Chinese Ambassador Hosts Reception
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at his embassy on Monday in the run-up to the torch relay for the 29th Olympics to be held in Pyongyang.
Present there on invitation were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Pak Hak Son, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission who is chairman of the DPRK Olympic Committee, Pak Kwan O, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, and other officials concerned and diplomatic envoys of different countries here.
On hand were staff members of the Chinese embassy.
The Chinese ambassador, addressing the reception, said that the torch relay would record a brilliant chapter in the history of the Olympics.
The torch relay to be held in Pyongyang would contribute to boosting the Sino-DPRK friendship and developing the exchange and cooperation in different fields between the two countries including sports and culture, he said.
Expressing heartfelt thanks to the Korean comrades for exerting positive efforts for the successful relay, he expressed belief that the relay would be successfully held.
Pak Hak Son in his speech said that the DPRK's friendly neighbor China's sponsorship of the 29th Olympics is not only the pride of the Chinese people but a pleasant event for the Korean people.
The torch relay to be held in Pyongyang would mark a significant occasion in developing the mutual cooperation and interaction on a higher level in the field of sports and demonstrating the traditional DPRK-China friendship, he said.
He stressed that the relay would prove a success thanks to the great concern of the Korean people who value the idea and spirit of the Olympics.
A-bomb Victims Interviewed
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A-bomb victims in the DPRK were interviewed by foreign correspondents here and reporters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan at the People's Palace of Culture here Tuesday.
The secretary general of the Korean A-bomb Victims Association for Peace against Nukes spoke first. The secretary general said that the issue of A-bomb victims in the DPRK was a product of the Japanese imperialists' military occupation of Korea, adding that a great number of Koreans who were taken to Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered from the explosion of A-bombs dropped by GIs.
The victims in the DPRK are entitled to get reparation and humanitarian aid, the speaker held, urging the Japanese government to make thorough-going apology and opt for providing prompt medical aid.
Pak Mun Suk, Ri Kye Son and Kim Myong Ae took the floor to testify before the attendants. They noted that due to the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule they suffered from the A-bomb explosion in an alien land and are still undergoing pain resulting from it.
They vehemently denounced the Japanese government for having neither made any apology to the Korean victims nor taken any measure in this respect.
They denounced Japan's hideous crimes against humanity in the name of the A-bomb victims and urged its government to opt for making reparation at an early date.
DPRK SPA Delegation Returns
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly led by Chairman Choe Thae Bok returned home on April 22 after participating in the 118th Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in South Africa.
It was greeted at the airport by Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the Presidium of the SPA, and Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK.
DPRK Delegation Leaves for China
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Air Force of the Korean People's Army led by its Commander Colonel General Ri Pyong Chol left here on Tuesday to visit China.
Meanwhile, Rudolf Seiters, president of the German Red Cross, and his party arrived here on the same day.
Congratulations to Foreign Minister of Botswana
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun sent a congratulatory message to Phandu T. C. Skelemani upon his appointment as minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Botswana.
Expressing the belief that the relations between the two countries would further develop thanks to their joint efforts, the message sincerely wished the foreign minister of Botswana success in his new job.
Floral Basket to Kim Jong Il from Japanese
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from Nada Takashi, representative of the Ehime Institute for Contemporary Korean Issue in Japan who is on a visit to the DPRK, on the occasion of the 76th birthday of the heroic Korean People's Army.
The basket was conveyed to an official concerned by the representative on April 22.
Tribute Paid to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The participants in the national symposium on intellectual property right visited the statue of President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill on Tuesday to pay tribute to him.
They laid bouquets and made deep bows before the statue.
Activities for Environmental Protection in DPRK
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Colorful activities for the environmental protection have been waged in the DPRK as part of the global work.
The government launches the work for protecting land and environment as a nation-wide campaign in every spring and autumn so as to make people understand the importance of the environmental protection through practice.
Besides, greater attention is being directed to education, training and enlightenment of the masses for environmental protection.
All the universities of the country give basic scientific and technological knowledge on climatic changes.
Environmental courses have been set up in some universities and many books on environmental protection have been published.
Officials in the environmental field are also receiving education on environment and related laws and regulations.
Efforts are being made to explain the importance of environmental protection, relations between the global warming and the everyday life, the energy question which is the basic factor causing the global warming and other issues among the popular masses in a regular way. As a result, the popular masses take an active part in the work for solving the problems which have influence on climatic change.
Meanwhile, the country is taking positive measures for the mass media to inform the people of problems related with climatic change and to give wide publicity of research successes for their solution.
Colorful activities for environmental protection are being organized across the country on April 22, the Earth Day.
Papers Observe Anniversary of April North-South Joint Conference
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Leading newspapers today observe the 60th anniversary of the Joint Conference of Representatives of Political Parties and Public Organizations in North and South Korea held in Pyongyang. The conference, held in April Juche 37 (1948) on the initiative of President Kim Il Sung and under his guidance, was a historic meeting for achieving the great national unity under the banner of reunification and patriotism and saving the destiny of the country and the nation, say the papers.
At the joint conference attended by representatives of 56 political parties and public organizations in the north and the south of Korea the President, on the basis of a scientific analysis of the political situation in the country, set forth it as the most important political task for the Korean nation to foil the plot to hold a "separate election" and set up a "separate government" in south Korea and establish a unified democratic government and thus reunify the country. As a way to carry out it he advanced the policy calling on all Koreans who are concerned about the destiny of the country and the nation to go united irrespective of party affiliation, political grouping and political view.
Rodong Sinmun in a signed article says that the basic spirit of the joint conference and the vitality of the President's idea of achieving the great national unity and his leadership which aroused all Koreans to the nationwide patriotic struggle for reunification have been fully proved in the practical struggle waged for national reunification for the past 60 years.
The brilliant tradition of the cause of the great national unity which has made a steady advance since the joint conference has served as a powerful engine propelling the movement for national reunification, the article says, stressing that the spirit of the joint conference and experience gained from it have become a reliable boon to carrying out the cause of national reunification.
Minju Joson editorially calls upon all Koreans in the north and the south of Korea and abroad to usher in the new era of independent reunification and peace and prosperity by the concerted efforts of the nation united close around General Secretary Kim Jong Il who has defended the nation and paved the way for reunification with his Songun politics.
Anniversary of April Joint Conference Observed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Solidarity for Progress and other civic and public organizations in south Korea held an event in Seoul on April 18 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Joint Conference of Representatives of Political Parties and Public Organizations in North and South Korea.
Speakers there said that it was the desire of the south and the north to jointly hold the event but it could not come true and not a few organizations of south Korea were not able to participate in it due to the attitude of the Lee Myung Bak "government" blocking the development of the inter-Korean relations.
Referring to the significance of the joint conference, they stressed that their task in the June 15 era of reunification is for all the political parties and public organizations to adhere to the principle of rejecting outside forces and working for independent reunification and the idea of "By our nation itself" by inheriting the spirit of the April south-north joint conference.
Noting that the fighting spirit and will of the forerunners who went united without any selfishness to meet the common interests of the nation and achieve national reunification are now being steadfastly inherited thanks to the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, they called for paving a new avenue for national unity through the implementation of the declarations.
Solution to "Comfort Women" Issue Urged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Council for the Solution of the Issue of the Volunteers Corps and other civic and public organizations in south Korea called a press conference in Seoul on April 13 demanding Lee Myung Bak opt for settling the issue of the "comfort women" for the Imperial Japanese Army.
A press release read out at the press conference said that Lee Myung Bak planned to visit Japan, talking about the "first step toward pragmatic diplomacy".
Whenever an opportunity presented itself, Lee fully revealed his dangerous and wrong understanding of history, it said, noting that "pragmatic diplomacy" of such guy is giving rise to the great concern of the victims of the Japanese imperialists' occupation.
It held that Lee should urge the Japanese government to take a responsible approach towards settling the "comfort women" issue in order to ensure that the rights of the people are protected and the wounds of the victims healed.
Kim Jong Suk Awarded Mexican Title of Honorary Citizen
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war hero, was awarded the title of honorary citizen by Puebla State of Mexico on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.
A ceremony of conveying the certificate of honorary citizen was held in Puebla City on April 16.
Present there were the governor of the state and the mayor of the city, personages of various circles, citizens and a delegation of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries on a visit to Mexico, the DPRK ambassador to Mexico and staff members of his embassy.
The governor conveyed the certificate to Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the committee.
Speeches were made at the ceremony.
The governor and the mayor said that the feats of Kim Jong Suk would be always remembered by the Korean people and the world progressives.
The certificate says that the Puebla State Government and people have the honor to register Kim Jong Suk, a hero of Korea, as the honorary citizen of the Puebla State in high recognition of the undying feats she performed with her noble ideological and moral world and ardent patriotism in liberating Korea, building a new country and carving out the destiny of the great Korean nation.
DPRK's Important Days Observed in Different Countries
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Meetings and opening ceremonies of Korean book, photo and handicraft exhibitions took place in Tajikistan, Belarus and Mexico between April 9 and 20 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.
On display in the venues of the exhibitions were works of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and photos showing their undying feats, books and photos introducing the DPRK and handicrafts representing the resourcefulness and skills of the Korean people.
Speeches were made at the functions.
Mirzoyeva, first secretary of the Gafurov District, Huzand City, Sogd Region, Committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan, said that Kim Il Sung founded the immortal Juche idea through his outstanding ideological and theoretical activities and successfully built Korean socialism guided by it.
L. Shukolinikov, coordinating secretary of the National Social Federation (for the Union and Union's Communist Party) who is secretary general of the Standing Committee of the Belarus-DPRK National Friend Association Named after Kim Il Sung, said that the President was a great statesman who performed great feats for the country and the people and progressive humankind. The revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered by him has been successfully carried forward by Kim Jong Il, he added.
Jesus Antonio Carlos Hernandez, general secretary of the C.C., the People's Socialist Party of Mexico, stressed that Kim Il Sung was a great statesman, a great thinker and theoretician and an invincible and iron-willed commander, adding that his idea and feats would be immortal.
Meanwhile, film shows took place in Indonesia from April 8 to 14 on the occasions of the Day of the Sun and the 15th anniversary of the election of Kim Jong Il as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission.
The participants in the film shows watched Korean films including "The Fatherly Leader among Children", "They Are Together on the Way of the Great Songun Leadership" and "They Were Always Together on the Road to Bring about the People's Well-being".
At the film shows the acting chairman and the acting general secretary of the National Guidance Council of the Vanguard Party of Indonesia and other speakers said that thanks to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il the DPRK has become a country capable of defeating any formidable enemy in the world at one stroke and the Songun politics is a political mode to be followed by the developing countries under the present international situation.
DPRK Guitar Quartet Ensemble Performs in Italy
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A guitar quartet ensemble of the DPRK gave its performance at the Euklide Theatre in Rome on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.
Among the audience were personages of political, economic, cultural and art and other circles of Italy, the DPRK ambassador to Italy and staff members of his embassy.
Its repertoire included Korean song "Let's Live as We Did Before," an Italian song and Spanish folk song "La Paloma".
The DPRK artistes successfully represented all numbers with diverse and individual characteristics, rich voices and unique and perfect ensemble, impressing the audience.
The chairman of the Italian Guitarists Association said that the DPRK artistes completely gripped the hearts of Italians, adding that General Secretary Kim Jong Il is a genius and great master of arts as he made sure that the arts of the DPRK have reached such a high level.
The general secretary of the Movement for Peace and Socialism of Italy and reputed professors of the Italian Guitarists Association and other figures were unanimous in saying that the ensemble's performance, a good combination of guitar rendition and vocal music, was something unique and peculiar rare to be found in Europe. The arts have reached a very high level in the DPRK, they added.
Day of Sun Commemorated by Chongryon
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) held events in Tokyo to commemorate the 96th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Present at the functions were Chairman So Man Sul and Chief Vice-Chairman Ho Jong Man of the Chongryon Central Standing Committee, other officials of Chongryon and compatriots.
A photo exhibition took place and an art performance was given on April 14 to commemorate the anniversary.
Photos impressively showing the undying leadership feats of the President and his noble popular traits were displayed in the venue of the exhibition, divided into four chapters.
Artistes presented male vocal solo "Thunder on Jong Il Peak" and "My Country", mixed duet " Warm Is Love of Homeland," jangsaenap solo "Rich Harvest Comes to the Chongsan Plain", mixed chorus "Towards Year 2012" and other numbers.
Prior to it, a lecture was given at the Korean Hall.
The participants watched video "Our Leader Who Devoted His Whole Life to Great National Unity".
Similar lectures simultaneously took place at local organizations of Chongryon.
For Spanish-speaking people
Depositan ramos de flores ante estatua de bronce de Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, 22 de abril (ATCC) -- Los participantes en el simposio nacional sobre la propiedad intelectual colocaron este martes ramos de flores ante la estatua de bronce del Presidente Kim Il Sung en la colina Mansu y le rindieron homenaje.
Kim Jong Il recibe cesto de flores de entidad japonesa
Pyongyang, 22 de abril (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio cesto de flores que en ocasion del 76o aniversario de la fundacion del heroico Ejercito Popular de Corea, le dirigiera Takashi Nata, representante del Instituto de Ehime, Japon, para el Estudio de Corea Moderna, de visita en Corea.
El visitante lo entrego el dia 22 a un funcionario coreano.
Sur de Corea: demandan solucion de problema de "ex -consoladoras"
Pyongyang, 22 de abril (ATCC) -- En una conferencia de prensa sostenida el dia 13 en Seul, el "consejo de medidas por el problema del cuerpo de voluntarios" y otras entidades ciudadanas y sociales del Sur de Corea demandaron que Lee Myung Bak se presente en la solucion del problema de las "ex consoladoras" para las tropas japonesas.
El documento leido en la ocasion se refiere al hecho de que Lee decidio viajar a Japon como "primer paso de la diplomacia pragmatica".
Insiste en que cada vez que se le da ocasion Lee ponia de relieve por si mismo su peligrosa y mala conciencia de historia y anade que la "diplomacia pragmatica" de tal tipejo causa una gran preocupacion a las victimas que vivieron bajo la ocupacion de los imperialistas japoneses.
Enfatiza que a fin de defender los derechos humanos de los habitantes y eliminar las heridas a las victimas Lee debe exigir al gobierno japones para que este saliera con la posicion responsable a la solucion del problemas de las "ex-consoladoras" para las trapas japonesas".
Periodicos conmemoran conferencia conjunta Sur-Norte de abril
Pyongyang, 22 de abril (ATCC) -- Los periodicos centrales, en sus articulos de este martes, senalan que la conferencia conjunta Sur-Norte celebrada en abril del 37 (1948) de la Era Juche en Pyongyang por la iniciativa y direccion del Presidente Kim Il Sung, fue una reunion historica para salvar el destino del pais y la nacion mediante la realizacion de la gran unidad nacional bajo la bandera patriotica por la reunificacion.
En este conclave realizado bajo la presencia de los representantes de los 56 partidos politicos y organizaciones sociales del Norte y del Sur de Corea el Presidente Kim Il Sung, a base de un analisis cientifico de la situacion politica del pais, presento como importantisima tarea politica para la nacion coreana reunificar la patria por medio de establecer un gobierno unificado democratico, luego de frustrar la conspiracion de las "elecciones separadas para fabricar un gobierno separado" del Sur de Corea, y dilucido como medio para llevarla a efecto la orientacion de lograr la unidad de todos los hombres preocupantes del destino del pais y la nacion por encima de las diferencias de fraccion, dependencia y criterio politico.
En un articulo individual el periodico Rodong Sinmun senala que en la lucha de 60 anos por la reunificacion de la patria fueron confirmadas claramente la vitalidad del espiritu fundamental de esa cita que llamo a todos los coreanos a la lucha patriotica por la reunificacion y la virtud de la idea y direccion del Presidente en materia de gran unidad nacional.
Refiere que la brillante tradicion de la obra de gran unidad nacional, que conocio un avance incesante despues de ese encuentro historico de abril, sirvio de una fuerza motriz para empujar el movimiento por la reunificacion de la patria y subraya que el espiritu y las experiencias de ese conclave devienen una base firme para la realizacion de la causa de reunificacion de la patria.
El editorial del periodico Minju Joson llama a todos los coreanos del Norte, el Sur y en ultramar a abrir con la gran unidad nacional una nueva epoca de la reunificacion independiente, la paz y la prosperidad, unidos compactamente en torno al Dirigente Kim Jong Il quien con la politica de Songun (priorizacion militar) defiende la nacion y abre el camino de la reunificacion.