Over 166,220 Pieces of Gifts, Orders, Medals, Honorable Titles Presented to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- President Kim Il Sung has been presented 166,220 pieces of gifts, orders, medals and honorable titles and certificates by party, state and government heads, dignitaries, political parties and organizations in more than 170 countries and regions, international organizations, groups for the study of the Juche idea and overseas and south Koreans since the liberation of the country.
Of them are a latest bulletproof car from Stalin, leader of the former Soviet Union, in October Juche 39 (1950), an art work depicting the President in a military uniform from Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh in October 1956 and a phonograph from Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in November 1958.
The gifts also include a large craftwork "Native Home in Mangyongdae" made with ivory sent by the Central Committee of Communist Party of China on the occasion of the 65th birth anniversary of the President and various gifts from president of the State Council of Cuba Fidel Castro Ruz, Egyptian president Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, Great King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk, former president of the United States Jimmy Carter.
President Kim Il Sung received more than 77,580 pieces of gifts in 1982 alone, the year of his 70th birth anniversary.
More than 420 delegations from over 130 countries visited the DPRK on the occasion of his 80th birthday, carrying with them over 1,390 pieces of gifts, congratulatory banners and flower baskets to be presented to him.
Even after his demise, a beeswax statue of the benevolent Kim Il Sung was sent by the Chinese people and glass craftwork "Sun" and fur and leather craftworks "Sun" and "Red Sun" were sent respectively by the Swiss Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the doctoral institute of National University of Callao of Peru and the general secretary of the World Peace Federation.
The President was awarded top orders, medals and honorable titles from more than 70 countries and regions of the world and international organizations.
This year, the chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Bangladesh, the Swiss Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea and the Left Bloc of Austrian Trade Union Federation presented gifts and the Guidance Council of the Federation of Peace and Friendship Organizations of Mongolia awarded "Gold Star of Peace," the highest order of the council, to the President.
KCNA Dismisses Japanese Sankei Shimbun's Ridiculous Assertions
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Sankei Shimbun again came under fire for staging a diatribe as a typical reptile newspaper of the right-wing conservative forces.
The paper in its recent article titled "Patient efforts to wipe out the misunderstanding of the comfort women issue" openly denied the coercive recruitment of the "comfort women" for the imperial Japanese army, the worst crime committed by the Japanese imperialists against humanity in the past.
The newspaper falsified the historical truth in breach of the elementary press ethics which regards the impartiality and accuracy as a lifeline. It made much ado about the "uncertainty of the ground with which Kono made his statement," describing the natural public opinion at home and abroad on the "comfort women" issue as a "misunderstanding" and asserting that the imperial Japanese army had never been directly involved in such coercive recruitment as slave hunting. This was blatant denial of history.
The facts about the crimes related to the "comfort women" for the imperial Japanese army had already been testified to by many victims and witnesses in different countries of the world, documents dating back to those days and former soldiers of the imperial Japanese army. More facts about these crimes are being disclosed still today.
To cite a most recent example, a paper in which a Japanese personage concerned admitted that the military instructed the setting up of "comfort stations" and a confidential document of the Dutch government proving the coercive recruitment of the "comfort women" by the imperial Japanese army were opened to the public.
The report made to the Netherlands by a Dutch intelligence officer who had been dispatched to Indonesia right after the Second World War was worked out on the basis of accounts of the interrogation made into Japanese war criminals and the testimonies made by those concerned on July 5, 1946.
The contents of the report prove that the imperial Japanese army was fully involved in the above-said crimes ranging from the coercive recruitment of the "comfort women" to the operation of the "comfort stations."
It is ridiculous for Sankei Shimbun, an expert on spreading lies and letting loose vituperation, to have claimed that public outcries over the above-mentioned issue were a "misunderstanding," falsifying the universally recognized hard historical facts.
It is not secret that Sankei Shimbun styling itself an influential paper is active as a patron of a right-wing conservative organization which spearheads the campaign for tampering with history but its diatribe going against the trend of the times is little short of discarding its original mission as one of media.
No denial can ever alter history. Sankei Shimbun would be well advised to clearly understand this truth of history and bear in mind that it is the only way out for it to have a proper stand on the crimes against humanity, though belatedly.
Enlarged Plenary Meeting of DPRK Cabinet Held
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- An enlarged plenary meeting of the DPRK Cabinet was held.
Present there were Premier Kim Yong Il and members of the Cabinet.
Vice ministers of the ministries, leading officials of the organs under the direct control of the Cabinet, chairpersons of the provincial people's committees and the provincial rural economy committees and officials of the Cabinet Secretariat were on hand as observers.
The meeting dealt with the following matters: "On the review of the implementation of the state budget for Juche 95 (2006) and the measures to execute the state budget for this year adopted as an ordinance at the 5th Session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly" and "On the review of the fulfillment of the national economic plan for the first quarter of the year and the measures for implementing the national economic plan for the second quarter of the year to carry through the militant tasks set forth in the joint editorial for this year".
The meeting noted that many achievements were made in the work to execute the state budget for last year and the work to implement the national economic plan for the first quarter of this year.
It discussed the matters to thoroughly fulfill the state budget for this year and the national economic plan for the second quarter of the year and made relevant decisions.
Kim Jong Il's Work Published in South Africa
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The work of Kim Jong Il "Respecting the Forerunners of the Revolution Is a Noble Moral Obligation of Revolutionaries" was brought out in booklet by the Minuteman Press Publishing House of South Africa on April 12.
The work published on Dec. 25, Juche 84 (1995) clarifies the idea that to respect revolutionary forerunners is required by the revolution and principled issues in establishing the moral traits of respecting forerunners of revolution and developing the relations of noble sense of moral obligation.
The booklet in its preface stressed that Kim Jong Il is the supreme incarnation of moral obligation as he, possessed of the noblest moral view on the forerunners of the revolution, has perfectly carried forward the idea and cause of President Kim Il Sung, who was the first to start the Korean revolution, and translated them into a brilliant reality.
Egyptian Party Official Releases Statement on DPRK's Holidays in April
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic Party of Egypt Youssef Amin Wali released a statement on April 8 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the 14th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and the 75th founding anniversary of the heroic Korean People's Army.
Youssef Amin Wali highly praised President Kim Il Sung as a pioneer in developing the friendly and cooperative relations between Egypt and the DPRK.
He hoped that under the leadership of Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak and Kim Jong Il the bilateral constructive cooperation would grow stronger and the friendly Korean people would achieve greater success in their efforts for the prosperity of the country.
Cambodian King on Friendly Relations with DPRK
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni expressed the belief that the relations of fraternal friendship between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms in the future, too, when receiving the credentials from the DPRK ambassador to Cambodia on April 13.
The friendly and cooperative relations between Cambodia and the DPRK were forged by Generalissimo Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, and Great King Norodom Sihanouk and these relations have developed to be fraternal ties through mutual support and cooperation for several decades, he stressed.
Noting that the Korean people are happy and proud to have Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as their leaders, he highly appreciated the achievements made by the Korean people in building a great prosperous powerful nation.
S. Korean Authorities' Submission to U.S. Flailed
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Green Federation of south Korea in a statement on April 13 vehemently denounced the south Korean authorities for their submission to the U.S. as regards the issue of depolluting the environment in the U.S. military bases, according to a news report.
The statement accused the "Ministry of National Defence" and the "Ministry of Environment" of south Korea of signing an agreement on April 13 in which the south Korean side agreed to take over 14 U.S. military bases to be returned to south Korea, pursuant to the U.S. policy of aggression, without any measure taken to depollute the environment there.
The statement blasted the south Korean authorities for unhesitatingly signing the agreement despite the fact that the U.S. turned down the demands concerning the procedures for the return of its bases including the investigation into the environmental pollution and verification of the eight points such as the purification of polluted environment which it had promised.
Dismissing the signing of the agreement by the "government" as an unpopular act as it goes against the will of the people, the statement urged the authorities to make public the contents of negotiations with the U.S. and hold the U.S. military accountable for depolluting the environment.
Participants in Art Festival Appreciates Performance of State Symphony Orchestra
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The participants in the 25th April Spring Friendship Art Festival enjoyed a performance given by the State Symphony Orchestra at the Moranbong Theatre on April 17.
Artistes of the symphony orchestra successfully performed such pieces as piano concerto "Song Devoted to Comrade Kim Jong Il" and orchestra "General on a Galloping White Horse."
They also impressively performed the first movement of symphony No. 7 "Leningrad" of Shostakovich.
The performance successfully represented the strong national flavor and emotional power of orchestra through peculiar echoes of mixed orchestra.
Foreign artistes gave bouquets to the performers congratulating them on their successful performance.
Performance Given by Chinese Art Troupe
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Hebei Provincial Song and Dance Troupe of China participating in the 25th April Spring Friendship Art Festival gave a performance at the Ponghwa Art Theatre here on April 17.
The performance was appreciated by Kim Yong Nam, Ri Yong Mu and Choe Thae Bok, officials concerned, officials of ministries and national institutions, working people and youths and students in the city.
Present to enjoy it were Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Xiaoming and staff members of his embassy.
The artistes of the troupe, involving international and national concours winners and first-class artistes of China, put on the stage such numbers as female solo "The Flower Girl", an immortal classic, and mixed duet "Song Devoted to Comrade Kim Jong Il". Through these numbers, they impressively represented their boundless reverence for the peerlessly great men with rich voices.
They successfully performed female group dances with traditional dancing patterns widely disseminated among the inhabitants in Hebei region from long ago. They also represented in a humorous way solo dance which deals with a part of the satirical contents from a Chinese classical novel, and male group dance "Shouldering Flower-decorated Litter", delighting the audience.
Floral baskets were conveyed to the performers, and senior party and state officials mounted the stage to congratulate them on their successful performance.
Experiences in Floriculture Exchanged
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A meeting for exchanging experiences in the cultivation of Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia, the flowers dedicated to the great men, was held at the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Exhibition on April 17.
Introduced there were the techniques and experiences gained in more beautifully cultivating the flowers.
The participants heard an experience gained in having cultivated a blossom of Kimilsungia larger than usual by manuring and tending the flower in a proper way and providing good conditions for its growth.
Among those experiences exchanged was also an experience attained in having shortened the time of the growth of Kimjongilia while making it beautiful and large through the scientific application of solution produced with Korean plants as main raw-materials and self-made nutritious liquid.
Gifts to Kim Jong Il from Delegations of Juche Idea Study Groups
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received gifts from delegations of the Nepalese Association for Supporting Songun Policy and the Mongolian Mt. Paektu Association for Independent Development and a delegation of the Indian organizations for the study of the Juche idea staying in the DPRK to commemorate the Day of the Sun.
The gifts were handed to an official concerned by the heads of the delegations.
Meanwhile, he was presented with a gift by the Bangladesh Barisal Society for the Study of Songun Policy.
GIs' Crimes in S. Korea Blasted
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- As long as the U.S. imperialist aggression troops stay in south Korea, GI crimes will never cease and the south Korean people can never live in peace even a moment.
Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says this in its signed commentary carried in connection with the recent disclosure of the fact that no sooner had two GIs been released after being arrested for sexual abuse of a south Korean woman than was caught red-handed on the spot while sexually abusing a woman police officer in her twenties.
GIs' crimes can never be rooted out in south Korea so long as the U.S. imperialists stay in south Korea and the unequal south Korea-U.S. SOFA which tolerates GIs' crimes remains in force, the commentary notes, and goes on:
The U.S. troops in south Korea do not hesitate to commit all sorts of crimes on the strength of SOFA which grants extraterritorial position to them. The U.S. forces side more often than not declares GI criminals not guilty and sets them free, asserting that cases occurred while performing their official duties. This indicates that SOFA is aimed at allowing the GIs to commit crimes.
The south Korean people should intensify their struggle to have the unequal SOFA abrogated as it forces the south Koreans to shed blood and brings misfortune and pain to them and drive the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces, a group of criminals, out of south Korea as they insult Koreans and infringe upon their dignity.
Imperishable Banner for Great National Unity
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il made public the classic work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" on April 18, Juche 87 (1998).
He, in the work, put forth the five-point policy for overall national unity which would serve as an important guideline in achieving the great unity of the whole nation and accomplishing the cause of national reunification by thoroughly adhering to and carrying forward the great idea, exploits, experience and tradition made by President Kim Il Sung for the national unity.
The policy reflects the ideas that the great national unity must be based on the principle of national independence, the entire nation must unite under the banner of patriotism and national reunification, the relations between the north and south should be improved, the whole nation must reject domination of outsiders and fight against the anti-reunification forces and all the Koreans visit one another, hold contacts, promote dialogue and bolster up solidarity among them.
The policy had no sooner been made public than it enjoyed full support of the entire fellow countrymen and displayed its vitality and validity to the full.
The historic Pyongyang meeting and the publication of the June 15 Joint Declaration embodying the idea "by our nation itself" in June 2000 proved the validity of the five-point policy once again and were an epochal event of weighty significance in putting the period to the protracted history of distrust and confrontation and in accomplishing the cause of national unity and reunification.
As a result the movement for national reunification has been turned into a nation-wide one and the enthusiasm of the whole nation to achieve national reconciliation and unity between the north and the south has been forcefully pushing ahead with the cause of the great national unity, the cause of national reunification, under the uplifted banner of the historic June 15 north-south joint declaration.
The national collaboration has become an unquenchable trend in spite of the obstructions of the foreign forces and pro-U.S., anti-reunification forces in south Korea, the severed artery and territory between both sides have been re-linked and the reconciliation and unity, cooperation and exchange have been positively promoted, thus making signal successes unprecedented in the reunification movement for more than a half century.
This year, too, the Korean people are vigorously launching the reunification movement with a firm resolution to reunify the country without fail with the concerted efforts of our nation by our nation itself holding aloft the slogan "Add brilliance to the June 15 reunification era by attaching importance to the nation, maintaining peace and achieving unity!"
"Pomhyanggi" Cosmetic Exhibition Opened to Public
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The "Pomhyanggi" Cosmetic Exhibition has been newly built in Moranbong District of Pyongyang.
It is a show of quality cosmetics produced in the Sinuiju Cosmetic Factory and a research center for developing new products and establishing scientific method of their application.
It operates a consultation room and gives such services as explanation, sale, medicinal sauna, massage and facial treatment. The consultation room diagnoses skins, health and constitutions of the customers and introduces relevant cosmetics to them at their request.
The explanation room explains the peculiarities and effectiveness of "Pomhyanggi" Cosmetics (3 pieces, 7 pieces, 8 pieces).
Kwon Mun Gap, senior official of the exhibition, said in an interview with KCNA that "Pomhyanggi" cosmetic research team has developed the quality cosmetics not by the chemical method but by the method of combining over 30 kinds of natural medicinal materials with Kaesong Koryo Insam.
"Pomhyanggi" cosmetics are the refined and developed ones of the famous "Nowana", "Meari" and "Kumgangsan" cosmetics.
Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Work Observed
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il's famous work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" is a library of national unity, which gives scientific answers to theoretical and practical questions arising in accomplishing the cause of the country's reunification by the efforts of the nation itself by comprehensively consummating the Juche-oriented idea and line of the great unity of the nation put forward by President Kim Il Sung and the feats he performed in it and developing them in depth to meet the requirements of the developing reality.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article dedicated to the 9th anniversary of the work.
Excerpts from the article read:
Expressing his firm determination and will to achieve the great unity of the whole nation and reunify the country in the near future by upholding and steadfastly carrying forward the great idea, exploits, rich experience and tradition of national unity provided by Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il indicates tasks and ways for realizing them in the work.
It is the principles of great national unity and tasks for it newly expounded by Kim Jong Il in the work in response to the changed realistic requirements to achieve great unity of the nation and convert the inter-Korean relations of distrust and confrontation into relations of trust and reconciliation, fight against the domination and interference of outsiders and the traitors to the nation and anti-reunification forces allied with them and encourage all the fellow countrymen in the north and the south and overseas to visit and contact each other, develop dialogues and strengthen solidarity and alliance under the banner of patriotism and the banner of the country's reunification on the principle of national independence.
This fully represents the unswerving outlook on the nation and steadfast will of independence possessed by Kim Jong Il, who has always led the cause of the country's reunification, the cause of great national unity in conformity with the idea and will of Kim Il Sung and solved all problems in reliance upon the efforts of the nation.
That is why the 5-point policy of great national unity set forth by Kim Jong Il displayed enormous vitality in the dramatic days of converting the inter-Korean relations of decades-long distrust and confrontation into relations of reconciliation and reunification and opening up the road of reunification by the concerted efforts of the whole nation.
Minju Joson also comes out with a signed article which urges all the Koreans in the north and the south and overseas to energetically push forward the movement for national unity and the country's reunification, keeping a tighter grip on Kim Jong Il's idea and policy of great national unity the validity and vitality of which have been eloquently proved through practice.
DPRK Delegate Denounces U.S. Moves to Escalate Arms Race in Space
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A DPRK delegate, addressing a meeting of the UN Disarmament Commission, said that world powers are spurring on the global arms race, while increasing military spending and gaining enormous profits through arms sale.
He went on to say:
A particular mention should be made of the fact that the U.S. is stepping up the development of new type nuclear weapons, pursuant to its strategy of preemptive nuclear attack, and escalating the arms race into the space.
As long as the nuclear doctrine presupposing the use of nukes persists and the race for dominating arms market goes on among world powers, any UN discussion on the nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation will prove to be an empty talk and the desire for peace and world denuclearization will never come true.
Noting that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is a product of the hostile policy pursued by the U.S. toward the DPRK for the past more than five decades, he added that the U.S. has threatened the DPRK after listing it as part of an "axis of evil" and a target of preemptive nuclear attack as soon as the Bush administration emerged.
Referring to the fact that the DPRK has bolstered its capability for self-defence to cope with the threat of U.S. nuclear attack, he declared this is a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty to protect the country and people and defend its system from the any foreign threat of attack and aggression.
It is the last instruction of President Kim Il Sung and a consistent stand of the DPRK government to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, he noted, reiterating the invariable will of the DPRK to implement the September 19 joint statement and the February 13 agreement.
Greetings to Zimbabwean President
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Zimbabwean President Robert G. Mugabe on April 14 on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Expressing the belief that the good relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would grow stronger, he wholeheartedly wished the president and the people of Zimbabwe greater successes in the work to defend the sovereignty of the country and achieve its social stability and economic development.
Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Election as NDC Chairman Marked in Britain
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The British Association for the Study of Songun Policy posted on its Internet homepage an article accompanied by a picture of Kim Jong Il in the Marshal's uniform on April 9 to mark the 14th anniversary of his election as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission.
The article titled "Highest Glory to Respected General Kim Jong Il!" said that there has been no such great statesman and prominent strategist as Kim Jong Il exercising a unified control over the cause of revolution as a whole, to say nothing of the national defence affairs, and guiding it to brilliant victory.
It is his greatest feat that he has turned the DPRK into an invincible military power nobody dare provoke by placing the work to increase military capability above all other work in the revolution and construction, it stressed.
It also referred to the fact that the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, a landmark for Korea's reunification, was adopted and the DPRK's international prestige and the dignity of Juche Korea have been highly displayed under the banner of Songun.
It said the south Korean people have deeply realized, through their experiences and witnessing, the distinguished leadership ability and personality of Kim Jong Il as a great man and become more firmly convinced that he is the only great leader the 70 million fellow countrymen should follow and hold in high esteem forever.
Choe Thae Bok Meets Chinese Delegation
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, met and had a friendly talk with a delegation of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China led by Deputy Head Liu Hongcai at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on April 18.
Present there were officials of the WPK Central Committee and the councilor of the Chinese embassy here.
Choe Thae Bok Meets Russian Delegation
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a friendly talk with the delegation of the Russia-DPRK friendship parliamentary group of the State Duma of Russia headed by Chairman of the group Chilgichi Chimit Ondar when it paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on April 18.
Present there were Hong So Hon, chairman of the DPRK-Russia friendship parliamentary group, other officials and Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.
DPRK Beats India in Soccer Match
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Asian regional men's football second-round qualifier (Group E) between the DPRK and Indian teams was held at Kim Il Sung Stadium on Wednesday to obtain qualification for the 29th Olympic Games.
The DPRK beat India 2:1.
In the match held in India on Mar. 28th, the DPRK beat India 2:0, too.
25th April Spring Friendship Art Festival Closes
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The 25th April Spring Friendship Art Festival that was opened in Pyongyang on April 10 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun closed.
A closing ceremony took place at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre on April 18.
Present there were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Kang Nung Su, minister of Culture who is chairman of the festival organizing committee, Pak Kwan O, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, and others.
Also present there were foreign artistes, overseas Korean artistes, delegations and delegates of various countries, diplomatic envoys and officials of foreign embassies of various countries here, foreign guests and overseas compatriots.
A performance was given by famous artistes from various countries who have left deep impressions on the audiences for displaying high artistry.
Festival group prizes were awarded to nine groups including the Moscow State Academy Chamber Chorus of Russia, prizes of merit to 7 artistes, individual prizes to 71 artistes and ensemble prizes to 46 pieces of works and certificates, gold and silver cups, gold and silver statuettes and monetary prize were given.
Kang Nung Su, addressing the ceremony, expressed thanks to artistes of various countries and overseas Korean artistes for delighting the Korean people commemorating the Day of the Sun by presenting beautiful dances and songs and stressed that the Korean people would as ever firmly join hands with the world progressive artistes to steadily develop the April spring friendship art festival.
Joint Friendship Gathering of Korean and Foreign Artistes Held
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A joint friendship gathering of artistes in the city of Pyongyang and the participants in the 25th April Spring Friendship Art Festival took place at the Central Youth Hall on Wednesday.
Present at the gathering on invitation were artistes of different countries and overseas Korean artistes who had participated in the festival.
On hand were Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su who is chairman of the festival organizing committee, vice-chairmen of the festival organizing committee, officials concerned and artistes in the city.
Speeches were made there.
The participants in the gathering talked to each other about the recent festival, which was conspicuously held with a large attendance on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, and about the matter of further developing the exchange of art among countries. And they sang and danced together, deepening friendship.
South Side Delegation Arrives
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A south side delegation with Jin Tong Su, vice-minister of Finance and Economy, as its chief delegate arrived here to attend the 13th meeting of the North-South Committee for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation on Wednesday.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Russian Delegation
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the delegation of the Russia-DPRK friendship parliamentary group of the State Duma of Russia on a visit to the DPRK to commemorate the Day of the Sun.
The gift was conveyed to Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, by Chilgichi Chimit Ondar, chairman of the group who is heading the delegation, on April 18.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Chinese Delegation
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the visiting delegation of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
It was handed to Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, by Liu Hongcai, deputy head of the department who is leading the delegation, on April 18.
For Spanish-speaking people
Rodong Sinmun denuncia crimenes de tropas yanquis en el Sur de Corea
Pyongyang, 18 de abril (ATCC) -- Mientras las tropas agresoras de Estados Unidos sigan anidadas en el suelo surcoreano, no cesaran los crimenes de ellas y los habitantes surcoreanos no podran vivir en paz ni por un momento.
Senala el rotativo Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual difundido este miercoles que va como sigue:
@Hace poco, dos uniformados yanquis, que habian sido detenidos por la violacion sexual, cometieron en cuanto se pusieran en libertad otro crimen similar contra una policia surcoreana veintenaria.
Nunca se eliminaran los crimenes de los uniformados norteamericanos si sigue vigente el desigual "Convenio de Administracion" Sur de Corea-EE.UU., que les concede derechos extraterritoriales. La parte norteamericana suele declarar inocentes a los criminales defendiendo sus delitos como "casos ocurridos en la ejecucion de deberes oficiales". Esto comprueba que ese protocolo significa para los uniformados estadounidenses la "autorizacion de sus actos delictivos".
Los habitantes surcoreanos deben intensificar la lucha por anular ese convenio, que les chupa la sangre e impone desgracias, y expulsar a los criminales uniformados yanquis, que desprecian a los coreanos y violan su dignidad.
Kim Jong Il recibe presentes de entidades de varios paises
Pyongyang, 18 de abril (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio presentes que le dirigieran las delegaciones de la Asociacion de Apoyo a la Politica de Songun de Nepal, de la Asociacion Paektusan para el Desarrollo Independiente de Mongolia y de la Organizacion de Estudio de la Idea Juche de la India, de visita en Corea con motivo del Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung).
Los jefes de las delegaciones los entregaron a un funcionario coreano.
De otro lado, hizo otro tanto la Sociedad de Estudio de la Politica de Songun de Barisal de Bangladesh.
Sudafrica: obra de Kim Jong Il en folleto
Pyongyang, 18 de abril (ATCC) -- La Editorial sudafricana "Minuteman Press" dio a luz el dia 12 en folleto la obra maestra del Dirigente Kim Jong Il "Tratar con respeto a los precursores de la revolucion es un sublime deber moral de los revolucionarios", publicada el 25 de diciembre del 84 (1995) de la Era Juche.
Esta obra dilucida la idea de que respetar a los precursores de la revolucion es una demanda de la revolucion y plantea los problemas de principios para crear la costumbre de tratarlos con respeto y desarrollar las nobles relaciones de obligacion moral.
En su prologo, el folleto destaca que Su Excelencia Kim Jong Il, gran Dirigente es la maxima personificacion de obligacion moral que partiendo de su noble concepcion moral sobre aquellas personas, lleva adelante de modo satisfactorio las ideas y la causa de Su Excelencia gran Presidente Kim Il Sung, quien allano por primera vez la revolucion coreana.
RPDC denuncia intento de EE.UU. de ampliar carrera armamentista
Pyongyang, 18 de abril (ATCC) -- En su discurso en la sesion del comite de desarme de la ONU, que tuvo lugar el dia 10, el delegado coreano revelo que las potencias fomentan la carrera armamentista a escala mundial aumentando los gastos militares por una parte y ganando fabulosos lucros con el trafico de armas por la otra.
Prosiguio que a base de su estrategia de ataque preventivo nuclear, Estados Unidos acelera ahora el desarrollo de armas nucleares de nuevo tipo y extiende la carrera armamentista al espacio cosmico.
Mientras existe la doctrina nuclear que tiene por su premisa el uso de estos artefactos y prosigue la competencia entre las potencias para el monopolio del mercado de armas, los debates sobre el desarme y la no-proliferacion de los mismos en la ONU resultaran palabras vacias y nunca sera realizado el deseo de la paz y un mundo desnuclearizado, afirmo.
El problema nuclear de la Peninsula Coreana es un producto directo de la politica hostil de EE.UU. a la RPDC, que perdura mas de medio siglo, desenmascaro.
Tan pronto como asumiera el poder, la administracion Bush amenazo a la RPDC tras fijarla del "eje del mal" y blanco de golpe preventivo nuclear, asevero el orador y continuo que la segunda vino consolidando sus fuerzas de autodefensa frente a tal amenaza de la primera.
Esto, ratifico, constituye el ejercicio justo de la soberania para defender el pais, el pueblo y el sistema de la amenaza de ataque y agresion de otros paises.
La desnuclearizacion de la Peninsula Coreana deviene el legado del Presidente Kim Il Sung e invariable posicion del gobierno de la RPDC, destaco.
Por ultimo, reitero la voluntad invariable de la RPDC de cumplir la Declaracion Conjunta del 19 de septiembre y el acuerdo del 13 de febrero.