Kim Jong Il Inspects KPA Sub-Unit
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il inspected a sub-unit of KPA unit 1925 honored with the title of O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment.
After acquainting himself with the unit's performance of its duty, he dropped in at a military lecture room to learn about the training of its commanding officers. Expressing satisfaction over the fact that all the commanding officers have been trained as able ones possessed of high military technique and commanding ability through intensive training, he set forth tasks to be implemented by the unit to further increase its combat capability.
Looking round entertainment and educational facilities including a political lecture room and an educational room to learn about their operation, he praised the unit for having conducted brisk political work and diverse cultural activities and waged a vigorous movement to learn from the noble revolutionary spirit of heroes Ri Su Bok and Kang Ho Yong, in particular, to train the servicepersons as self-blasting heroes of the new century.
He made the rounds of a bedroom, a mess hall, a wash-cum-bath house, an outdoor resting place and other places of the unit to look after the living of the servicepersons with warm paternal care. No details escaped his attention ranging from conditions of their living room to the use of a sauna and cooking methods.
Pleased to learn that the soldiers are spending happy days of military service in warm bedrooms, educational rooms and mess halls despite cold winter, he praised the commanding officers for having provided the soldiers with good living conditions with warm love for soldiers.
He gave the servicepersons of the sub-unit a pair of binoculars, a machine gun and an automatic rifle as gifts and had a photo session with them.
He was accompanied by KPA Generals Hyon Chol Hae and Ri Myong Su.
Greetings to Nigerien President
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Mamadou Tandja, President of Niger, on December 14 on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Niger.
He in the message expressed the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the mutual interests.
Greetings to Emir of State of Qatar
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, on Dec. 17 on the occasion of the day of its independence.
Kim Yong Nam in his message sincerely wished the friendly people of Qatar greater progress and prosperity and the emir good health and happiness, expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would expand and develop in various fields.
Greetings to Vice-Emir of Qatar
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, vice-emir and successor of Qatar, on December 17 on the occasion of the independence day of his country.
The message sincerely wished the friendly people of Qatar greater welfare and prosperity and him good health and happiness.
Kim Yong Nam Receives Credentials from Austrian Ambassador
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Martin Sajdik, Austrian ambassador to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there were Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and a staff member of the Austrian embassy here.
After receiving the credentials, the president had a talk with the ambassador.
DPRK FM Meets New Austrian Ambassador
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun met and conversed with new Austrian ambassador to the DPRK Martin Sajdik, who paid a courtesy call upon him Monday.
Insan Revolutionary Battle Site
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- An endless stream of working people of all strata and school youth and children in the DPRK are visiting the Insan Revolutionary Battle Site on the occasion of 90th birth anniversary of anti-Japanese woman hero Kim Jong Suk.
The battle site is located in Rangrim County, Jagang Province.
It is the historical place where she conducted in August Juche 26 (1937) energetic revolutionary activities for implementing the strategic line set forth by President Kim Il Sung to wage the anti-Japanese national liberation struggle with the armed struggle as its centre all over the country.
There are in the site a log cabin on Turung Hill in which she met chiefs of small units, small groups and underground revolutionary organizations and gave them instructions to build secret camps in the area of Mt. Rangrim, revolutionize surrounding areas, constantly increase the ranks of the small units and do well the work of assisting the Korean People's Revolutionary Army and a peasant house where she undertook a political work among fire-field tillers, staying overnight. The relics are preserved in the original state.
Among the revolutionary relics are also Jinhung Evening School and a peddler's inn. At the school, she met and told its teacher that he should teach students well and personally taught them the song "Sipjinga" (10-stanza song). And at the inn she stayed overnight to tell workers legend-like stories about General Kim Il Sung and instill the anti-Japanese patriotic spirit into their hearts.
All the visitors harden their minds to learn from imperishable revolutionary feats of the woman hero who devoted her all to the cause of national liberation and thus to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche initiated in Mt. Paektu through generations.
Korean Athletes Display Nation's Dignity
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- This year, too, sportsmen and sportswomen of Songun Korea have fully displayed the dignity and honor of the country in international games.
Woman footballers defeated all the rivals to win the top honor at the 4th Military World Games, the 24th Universiad, the 2007 Asian Women's U-19 Football Championships and the 1st AFC U-16 Women's Championships.
They secured berths for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championships and the First U-17 Women's World Cup scheduled in 2008, fully showing the new features of rapidly developing women's football of the DPRK.
In the recent First AFC Women's Awards Ceremony, the Asian Football Confederation conferred the AFC Women's Player of the year award on Ri Kum Suk who played the core role in her team and scored many goals in international matches, and the AFC Women's Youth Player of the year award on Ra Un Sim who made a significant contribution to the DPRK youth women's team emerging the winner.
In the 15th Taekwon-Do World Championships, Korean players bagged 4 cups, 14 gold medals, 8 silver medals and 4 bronze medals to lead the final team standings, as befits players from the mother country of Taekwon-Do.
Worthy of special mention in the history of sports is Kye Sun Hui, an admirable daughter of the nation, who captured the gold medal in the women's 57 kg category of the 2007 World Judo Championships to win the fourth successive world championship.
Ryu Myong Ok emerged a world champion of female boxing in the matches for the title and play-off of the WBCF.
Korean sportsmen and sportswomen have also shown good results with stubborn spirit in the 2007 World Men's Weightlifting Championships, the 2007 Asian Judo Championships and the 24th Asian Boxing Championships.
International marathon races including the 20th International Marathon Race for Mangyongdae Cup and the 26th Macao International Marathon Race witnessed the spirit and mettle of Korean man and woman marathoners who gave a good account of themselves.
Quit-smoking Goods Exhibition Opened
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- A quit-smoking goods exhibition has been opened in Sosong District, Pyongyang.
The exhibition shows the detrimental effects of smoking on the family members, society and humankind, to say nothing of the smokers, by means of video and posters and serves quit-smoking goods and some kinds of restoratives to those who have made their mind to give up smoking.
In the exhibition there are a room of consultation with doctors, a quit-smoking research room and a marketing room.
The consultation room gives data on the harmful effects and sequela of smoking and the quit-smoking research room shows the analysis of the trend related with smoking and non-smoking.
It also sells efficacious quit-smoking nutritive pills, quit-smoking gums, nicotine-neutralizing pipes and nicotine filters.
The quit-smoking nutritive pill removes nicotine accumulated in the human body and help smokers forget tobacco taste, thus giving up smoking spontaneously.
It, made with rare medicinal herbs growing in steep mountains and deep valleys as main raw material, is a health food which improves living, gives no negative effects to the human body and enhances the immunity function.
U.S. Hardliners' Reckless Military Moves Assailed
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The conservative hardliners in the United States recently asserted that international pressure upon the DPRK should be continued in the future, too, and there is no need to discuss any compensation and offer to it. And they are doggedly criticizing and denying the September 19 joint statement, in which the U.S. and other countries participating in the six-party talks agreed to respect the DPRK's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purpose and discuss the matter of offering light water reactors to it in an appropriate time.
Commenting on such moves, Rodong Sinmun Monday says:
This goes to evidently prove that the U.S. hard-line conservatives are blocking the process of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and insisting on the policy to stifle the DPRK by force.
The U.S. bellicose forces' constant hostile policy toward the DPRK is intensively manifested by the fact that they are speeding up the arms buildup against the DPRK.
The U.S. war-like forces are these days pushing ahead with the reckless plan for modernization of armed forces aimed at the DPRK and China.
It is needless to say that the scenario for "future combat system", on which the U.S. is spending a huge amount of money, is targeted against the DPRK. The policy to stifle the DPRK by force is a part of the U.S. strategy for world supremacy.
The U.S. bellicose forces' arms buildup and military moves for a second Korean war are undoubtedly prompted by their sinister intention to hamstring and frustrate the progress of the six-party talks as such criminal acts are contrary to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the September 19 joint statement.
Ri Hoe Chang's Madness for War Assailed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification reportedly issued a commentary to flail traitor Ri Hoe Chang's frenzy for war on Dec. 12.
Recalling that in his "election pledges" on Dec. 11 the traitor called for increase of defence spending, total reexamination of the return of the "right to command wartime operations" and extension of the overseas dispatch of troops, the commentary said: His arguments have revealed his true colors as a pro-U.S. flunkeyist seeking to turn south Korea into an advanced base of the U.S. for aggression and a base for training mercenaries for a war.
The commentary stressed that the people would never pardon such war maniac and a pro-U.S. servant, and decisively smash his scheme to grab power.
DPRK's Important Days Marked in Uzbekistan
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Korean residents in Uzbekistan held a seminar on the Songun idea and a meeting on Dec. 11 to commemorate the 16th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's assumption of office as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and the 90th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war hero.
Speakers at the seminar and meeting said that Kim Jong Il's Songun revolutionary leadership and Songun politics are bringing about the great victory in defending the socialist homeland, legacy left by President Kim Il Sung.
They held that the bright future for the national reunification lies in faithfully upholding Kim Jong Il's Songun politics with a better understanding of the essence of his Songun idea.
They also said that the whole life of Kim Jong Suk, a model of bodyguards, is a brilliant life of the revolutionary, who devoted her all to the liberation of Korea and building of a new society, and her immortal exploits will remain long in the history of the Korean nation.
A congratulatory message to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Then, followed an art performance.
For Spanish-speaking people
Kim Jong Il inspecciona comandancia de la Unidad No.1971 del EPC
Pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El 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 inspecciono la Comandancia de la Unidad No.1971 del EPC.
Guiado por el jefe de la unidad el Dirigente recorrio la sala de presentacion del historial.
El Comandante Supremo dijo que la unidad fundada y crecida en el regazo del Presidente Kim Il Sung es el combativo destacamento que puso de pleno manifiesto el heroismo masivo en la defensa de la patria, la construccion del socialismo y la salvaguardia de la vida y los bienes del pueblo y evaluo altamente las proezas de la unidad logradas en el pasado.
Luego de hacer conocimiento del estado de cumplimiento del deber de la unidad, vio el entrenamiento de los militares.
Mostrandose satisfecho de que todos los uniformados se hayan preparado como valerosos combatientes capaces de combatir uno contra cien enemigos, indico las tareas que se presentan en la labor para fortalecer por todos los medios la combatividad de la unidad.
Al recorrer la casa de los militares, la biblioteca, la sala de transmision por cable de video y otras instalaciones de cultura y educacion, elogio que la unidad acondiciono bien centros de cultura y educacion y normalizo su gestion para formar a los uniformados como el ejercito fuerte en la ideologia armado firmemente con la idea revolucionaria del partido y la conciencia clasista.
Acto seguido, el Comandante Supremo visito el comedor, el almacen de alimentos subsidiarios y otras instalaciones de intendencia. Senalo que al desarrollar la economia suplementaria, construir la salina y acondicionar otras bases de intendencia, la unidad resolvio por sus propias fuerzas muchos problemas, lo cual es un gran exito y evaluo altamente el espiritu de autoconfianza y de lucha tenaz de los militares.
El Dirigente se fotografio junto a los militares de la unidad.
Le acompanaron los generales de ejercito del EPC Hyon Chol Hae y Ri Myong Su.
Kim Yong Nam felicita a Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El presidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Kim Yong Nam, envio este lunes un mensaje de felicitacion al emir del Estado de Katar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, en ocasion del Dia de Independencia de este pais.
El remitente desea de todo corazon al amistoso pueblo de Qatar el mayor progreso y prosperidad y al destinatario, buena salud y felicidad.
Expresa su conviccion de que las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion entre los dos paises se ampliaran y se desarrollaran en varias esferas.
Kim Yong Nam envia felicitacion al presidente nigerio
Pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El presidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Kim Yong Nam, envio el dia 14 un mensaje de felicitacion al presidente de la Republica del Niger, Mamadou Tandja, en ocasion del 49o aniversario de la proclamacion de esta republica.
El remitente expresa al destinatario la conviccion de que las relaciones de amistad entre los dos paises se fortaleceran y se desarrollaran aun mas conforme a los intereses mutuos.
Pak Ui Chun se reune con nuevo embajador austriaco
Pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El canciller coreano Pak Ui Chun departio este lunes con el nuevo embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Republica de Austria en Corea, Martin Sajdk, quien le hizo una visita de cortesia.