Efforts for reunification of Korea supported
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- DPRK ambassador Kim Kyong Sin on October 30 paid a courtesy call on Dioncounda Traore, chairman of the African Party for the Solidarity and Justice of Mali, who hoped that the north-south joint declaration would be smoothly implemented and Korea reunified at an early date.
The chairman said that the relations between the two countries and the two parties have developed on good terms and that the Workers' Party of Korea has extended positive support and solidarity to his party.
He pointed out that his party is rejoiced over the great achievements made by the Workers' Party of Korea in the struggle to tide over the difficulties caused by the moves of the imperialists including the united states and to build socialism and reunify Korea.
Art performance given at Russian embassy
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- An art performance was given by the song and dance ensemble of the Ministry of People's Security of the DPRK at the Russian embassy yesterday on the invitation extended by the Russian ambassador here as regards chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission Kim Jong Il's fruitful visit to the Russian Federation.
The artistes put on the stage several songs depicting the noble feelings of the people's army and people of Korea ardently worshipping their leader. They included mixed chorus "Soldiers Sing of Their Supreme Commander," Female Guitar Ensemble "His Life" and female trio "A Hero Soldier and Girls in His Native Place."
Also put on the stage were Russian songs including female guitar ensemble "Who Knows," male guitar quartet "Song of Partisan in the Maritime Province" and female solo "Ryabinushka of Ural."
Seeing the performance were first vice-minister of foreign affairs Kang Sok Ju, officials concerned and Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov, embassy officials and their families.
A cocktail was given at the end of the performance.
U.S. urged to apologize for killing Korean Buddhists
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the central committee of the Korean Buddhist Federation issued a statement yesterday strongly denouncing the United States for unreasonably and arrogantly slinging mud at the DPRK over its policy on religion and religious freedom through false propaganda, behaving as if it were a "judge of religious issues".
Recalling that recently the U.S. has clamoured for even "sanctions" against the DPRK, letting loose a whole string of vituperation against the DPRK "law on religious freedom," the statement queried who truly guarantees the religious freedom or obliterates it and persecutes religionists.
Through contacts with Buddhist organizations of many countries and mutual visits we are visiting temples, holding joint masses and other Buddhist ceremonies and conducting activities, the statement said, and went on:
It is nonsensical that the U.S. is concealing its crimes of violating the religious freedom and slinging mud at the DPRK over its religious issue.
The U.S. must apologize for murdering many Korean Buddhists in the past.
We express expectation and conviction that all the international Buddhist organizations, Buddhists' human rights organizations and Buddhist organizations of all countries will unite to lift their voices condemning the crimes of the U.S. and its arbitrary practices to act a "superpower" even in dealing with the religious issue.
"Golden Lion Prize" awarded to DPRK aerial acrobatic piece
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- The 8th Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival of China was held from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.
Acrobats of the Pyongyang circus performed "Flying Girls," displaying their latest air stunts.
The highest prize of the festival "Golden Lion Prize" was awarded to it.
The piece won world-wide fame as a wonderful masterpiece full of bravery, boldness, joy and optimism.
"Bronze lion prizes" were awarded to acrobatics "balance plastic etude on rope" and jugglery "trick with pigeons" of the Pyongyang Circus.
DPRK delegate on SC reform
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- The DPRK delegate made a speech at the plenary meeting of the 56th U.N. General Assembly on October 31, when the agenda item no. 49 "the equal representation at the U.N. Security Council (SC) and the issue of increasing the number of its members and other related issues" was under discussion.
The issue of increasing the number of SC members and ensuring the equal representation of every region is the core of the SC reform now under discussion and a key to democratizing the U.N. as a whole, going beyond the bounds of the SC, he said, and continued:
If the SC reform is to be properly carried out all the issues should be settled by a consensus of views through sufficient consultation among all members of the U.N. If it is hard to reach an agreement on all the issues at a time, they may begin solving agreeable ones one by one.
And the issue of the SC reform should be considered in connection with the issue of raising the authority of the U.N. General Assembly as part of the overall U.N. reform.
The main thing in increasing the membership of the SC is to expand the representation of developing countries.
The DPRK delegation is of the view that it is necessary, first of all, to sharply increase the number of non-permanent members of the SC and invite mainly developing countries to sit on it.
We think that it is possible to discuss the issue of increasing the number of non-permanent members of the SC and the issue of increasing that of permanent members separately and begin the discussion on the issue of increasing the number of non-permanent members on which an agreement can be easily reached.
Underscoring the need to be more prudent in dealing with the issue of increasing the number of SC permanent members, he stressed:
Priority should be given to developing countries when agreeing to increase the number of permanent members. It is not in line with the true objective of the reform to talk about the permanent membership for a country which has not yet redressed its crimes committed against humanity in the past.
Japan's suppression of people's thoughts assailed
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries were compelled to return the unreasonably confiscated diploma and gold medal for "International Kim Il Sung Prize" under the pressure of the world public circles bitterly critical of the recent suppression of Juche idea study organizations in Japan.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in signed commentary says:
This is a demonstration of the steadfast faith, will and united might of the Juche idea adherents and progressive people to dynamically struggle, taking the great Juche idea as the guiding idea of humankind and the eternal sunrays in the era of independence.
It is quite natural that not only all the Koreans but Juche idea study organizations and its followers in different countries and broad segments of people the world over expressed irrepressible resentment at the unreasonable behavior of the Japanese reactionaries and strongly demanded the Japanese authorities honestly apologize for this crime and immediately return all the confiscated things.
Their recent suppression was not perpetrated by mistake or carelessness but a premeditated and deliberate act.
We take a serious view of this because this defamed the dignity and honor of the DPRK and will force Japan to pay for it.
Japan has not yet returned some confiscated articles and materials. There is nothing problematic among them and there is no ground for Japan to delay their return. The longer the Japanese authorities delay it under this or that pretext, the stronger protest and denunciation by the Juche idea adherents and progressive figures they will meet.
The Japanese authorities are well advised to face up to the trend of the times and properly understand the thoughts of the progressives and behave according to reason.
Release of pro-reunification patriotic figures called for
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the north headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) today issued a statement denouncing the South Korean authorities' suppression of pro-reunification patriotic organizations and figures of South Korea.
The statement said:
The South Korean authorities recently detained the vice-chairman and 5 other members of the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), who participated in the 2001 grand festival for national reunification held in Pyongyang in August on charges of violating the "Security Law" and took a tyrannical step of arresting the spokesman for the south headquarters of Pomchonghakryon, deputies to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) and other pro-reunification patriotic students.
Such moves are acts of violating the basic spirit of the June 15 joint declaration which calls for reunifying the country independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation and anti-national, anti-reunification acts to chill the 70 million Koreans' desire for reunification and block the solidarity and unity of the reunification movements in the north and the south.
The South Korean authorities should stop at once their crackdown upon the pro-reunification patriotic organizations and immediately release the illegally arrested members of the Pomminryon south headquarters and Hanchongryon and all other pro-reunification patriotic figures.
The north headquarters of Pomchonghakryon calls upon the Korean youth and students and all other compatriots at home and abroad to turn out in the struggle for the repeal of the "Security Law" and the release of the detained pro-reunification patriotic figures in South Korea.
Translations of Kim Il Sung's works published
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- At least 19,090,000 booklets of over 3,270 works of President Kim Il Sung have been translated into different languages and published over the last 50 years.
Collections of his works were translated into Russian and English and came off the press in the DPRK in Juche 40 (1951) for the first time during the hard-fought fatherland liberation war.
Over 146,900 booklets of his 38 works were translated into Russian, English, Chinese, Japanese and other languages and published in the 1950s alone.
The translation and publication of his works were brisk in the 1960s and the 1970s witnessed a fresh turn in this work.
Among them were "Kim Il Sung's Selected Works" (vols. 1-8) and "Kim Il Sung's Works" (vols. 1-44) which were comprehensively and systematically edited in chronological order. They include collections of his works related to different affairs such as the Juche idea, the building of the party and power, socialist construction, policies for the independent and peaceful reunification of the country and booklets of his works published in each period and at each stage of the developing revolution.
Many collections and booklets such as "Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country", "Let us intensify the anti-imperialist, anti-U.S. struggle", "On Some Theoretical Problems of the Socialist Economy" and part 1 "The Anti-Japanese Revolution" (vols. 1-8) of his reminiscences "With The Century" have been brought out several times, evoking a lively response worldwide for the truth, greatness, invincible vitality and rare attraction of the ideas and theories set out in them.
Over 1,279,500 volumes of his more than 350 works have so far been reprinted.
Congratulations to Norwegian prime minister
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Kjell Magne Bondevik on his appointment as prime minister of Norway.
Expressing belief that the favorably developing relations between the two countries would grow stronger on the principle of mutual respect, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, the message wished him success in his responsible work.
Foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a similar message to Jan Petersen on his appointment as foreign minister of the country.
Mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang" in making
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) -- A peculiar mass gymnastic and artistic performance is in the making on the theme of the Korean famous folk song "Arirang" in the DPRK.
Korean folk songs contain many melodies of "Arirang" representing sorrow and joy.
This performance will make spectacular epic representation of the history of the Korean nation's destiny and its social conditions and manners and customs.
It will present ever-changing wonderful and solid scenes through a good combination of historical famous folk songs reflecting strong national soul, national dances rich in national colouring and gymnastics requiring high skill.
Spectators will be enchanted to see the ever-changing background, extra large-scale projecting and laser illumination that will increase the effect of the presentation.
The performance peculiar in its content and style will be the largest in its scale. It will be participated in by Korean artistes including international and national concours winners, sportspersons and youth and students and children, more than 100,000 in all.
It will be presented in the may day stadium on the picturesque Rungra islet, Pyongyang, in the spring of 2002.
Preparations for the performance are making successful progress amid deep interest of the world people.
Kim Jong Il appreciates performance of KPA art squad
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) - Leader Kim Jong Il Tuesday appreciated a performance given by the art squad of KPA unit no. 264.
Seeing the performance together with him were Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, Jon Pyong Ho, member of the DPRK National Defence Commission and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Kim Ki Nam and Jong Ha Chol, secretaries of the c.c., the WPK, and others.
Greatly satisfied with the successful performance given by members of the squad as artistes of the revolutionary army, Kim Jong Il highly appreciated the success they have made in their dynamic art activities instilling confidence of sure victory, optimism and the spirit and courage to annihilate the enemy into soldiers.
Saying that art activities with great influence are very important in the ideological education of the soldiers, he put forward important tasks to be fulfilled to intensify the revolutionary and militant art activities.
Kim Jong Il provides field guidance to mining complex
Pyongyang, November 7 (KCNA) - Leader Kim Jong Il gave field guidance to the Musan Mining Complex in North Hamgyong Province on Nov. 4.
He was accompanied by Hong Sok Hyong, chief secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, Jong Ha Chol and Kim Ki Nam, secretaries of the central committee of the WPK, and another official.
Kim Jong Il looked round the monument to the on-the-spot guidance given by President Kim Il Sung standing in the compound of the complex and the room dedicated to the education in the revolutionary history.
He climbed Cholsan Hill from where he commanded a bird's-eye view of the mine.
He was very satisfied to see that the complex has turned into a large ore mining center equipped with modern mining facilities.
He moved on to mining sites and an ore-dressing plant to learn in detail about the equipment and the production performance. He gave a pep-talk to the workers there waging a high-pitched drive for increased production to build a rich and powerful nation.
After looking round the complex he set forth highly important tasks to be carried out by the complex.
Noting that the position and role of the complex are very important for satisfactorily meeting the ever-increasing demand for iron and steel, he said that the workers of the complex should creditably perform the mission of the times they have assumed as frontrankers in the drive to build a powerful nation.
What is essential for keeping the production of iron and steel going at a high rate is to give precedence to the production of concentrated ore, he said, adding that it was necessary to improve the servicing and repair of all the mining and transporting means including deep-boring machines and lorries to raise their operation rate and, at the same time, bring ore-dressing in step with the production.
He underscored the need to improve the pipeline transportation with a view to carrying concentrated ore to iron and steel works in time and, at the same time, meticulously organize the railway transport.
He set forth tasks to speed up the technical modernization and the updating of equipment.
He also proposed tasks to build up the complex as a modern mining center.
He said that the officials of the complex should supply more non-staple food to the miners who are dedicating their all to the party and the revolution and provide them with better living conditions including housing, always bearing in mind the instruction of Kim Il Sung that supply service precisely means a political work.