Past news

Awarding Ceremony of Int'l Prize Contest of Literary Works Held

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- An awarding ceremony of the international prize contest of literary works was held at the People's Palace of Culture on Wednesday to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary of the DPRK.
    In the period of the contest which started early last year, books praising the greatness of the three generals of Mt. Paektu and introducing and giving publicity to the greatness of the Songun politics of the Workers' Party of Korea and the true picture of the DPRK were written and published in more than 40 countries in the world and at least 600 works were created.
    Present at the awarding ceremony were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and An Tong Chun, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Writers Union, and others.
    Also present there were prominent figures from different countries who wrote and published books on the greatness of the three generals of Mt. Paektu and works representing the reverence for them and other foreign guests on visits to the DPRK on the occasion of the 60th founding anniversary of the DPRK.
    At the awarding ceremony the best prizes were awarded to Alejandro Cao de Benos, chairman of the Korean Friendship Association headquartered in Spain, S. Surenjav, president of J. Sambuu Herders Development Fund of Mongolia, Sergei Levichev, former managing director of the Rio-Press in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and Nada Takashi, representative of Ehime Institute for Contemporary Korean Issue in Japan.
    And top prizes went to Aleksandr Brezhnev, Russian poet, Yehia Zakaria Khairullah, secretary general of the Egypt-Korea Friendship Association, Anatoly Tabachkov, chief editor of the Nakhodkinski Rabochi of Russia, and other figures from different countries, and creation prizes to Rosanita Campos, secretary of the October 8 Revolutionary Movement of Brazil, D. Michka, general director of the Mongolian HUM Company Ltd., Javed Ahmed Ansari, secretary general of the Society for the Study of Self－Reliance of Pakistan, Anders Kristensen, chairman of the Denmark-DPRK Friendship Association, J.Tsevelma, executive member of the Mongolia-Korea Friendship Society, and other figures.
    The certificate of honorary writer of the DPRK was conferred upon Garib Newaz, president of the Bangladesh People's League, and the certificates of honorary journalist to the chairman of the Korean Friendship Association headquartered in Spain and the chief editor of the Nakhodkinski Rabochi of Russia.
    Mun Jae Chol made a speech to be followed by Alejandro Cao de Benos and Nada Takashi.
    An appeal to the writers and progressive people of the world loving justice and conscience was adopted at the awarding ceremony.

Reception Hosted in Honor of Foreign Guests

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- The Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries hosted a reception at the Yanggakdo International Hotel on Wednesday in honor of the foreign guests who participated in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the DPRK.
    Present there on invitation were foreign guests who participated in the exhibition of books on the greatness of the three generals of Mt. Paektu and works representing reverence for them and the joint TV meeting that were held on the above-said occasion.
    On hand were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the above-said committee, and officials concerned.
    Speeches were made there.

Exhibition of Architectural Designs Held

Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- An exhibition of architectural designs was held at the Art Exhibition Hall in Kangwon Province between September 1 and 10 on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the DPRK.
Displayed on the venue of the exhibition were designs presented to the 8th May 21 Architectural Festival, blueprints of architectural designs for multi-storey and one-storey houses of specific characters suitable to both urban and rural areas including high-rise apartments national in form produced recently, hotels and rest homes and blueprints of decorative patterns of various forms and other excellent designs.

Large Floral Basket, Congratulatory Message and Gifts to Kim Jong Il

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with a large floral basket and a congratulatory message by Hassan Turkmani, minister of Defence who is deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Syria, on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the DPRK.
    He was also presented with gifts by Alejandro Rosales Sanchez, chairman of the Mexican Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, and the governor of Puebla State of Mexico, on the same occasion.
    The large floral basket, congratulatory message and gifts were conveyed to the DPRK ambassadors to those countries on September 3 and 4.

Letter to Kim Jong Il from Foreign Guests

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- The participants in the solidarity meeting for supporting the struggle of the Korean people to implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration held in Pyongyang presented a letter to General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Sept. 10.
    The letter said as follows.
    In this meeting we pointed out that the miraculous successes achieved in the struggle for the development of the inter-Korean relations and the reunification for the last 8 years since the publication of the historic June 15 joint declaration were brilliant fruitions produced by firm will for reunification, patriotic policy and the Songun leadership of Your Excellency.
    We vehemently denounced the U.S. and Japan for pursuing hostile policies towards the DPRK, the pro-U.S. south Korean conservative forces for conducting smear campaign against the reunification and their moves to provoke a war and strongly demanded them immediately stop all sorts of moves challenging the trend of the era toward independent reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
    Confirming that only when the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, programme for its implementation, are fully implemented can the world peace and security be guaranteed, we expressed the determinations to dynamically wage the international solidarity movement for supporting the Korean people's struggle to open up a new era of independent reunification and peace and prosperity by their concerted efforts under the banner of "By our nation itself."
    Significantly celebrating the 60th birthday of the DPRK with your people during our visits to the DPRK we keenly felt once again that thanks to your Songun policy the dignity and the national power of your country have reached the highest stage and the new history of independent reunification is ushered in and the peace is fully guaranteed on the Korean Peninsula.
    Your Songun policy provides a sure guarantee for implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration and serves as a just treasured sword for defending the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the world.
    We will resolutely support and protect your Songun policy in the future, too, and more positively wage the activities for supporting the Korean people's struggle to achieve the country's reunification on the principle of national independence while meeting wanton challenge of separatist forces.

DPRK Birthday Marked in Austria and Egypt

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- Organizations of Austria and Egypt released bulletins on September 1 on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the DPRK.
    The Group of Youth for the Study of Kim Jong Il Juche Idea in Vienna, Austria in its bulletin carried a portrait of smiling President Kim Il Sung and edited an article titled "Foundation of the DPRK on September 9, 1948".
    The bulletin in the article introduced in detail the exploits the President performed by building the country and noted that General Secretary Kim Jong Il who is successor to the President established the political mode of attaching importance to military affairs firmly guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country and the socialist construction and has vigorously led the Korean people.
    The Egypt-Korea Friendship Association in an article titled "Korea and Kim Il Sung, father of nation-building" carried in its bulletin stressed that Kim Il Sung, eternal leader of the Korean people, is father of the country who built the DPRK, a country for the people and a socialist power, the first of its kind in the national history spanning 5,000 years.
    The article noted that the DPRK founded by the President is dynamically advancing toward the new high stage of building a great prosperous powerful nation under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, adding the exploits of the President in building the country will shine long.

Football Match between DPRK and S. Korea

Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- The first football match between the DPRK and south Korea, teams belonging to Group B in the Asian final preliminary for 2010 World Cup, was held in Shanghai, China on September 10. It ended in a draw 1:1.
The DPRK team obtained 4 points by one win and one draw in the group.

Solidarity Meeting Held

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- A solidarity meeting for supporting the Korean people in their struggle for implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration was held here on Sept. 10.
    Present at the meeting were the delegations and delegates of friendship and solidarity organizations of different countries on a visit to the DPRK to celebrate its 60th birthday and the Cuban ambassador to the DPRK.
    On hand were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is chairman of the Korean Committee for Solidarity with the World People, members of the committee for solidarity, the Korean National Peace Committee, the Korean Democratic Lawyers Association, the Korean Committee for Afro-Asian Solidarity and officials cornered.
    Raymond Ferguson, national secretary of the Australia-DPRK Association for Friendship and Culture, made a speech at the meeting.
    He said that to achieve reunification and peace of Korea by implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration provided thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Il's patriotic noble intention and his firm will for reunification is the common task not only for the Korean people but also for the peace-loving people of the world.
    Then the floor was taken by Enrique Roman Hernandes, first vice-president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, a member of the Australia-DPRK Association for Friendship and Culture, Rosanita Campos, secretary of the October 8 Revolutionary Movement of Brazil, and Javed Ahmed Ansari, secretary general of the Society for the Study of Self-Reliance of Pakistan.
    The speakers said that the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, programme for its implementation, serve as a landmark indicating the shortcut to Korea's reunification in the new century, adding that the world progressives will, in the future, too, extend full support and solidarity to the Korean people in their just cause for reunification of the country.
    They appealed to all friendship and solidarity organizations in different countries to conduct strenuous solidarity activities supporting the Korean people in their efforts to implement the above-said declarations and their struggle to pull the U.S. forces out of south Korea.
    Mun Jae Chol in his speech noted that steadfast is the will of the Korean people to achieve reunification of the country at an early date by implementing the declarations despite desperate moves of the separatists at home and abroad to bring the inter-Korean relations back to those of confrontation.
    A letter presented to Kim Jong Il by the participants in the meeting was adopted there.

End to U.S. Presence in S. Korea Called for

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- The 63-year-long presence of the U.S. in south Korea marked the history of crimes during which it has infringed upon the sovereignty of the Korean nation and harassed peace, obstructing the reunification of Korea.
    Rodong Sinmun Thursday says this in a signed article.
    The U.S. imperialists' presence in south Korea is a product of their strategy for aggression of Asia, the article notes, and goes on:
    The U.S. presence in south Korea is a wanton violation of the unanimous desire of the Korean nation for the independent development.
    It has trampled down upon the freedom and rights of the people and even infringed upon their vital rights after putting the political, economic, cultural, military and other fields of south Korea under its control.
    It has also violently suppressed the just patriotic struggle of the south Koreans for independence and democratization of the society and national reunification.
    Its presence in south Korean is a criminal act of threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and bringing the danger of war.
    It raised a hue and cry over "axis of evil" revealing its hostility toward the DPRK, mapped out "a report on nuclear posture" which made the nuclear preemptive attack on the DPRK an established fact, massively beefed up its imperialist aggression forces in south Korea under the signboard of "strategic flexibility", introduced ultra-modern military hardware into south Korea and staged joint military exercises against the DPRK getting ever more adventurous as the days go by. These go to clearly prove that the U.S. is a chieftain harassing peace on the Korean Peninsula.
    The U.S. presence in south Korea is a stumbling block lying in the way of achieving the cause of national reunification.
    The U.S. has worked hard to calm down Koreans' desire for reunification while intensifying its political and military domination over south Korea and interference in its internal affairs.
    The U.S. anti-reunification moves have become ever more undisguised after the adoption of the June 15 joint declaration.
    The Korean nation have to put an end to the U.S. imperialists' presence in south Korea without fail in order to retake the national sovereignty which has been violated by foreign forces and achieve the historic cause of national reunification.

Kim Il Sung's Work Published in Venezuela

Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- President Kim Il Sung's famous work "Let Us Further Strengthen the Socialist System of Our Country" was brought out in pamphlet by the Canta Clara Publishing House of Venezuela.
The work, published on December 25, Juche 61 (1972), deals with the struggle of the DPRK government for socialist revolution and construction, the advantages of the socialist system in the DPRK and the main contents of the socialist constitution of the DPRK and clarifies the tasks for further consolidating and developing the socialist system.

DPRK Birthday Marked in Austria and Egypt

Korean Book, Photo and Handicraft Exhibition Opens in Cuba

   Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- A Korean book, photo and handicraft exhibition was opened at the Cuban Revolution Museum on September 4 on the occasion of the 60th birthday of the DPRK.
    Displayed on the venue of the exhibition were works of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and books and photos showing their undying feats, pictures introducing the glorious path covered by the Republic and handicrafts associated with the wisdom and talents of the Korean people.
    Present at the opening ceremony of the exhibition were Juan Vela Valdes, minister of Higher Education of Cuba who is chairman of the Cuban Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, Jorge Marti Martinez, president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, Marcos Rodriguez, vice-foreign minister of Cuba, and other officials concerned and the DPRK ambassador to Cuba and staff members of his embassy.
    Present there on invitation were diplomatic envoys of various countries in Cuba.
    Juan Jose Leon Vega, first vice-chairman of the above-said committee, said that Korea was divided into the north and the south after the Second World War due to the separatist moves of the U.S. imperialists and its stooges and the U.S. and south Korean puppet clique have conducted war exercises against the DPRK one after another.
    He stressed that the Korean people have waged a dynamic struggle to reunify the country standing up against the U.S. under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il who has carried forward the revolutionary idea and the leadership traits of the President as they are.
    He noted that the Cuban people would actively support the Korean people's struggle for the independent and peaceful reunification of the country and stand by the Korean people in their just struggle in the future, too, as they did in the past.
    The exhibition will continue till September 26.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il recibe cesto de flores, mensaje y presente

   Pyongyang, 11 de septiembre (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio el gran cesto de flores y mensaje de felicitacion que en ocasion del 60o aniversario de la fundacion de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea le dirigiera el teniente general Hassan Turkmani, subcomandante en jefe del Ejercito y Fuerzas Armadas y ministro de Defensa Nacional de Siria.
    Tambien, le dirigieron presentes el presidente del Comite Mexicano de Apoyo a la Reunificacion de Corea, Alejandro Rosales Sanchez, y el gobernador del Estado de Puebla de Mexico, Mario Marin Torres.
    Ellos los entregaron los dias 3 y 4 a los embajadores coreanos acreditados en respectivos paises.

Kim Jong Il recibe carta de participantes en mitin

   Pyongyang, 11 de septiembre (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio la carta que le enviaran el dia 10 los participantes en el mitin de solidaridad con la lucha del pueblo coreano por la implementacion de la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio y la Declaracion del 4 de Octubre, que tuvo lugar en esta capital.
    La misiva senala como sigue:
    En el presente mitin nosotros dimos enfasis en que los sorprendentes exitos logrados en la lucha por el desarrollo de las relaciones entre el Norte y el Sur de Corea y por la reunificacion durante los 8 anos pasados despues de la aprobacion de la historica Declaracion del 15 de Junio son resultado brillante de la firme voluntad de reunificacion, la politica de amor por la patria y la nacion y de la direccion del Songun (priorizacion militar) de Su Excelencia.
    Denunciamos categoricamente la politica hostil a Corea de Estados Unidos y Japon, la campana intrigante anti-reunificacion y las maniobras de provocacion de guerra de las fuerzas conservadoras proyanquis del Sur de Corea y exigimos fuertemente el cese inmediato en la Peninsula Coreana de todas las maniobras que desafian a la corriente de la epoca de reunificacion independiente.
    Afirmando que es posible garantizar la paz y la seguridad del mundo solo cuando fueran ejecutadas cabalmente la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio y su programa practico, la Declaracion del 4 de Octubre, fueron expresadas en el conclave las decisiones de desplegar con mas vigor el movimiento solidario internacional con la lucha del pueblo coreano por abrir con las fuerzas unidas de toda la nacion la nueva era de la reunificacion independiente, la paz y la prosperidad bajo la bandera del ideal "Entre nosotros, los connacionales".
    Durante nuestra estancia en Corea, al festejar significativamente junto con el pueblo coreano el 60o aniversario de la fundacion de la RPDC, volvimos a constatar que gracias a la politica de Songun de Su Excelencia, se situaron en el plano cimero la dignidad y el poderio nacional de su pais, se inicio la nueva historia de reunificacion independiente y se preserva con firmeza la paz en la Peninsula Coreana.
    La politica de Songun de Su Excelencia deviene la garantia fundamental de la ejecucion de las declaraciones arriba mencionadas y la espada de justicia que defiende la paz y la seguridad del mundo.
    Seguiremos apoyando y defendiendo firmemente en lo adelante tambien la politica de Songun de Su Excelencia y dinamizaremos las actividades de apoyo a la lucha del pueblo coreano por reunificar el pais en el principio de independencia nacional frustrando los brutales desafios de las fuerzas divisionistas.

Ofrecida la funcion gimnastico-artistica masiva "Arirang"

   Pyongyang, 11 de septiembre (ATCC) -- Como colofon de las actividades para celebrar el 60o aniversario de la fundacion de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, tuvo lugar el dia 10 en el capitalino Estadio Primero de Mayo la funcion gimnastico-artistica masiva "Arirang", laureada con el "Premio Kim Il Sung".
    La presenciaron los cuadros del partido, el ejercito y el Estado, los presidentes de los partidos amigos, los diputados a la Asamblea Popular Suprema, los funcionarios de los organos del partido, las fuerzas armadas y el Poder, organizaciones de masas y sociales, ministerios e instituciones centrales, los ex combatientes revolucionarios antijaponeses, oficiales y soldados del Ejercito Popular de Corea, funcionarios de los dominios de ciencia, educacion, cultura y arte, salud publica, prensa e informacion, familiares de los martires revolucionarios, benemeritos y trabajadores capitalinos.
    Fueron invitados el representante de la Sucursal del Frente Democratico Nacional Antiimperialista en Pyongyang, el grupo de felicitacion de los coreanos residentes en Japon y otros grupos de felicitacion y delegaciones de los coreanos en ultramar, los compatriotas radicados en otros paises, que vinieron a la patria socialista para celebrar dicha efemeride nacional, los representantes diplomaticos y otros miembros de las embajadas de varios paises, los representantes de las organizaciones internacionales, acreditados en Corea, las delegaciones de varios paises, las delegaciones de las organizaciones de estudio de la idea Juche y de las entidades de amistad y solidaridad y otros huespedes extranjeros.
    La "Arirang" es la obra maestra monumental que describe de manera emocionante la historia de la sagrada lucha del pueblo coreano que ha venido forjando de manera independiente su destino bajo la guia del gran lider acogido por primera vez en la historia nacional de 5 milenios y el aspecto de decenas de millones de militares y habitantes que unidos monoliticamente en torno a la Direccion de la Revolucion avanzan a pasos firmes hacia la gran potencia prospera desplegando su extraordinaria fuerza espiritual e inagotable capacidad creativa.
    En la funcion iniciada en medio de la interpretacion de la melodia ligera de la cancion "Es mejor Pyongyang" los ejecutantes mostraron emotivamente en escenas epicas las inmortales hazanas del Presidente Kim Il Sung, quien construyo el verdadero pais del pueblo en este territorio, y del Dirigente Kim Jong Il quien llevo con la original politica de Songun (priorizacion militar) al plano supremo la dignidad y el poderio estatal de la Corea de Kim Il Sung.
    El espectaculo arranco efusivos aplausos del publico.

En Pyongyang director general de UNESCO y su comitiva

   Pyongyang, 11 de septiembre (ATCC) -- Llegaron el dia 10 a esta capital el director general de la Organizacion de Naciones Unidas para la Educacion, la Ciencia y la Cultura (UNESCO) Koichiiro Matsuura y su comitiva
    En el aeropuerto los acogieron el vicecanciller coreano Pak Kil Yon y el coordinador de la ONU Uma Thapa acreditado en Corea.
    Ese dia, el gobierno de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea ofrecio anoche un banquete en honor de los huespedes.