Kim Jong Il receives Pulikovski from Russia
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Monday met with Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the Far East Federal District, who is on a visit to the DPRK.
Present there were Yon Hyong Muk, member of the NDC of the DPRK, and Andrei Gennadievich Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK.
On the occasion Pulikovski conveyed a personal letter and a gift of Russian President V.V. Putin and Presented his own gift to leader Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il expressed thanks for this and had a cordial and friendly talk with him.
After the meeting, he hosted a dinner for the guest.
Present there on invitation were Viktor Andreyevich Tregubov, first deputy plenipotentiary representative of the Russian President to the Far East Federal District, and other suite members and the ambassador and diplomats of the Russian embassy here.
Among those present were Kim Yong Chun, chief of the general staff of the Korean People's Army, Yon Hyong Muk, member of the NDC of the DPRK, Kim Kuk Thae, Jong Ha Chol and Kim Ki Nam, secretaries of the c.c., the WPK, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong, generals of the KPA.
Yon Hyong Muk made speech at the dinner.
Pulikovski's current visit to the DPRK would be a big stride forward in further deepening the bilateral friendship and putting into practice the intention and expectation of the top leaders of the two countries, he said.
He hoped that the cooperative relations between the DPRK and the Far Eastern Region of Russia would be developed briskly thanks to the sincere efforts of both sides to significantly contribute to the implementation of the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration.
Speaking at the dinner, Pulikovski conveyed the regards of V.V. Putin and expressed deep thanks for the kindness and warm hospitality accorded to them in the DPRK.
The Russia-DPRK relations have resumed new qualitative nature in conformity with the realities in the present times after Kim Jong Il and Putin met in July 2000 and August 2001 and signed the joint declarations, he noted, and said:
Russia is ready to make all efforts for the implementation of the agreements made at the summits.
It invariably supports the efforts exerted by the leadership and the people of Korea to improve the country's conditions and carry out the tasks for socio-economic development. And it is pleased to see the international position of the DPRK growing stronger, he added.
The dinner proceeded in an amicable atmosphere.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Syrian defence minister
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from Mustafa Tlass, minister of defence of Syria.
Authorized by the minister, the director of the protocol department under the defence ministry conveyed the gift to an official of the DPRK embassy in Damascus on Feb. 5.
The birthday of Kim Jong Il is a significant day not only for the Korean people but also for the Syrian people, he said, and went on:
The gift "sword of the Syrian army and armed forces" carries high respect and reverence of officers and men of the army and armed forces and the defence minister of Syria for him.
We wish him good health all the time and greater success in his work for Korea's reunification and the building of a powerful nation.
Loyal festival of youth and children opened
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The 13th national loyal festival of youth and children was opened at the Central Youth Hall in Pyongyang yesterday.
The festival is held divided into political, economic, art and sports fields.
It will proceed from festivals of primary youth league organizations across the country to a central festival.
Present at its opening ceremony were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, officials concerned and youth and students.
Computer art contest opens
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A computer art contest, part of the Pyongyang art festival, was opened to celebrate February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
Participating in the contest are over 100 computer artists from the Mansudae Art Studio, the Korean April 26 Juvenile Film Studio, Kim Il Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology, Pyongyang University of Fine Arts, Koryo Songgyungwan, the Korean Stamp Corporation and other units.
The contest will be held divided into two parts--an exhibition of computer art works and a computer art work creation contest.
On display at the exhibition hall are more than 150 computer art works such as stone picture, drawings, posters and art designs. Among them is computer gem picture "Park in Autumn" which was highly appreciated by Kim Jong Il.
An opening ceremony of the contest was held at the Grand People's Study House yesterday.
Present at the ceremony were secretaries of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Choe Thae Bok and Jong Ha Chol, officials concerned, artists and working people in the city.
Bush hit for his outbursts and junket to S. Korea
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Organizations in South Korea reportedly released statements in protest against Bush's war outbursts, which were made in his recent "state of the union address", and his projected trip to South Korea.
They were the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the independent reunification committee of the Democratic Workers' Party, the solidarity council of Christian Social Missionary and the "national association of gazette journalists".
Bush in his "state of the union address" listed the DPRK and other countries as members of the "axis of evil".
The statements bitterly condemned his remarks as outbursts intended for a total war.
They denounced the U.S. for blocking the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration, laying obstacles in the way of inter-Korean dialogue and violating the DPRK-U.S. agreed framework.
They also expressed strong opposition to bush's forthcoming South Korea visit.
Kim Jong Il's birthday to be celebrated in Britain
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A British National Committee was formed in London on Jan. 20 with due ceremony to commemorate the Day of the Sun and February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
Keith Bennett, secretary general of the British group for the study of the Juche idea, was elected chairman of the national committee at the ceremony.
The committee decided to hold such functions as a rally, lecture meeting, film show, and book, photo and handicraft exhibition on the occasion of those days.
S. Korean "national assemblymen" pay protest visit to U.S. embassy
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Parliamentarians from the ruling and opposition parties in South Korea visited the U.S. embassy in Seoul on Feb. 6 in protest against Bush's reckless remarks about the "axis of evil" that have strained the situation on the Korean peninsula, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore.
In an interview with a U.S. minister of the embassy, they expressed strong displeasure with the U.S. moves intended to strain the situation, saying that "the U.S. Korea policy poses a threat to our existence though it might be part of its world strategy."
They also condemned the U.S. for branding other countries as members of "axis of the evil" while being hell-bent on export of arms.
They asked if the U.S. regards South Korea as its partner or its colony.
Floral basket to Kim Jong Il from Yasser Arafat
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the occasion of his birthday.
The basket was conveyed to Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the c.c., the Workers' Party of Korea, on Monday by Shaher Mohammed Abdlah, Palestinian ambassador to the DPRK.
Paektusan Cup sports festival opens
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The Paektusan Cup sports festival opened at the basketball gymnasium in Chongchun Street yesterday with due ceremony to mark the February holiday, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
The festival includes 18 events including basketball, volleyball, table tennis, marathon, pro-boxing, shooting, archery, ice hockey, figure skating and Korean wrestling.
Present at the ceremony were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the c.c., the Workers' Party of Korea, officials concerned and sportsmen and sportswomen.
Events held to celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Colorful celebrations were held in Pyongyang on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
An exhibition performance of winners of the national oratorical contest for celebrating February 16 "paean to the February holiday in the era of the army-based policy" and a performance of art circles of national institutions for celebrating February 16 "Song in high praise of the great sun" were held at the people's palace of culture yesterday.
Seeing those performances were Kim Yong Nam, Jon Pyong Ho, Han Song Ryong and other senior party and state officials.
The orators highly praised the personality, noble virtues and immortal leadership feats of Kim Jong Il, the greatest person who established the original mode of the army-based politics and exalts the new era of the army-centred revolution.
On the same day, a performance of the 30th national art festival of agricultural workers was held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre and a performance of art circles of the provincial people's security bureaus at the Ponghwa Art Theatre to celebrate February 16.
The performers put on stages colourful numbers showing the great joy and pleasure of the Korean people who are significantly greeting the February holiday.
Ceremony for declaring 2002 struggle held in S. Korea
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for declaring the 2002 struggle to remove the pro-U.S. separatist forces and implement the June 15 south-north joint declaration was reportedly held in Seoul on Feb. 7 with the attendance of members of the solidarity for the implementation of the south-north joint declaration, the headquarters of the people's movement for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces, the citizens' meeting for the abolition of the "Security Law", the council for national reconciliation and independent reunification and other organizations and students under the Seoul district federation of university student councils.
Put up at the meeting place were many posters carrying the content opposing U.S. President Bush, Ri Hoe Chang and other anti-reunification forces.
Co-representatives of the solidarity in their speeches called for bringing earlier the reunification of the country by thoroughly implementing the basic spirit of the joint declaration and removing the pro-U.S. separatist forces.
They denounced the U.S. for trying to bar the joint declaration from being implemented through its hostile policy toward the north and its interference in the internal affairs of the south. And they called for struggling against them.
Plenipotentiary representative of Russian President leaves
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A memorandum on cooperation was signed here today between the committee for the promotion of international trade of the DPRK and the Far East Investment Company of the Russian Federation.
Present at the signing ceremony were Kim Yong Jae, vice-minister of foreign trade, and other officials concerned, Oleg Mikhailenko, general director of the Russian company, and officials concerned and Sergei Lyoushikin, trade counselor of the Russian embassy here.
The memorandum was signed by Kim Yong Jae and Oleg Mikhailenko.
Memorandum on cooperation signed between DPRK and Russia
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan led by Ho Jong Man, chief vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, arrived here today to visit the socialist homeland on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
The congratulatory group was met at the airport by Yang Hyong Sop, Kim Yu Ho, director of the bureau of reception for overseas compatriots, and other officials concerned.
Congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan here
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the Far East Federal District, left Pyongyang today by air after concluding his three-day visit to Korea.
He and his party were seen off by Yon Hyong Muk, member of the DPRK National Defence Commission, Ryang Man Gil, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of foreign affairs, and officials concerned and Andrei Gennadievich Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK and embassy officials.
Staying here, the Russian guests visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay homage to President Kim Il Sung.
They visited Mangyongdae and laid a wreath before the Liberation Tower.