle for the cause of national liberation.
The patriotic spirit of the Mangyongdae family has been taken over by the great Kim Jong Il who is successfully carrying forward the immortal Songun revolutionary feats performed by the President in pioneering the Korean revolution at the point of bayonet.
Preparations for Flower Festival and Show Progress Apace
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- Preparations for the 9th Kimilsungia Festival and the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Show celebrating the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People's Army are at the full swing in the DPRK.
Participated in the forthcoming festival and show will be organs of the People's Armed Forces, Cabinet commissions, ministries, national institutions, the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), nearly 90 foreign organizations, individual servicepersons, working people of all strata and school youth and children with more than 20,000 pots of Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia, immortal flowers.
In order to make the festival and show more splendid, the Korean Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia Committee has familiarized itself with the cultivation of the flowers in the applicant units and given technical assistance to them so as to bring flowers into full blooms.
Meanwhile, the committee is organizing colorful activities including the work of widely introducing the exemplary officials, growers and individuals in the cultivation of Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia.
An attention is also being directed to the efforts to arrange all the exhibition stands in an artistic and cultural way.
The finishing touch is being given to the work for decorating exterior and interior of the festival venue and to the work of organizing the service for the visitors.
The intending participants are striving hard to open the sun's flowers more beautifully and arrange the stands splendidly to suit the features of their units.
DPRK Taekwon-do Team Leaves for S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- An exhibition team of the DPRK Taekwon-Do Committee led by Chairman Hwang Pong Yong left here Friday to attend the Taekwon-Do demonstration to be held in the south side's area.
Congratulatory Message to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with a congratulatory message by the military attaches corps here on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of his election as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission.
The message was conveyed to Vice Marshal of the Korean People's Army Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, by Yang Xilian, military, naval and air attache of the Chinese embassy who is doyen of the corps, on Friday.
Kim Yong Nam Meets Peruvian Ambassador
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a talk with Jorge Bayona Medina, Peruvian ambassador e.p. to the DPRK who paid a farewell call on him, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Friday.
Present there were Kim Hyong Jun, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and officials concerned.
New Posters Produced
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- Posters have been produced on the occasions of the 9th Kimilsungia Festival and the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Show celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
The beautiful flower of the sun in the garden of flowers in full bloom is depicted in the center of the poster for the 9th Kimilsungia Festival.
Words "The 95th Birth Anniversary of the Great Leader" are seen in the upper part of the poster and words "The 9th Kimilsungia Festival" in its lower part.
Immortal flowers that look fascinating are depicted in the center of the poster for the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Show with Mt. Paektu, a holy mountain of the revolution, printed in relief in its upper part.
The poster bears words "Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Korean People's Army" and "The Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Show".
The venues and periods of the festival and show are given in the posters.
For Spanish-speaking people
Rodong Sinmun condena "acuerdo final" Sur de Corea-EE.UU.
Pyongyang, 6 de abril (ATCC) -- Recientemente, Estados Unidos y las autoridades surcoreanas contrajeron un "acuerdo final", segun el cual correran por cuenta de las segundas casi 5 mil 600 millones de dolares que representan mas de la mitad de casi 10 mil millones necesarios al traslado de la base militar y la segunda division del primero en Ryongsan de Seul y a la construccion del nuevo enclave en Phyongthaek prevista hasta 2011.
En un comentario individual publicado este viernes, el periodico Rodong Sinmun lo califica de un producto del extremado despotismo y presion obstinada de los imperialistas norteamericanos.
El comentarista condena que esto caso demuestra la logica de bandido del imperio que quiere infligir a la nacion coreana los desastres de guerra nuclear al cabo de succionar el sudor y la sangre de la poblacion surcoreana y prosiguio:
La mudanza de esa base norteamericana y el reemplazamiento de las tropas estadounidenses ocupantes del suelo surcoreano devienen un peligrosisimo movimiento militar para ejecutar la politica de EE.UU. encaminada a agredir a la RPDC y dominar a Asia.
Bajo el pretexto del llamado "escudo para la seguridad del Sur de Corea", el imperio logro finalmente imponer a este cubrir esos fabulosos fondos mediante las presiones prolongadas de todo tipo.
Resulta indiscutible quien es el beneficiario y el perjudicado por ese "acuerdo final".
En este mundo, no habra otro agresor tan bandidesco y descarado como EE.UU. que durante mas de 60 anos de ocupacion del suelo surcoreano perpetra acciones agresivas y barbaras de toda clase contra los habitantes surcoreanos y les impone financiar el mantenimiento de sus tropas ocupantes y el traslado de su base militar con miras a provocar una guerra de agresion.
Los imperialistas norteamericanos deben retirarse de inmediato del Sur de Corea en lugar de recurrir a tales maniobras.
Embajador cubano ofrece banquete por el Dia del Sol
Pyongyang, 6 de abril (ATCC) -- El embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Republica de Cuba en Corea, Ruben Perez Valdes, ofrecio el dia 5 un banquete por el Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung).
A la comida fueron invitados el vicepresidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema, Yang Hyong Sop, el ministro de Comercio Exterior Rim Kyong Man, el ministro de Educacion Kim Yong Jin, el presidente del Comite Central de la Federacion General de los Sindicatos de Corea (FGSC), Ryom Sun Gil, el presidente interino del Comite de Relaciones Culturales con el Extranjero, Mun Jae Chol y otros funcionarios coreanos.
Ruben Perez Valdes, en su discurso, senalo que todos los exitos en la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, potencia militar apta para defender con seguridad la soberania del pais, son brillante fruto de la sabia direccion del Presidente Kim Il Sung.
Apunto que Las hazanas del Presidente lanzan brillo gracias al Dirigente Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea, lo que es una gran fortuna para el pueblo coreano.
Subrayo que el apoyo material y espiritual del Presidente Kim Il Sung al pueblo cubano encabezado por Fidel Castro Ruz sirve de un modelo en la historia de amistad entre los paises y los dirigentes.
Le siguio en hacer uso de la palabra Yang Hyong Sop, quien dijo que se regocijan de que las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion entre ambos paises preparadas por el Presidente Kim Il Sung y el Presidente Fidel Castro Ruz se desarrollan favorablemente aun en la complicada situacion internacional y anadio que se sienten orgullosos de tener a un companero de armas con el firme principio revolucionario y gran sentido de obligacion moral como el pueblo cubano en el hemisferio occidental.
En lo adelante tambien apreciaremos las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion con el pueblo cubano que supero las pruebas de la historia y nos esforzaremos activamente por desarrollarlas con mas pujanza, destaco.
Nos alegramos sinceramente de que bajo la direccion del Partido Comunista de Cuba, el gobierno y el pueblo cubanos frustran categoricamente las consecuentes maquinaciones de aislamiento y aplastamiento de EE.UU. y logran muchos exitos en varias ramas de la construccion socialista, y les deseamos de todo corazon exitos aun mayores, finalizo.
Comite preparatorio de Venezuela para efemerides coreanas
Pyongyang, 6 de abril (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el 31 de marzo en Caracas el Comite Preparatorio de Venezuela para el Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el aniversario 75 de la fundacion del Ejercito Popular de Corea.
Como presidente de esta entidad fue electo el titular de la Asociacion Nacional de Venezuela para el Estudio de la Idea Juche, Omar Lopez.
En ocasion de esas efemerides, el comite naciente decidio organizar variadas actividades como mitin y seminario, publicar las obras clasicas del Presidente Kim Il Sung y del Dirigente Kim Jong Il.
Editado tomo 69 de "Entre el pueblo"
Pyongyang, 6 de abril (ATCC) -- La Editora del Partido del Trabajo de Corea dio a luz el tomo 69 de la coleccion de reminiscencias "Entre el pueblo".
Este volumen recoge 18 reminiscencias que relatan las inmortales hazanas revolucionarias y nobles rasgos populares del Presidente Kim Il Sung.
"" y "Fusil cargado en pequenos hombros" enumeran hechos historicos alusivos a las grandes proezas realizadas por el Presidente al preparar a los militares como combatientes capaces de aniquilar a solas a cien enemigos y al dirigir incansablemente a todo el pueblo para que este listo para la defensa de la patria.
Se leen tambien unos episodios referentes a que el Presidente aglutino firmemente a amplias masas populares en torno al partido y dirigio a los funcionarios partidistas para que tengan correctos metodos y estilo de trabajo y los otros narrando que el dirigio en la cabecera la lucha por lograr nuevos exitos en la construccion economica socialista.
Igualmente, hay las reminiscencias relatando que el Presidente fundo una nueva base central para el desarrollo de la industria de informatica y convirtio el Conservatorio de Musica en el centro de educacion artistica y el de los talentosos capaces de impulsar el desarrollo del arte autoctono de Corea.
Otras partes del libro dan cuenta de que el Presidente paso toda su vida realizando ingentes esfuerzos por ofrecer al pueblo una vida alimentaria mas rica y de otros testimonios sobre su calido amor a las masas populares.