Russian figure on DPRK-Russia relations
Pyongyang, February 17 (KCNA) -- Vladimir Tolstikov, chairman of the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK, was interviewed by the Voice of Russia on Feb. 11.
He said that the meetings and talks between Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and DPRK General Secretary Kim Jong Il and the adoption of the Russia-DPRK Moscow declaration opened a prospect of new work before the association.
Reviewing the work done by the association last year, he referred to its action program for this year to boost the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and peoples. He underscored the need to significantly mark Feb. 16 and other auspicious holidays of the Korean people and the 10th anniversary of the association.
He vehemently denounced the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK and wished the Korean people bigger success in their efforts to achieve the peaceful and democratic reunification of the country without foreign forces' interference.
Kim Jong Il receives letters from servicemen and people and replies to them
Pyongyang, February 17 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received at least 153,110 letters from servicemen of the Korean People's Army and people from all walks of life and sent over 3,140 autographs over the last 8 years since jan.1, Juche 84 (1995) when he began enforcing the army-based policy.
He sent his autographic letter to all the people of the country on the morning of the New Year's Day of Juche 84 (1995) upon seeing out the year of bitter grief.
He bestowed upon all the servicepersons and people the high honour of being soldiers and students of President Kim Il Sung and encouraged the whole party and army and all people in the sacred struggle to achieve the prosperity of the country, the legacy left by the president.
Floral basket to Kim Jong Il from secretary general of IIJI
Pyongyang, February 17 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from the secretary general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI) and his party on the occasion of his birthday.
It was conveyed to an official concerned by Kenichi Ogami, secretary general of the IIJI, on a visit to the DPRK.
Truth about emergence of nuclear issue on Korean Peninsula disclosed
Pyongyang, February 17 (KCNA) -- The information department of the Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) on Feb. 11 issued a press release disclosing the truth about the emergence of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
The press release said:
The nuclear issue emerged on the Korean Peninsula because the U.S. has posed a constant nuclear threat to the DPRK after massively deploying nuclear weapons in and around South Korea.
The U.S. adopted it as its policy to deploy nukes in South Korea and worked hard to turn it into a nuclear base.
Right after the ceasefire of the June 25 war, the U.S. declared South Korea as its "vital operation theatre" for carrying out its strategy to dominate Asia and the rest of the world and adopted it as its policy to convert South Korea into its nuclear base.
To this end, the U.S. expelled the neutral nations inspection team from South Korea on June 9, 1956 and in June 1957 it unilaterally scrapped paragraph 13 d of the armistice agreement which bans the introduction of any new type weapons from the outside of Korea. On January 29, 1958 it openly declared the deployment of nuclear weapons in units of the U.S. Forces in South Korea.
In the 1960s it shipped Nike Hercules, Matadon and Hawk missiles, various other types of nuclear and guided weapons and nuclear mines and in the 1970s introduced more new type nukes.
The U.S. moves to beef up its forces in South Korea reached their zenith in the 1980s.
As recorded in the minutes 111 of the 125th South Korean National Assembly held in 1985, 1,720 U.S. nuclear weapons were deployed in South Korea. They include nuclear bombs and shells, missile nuclear warheads, neutron bombs and shells, nuclear mines and backpack nukes.
South Korea has turned into the world's biggest nuclear base as more than one nuke has been deployed in every 100 square km of its territory.
The U.S. basic strategy aimed to mount a preemptive nuclear attack on the DPRK so called a nuclear umbrella strategy remains unchanged even in the post cold war period.
This land covering more than 100,000 square km has been converted into the biggest nuclear arsenal in the Far East as it is covered with a huge number of tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, ground and air nuclear weapons, nuclear warheads and means of nuclear delivery.
Referring to the U.S. moves to convert the areas around South Korea into its nuclear base, the press release pointed out:
The U.S. has deployed nearly half of its nuclear weapons totalling over 20,000 and the majority of its strategic forces in the Asia-Pacific region around the Korean Peninsula.
It has in the region 560 military bases and facilities, at least 1,000 aircraft including strategic bombers and over 200 warships including 6 aircraft carriers and 34 nuclear submarines and over 6,500 nuclear weapons.
The U.S. is raising a hue and cry over the groundless "nuclear weapons development program" of the north, watching for a chance to attack the north after massively stockpiling nuclear weapons in and around South Korea. This is just like a provocation made by a thief turning on the master with a club.
According to the supplemented and perfected nuclear war scenario, the U.S. has escalated its nuclear war exercises targeted against the north as part of its nuclear blackmail against it.
"9-Day War Plan", "5-Day War Plan" "3-Day War Plan" and "120-Day War Plan", "Operation Plan 5027" and "Operation Plan 5027-98", war scenarios widely known in the 1980s and 1990s, the recently disclosed "Contingency Plan," etc. are all aimed to make nuclear strikes at the north.
Washington's successive rulers and warhawks have made constant nuclear blackmail against the north, pursuant to its anti-north scenario.
The nuclear blackmail and threat to the DPRK has become all the more undisguised since the emergence of the bush administration.
On January 29, Washington did not bother to term the north a "lawless regime" and an "oppressive regime", which is little short of its declaration of a war against the north.
Its plan to mount a preemptive nuclear attack on the DPRK has been steadily supplemented and specified through its nuclear war exercises targeted against the DPRK.
Typical of them were "Team Spirit", "Foal Eagle", "Ulji Focus Lens" and "Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration" exercises.
The U.S. had staged more than 10,000 nuclear war exercises from the end of the June 25 war till 1999, counting only those large ones and a total of nearly 20 million troops had been involved there.
Even according to official information, war exercises staged against the north in 2001 were almost double as compared with those in the previous year and there was marked growth in their scale.
All these facts go to clearly prove that the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula is not attributable to any nuclear threat posed by the north, a fiction, but a direct product of the U.S. strategy to dominate the whole of Korea and its moves to pose a nuclear threat to the north, pursuant to its policy of strength for hegemony.
Floral basket to DPRK embassy from Cambodian King
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk sent a floral basket to the DPRK embassy in Phnom Penh on Feb. 12 on the occasion of Kim Jong Il's birthday.
Written on its ribbon were letters "Glory to Supreme Leader of the DPRK Marshal Kim Jong Il. King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk."
Deputy Prime Minister Kong Sam Ol paid a congratulatory visit to the embassy as the head of the delegation of the royal ministry to lay a floral basket before the portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on behalf of the King and pay tribute to them.
The deputy prime minister said that the King and the queen entrusted him to convey their warmest congratulations to Kim Jong Il and their best wishes for his good health and greater victory in carrying out the noble cause of nation-building.
The friendly relations between the two countries are special ones as they were provided by the King and Kim Il Sung, he noted.
recalling that the King and the queen always remember the care shown by Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for them, he sincerely wished Kim Jong Il good health and greater success in accomplishing the noble cause of building a powerful nation.
Reception given by Ministry of People's Armed Forces
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of the People's Armed Forces hosted a reception on Feb. 15 on the occasion of the birthday of KPA Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il.
Present on invitation were military attaches of embassies of different countries here.
Kim Il Chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, said that Kim Jong Il was born in Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution, and grew up there hearing the gunfire during the anti-Japanese war. He is a peerlessly great strategist as he nurtured his stratagem and pluck as a brilliant commander standing by the operation table of the supreme headquarters in the days of the hard-fought war against the U.S. imperialists, he added, and continued:
It was thanks to Kim Jong Il's original army-based policy that the Korean People's Army has glorified the proud tradition of winning victory in the war.
As pillars and the driving force of revolution, the people's army will devotedly defend him and become the first line death-defying corps in implementing to the letter the instructions given by the supreme commander.
Military attache of the Chinese embassy Yan Jiangfeng, doyen of the military attaches corps, in his speech expressed the belief that the army and the people of the DPRK would defend the security of the country and achieve greater success in their struggle to build a powerful nation and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il.
The participants celebrated the holiday, singing songs and reciting poems praising Kim Jong Il
Best wish of all people for Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- February 16, the birthday of Kim Jong Il, was significantly celebrated in Korea and in different countries of the world as a common holiday of humankind.
In the morning the Korean people visited the statues of President Kim Il Sung with beautiful and fragrant flowers in their hands.
An endless stream of people visited the statues on Mansu Hill of Pyongyang, Tonghungsan Hill of Hamhung, Janamsan Hill of Kaesong and at Kaeson square of Wonsan and other places.
People from all walks of life and servicemen visited the native home at the secret camp in Mt. Paektu, a holy land of revolution, and revolutionary sites across the country and made their pledges of loyalty, wishing Kim Jong Il good health and safety.
Art performances were given by national art troupes, art troupes of overseas Koreans and people of all social standings at the Pyongyang Grand Theatre, the Mansudae Art Theatre, the Ponghwa Art Theatre and provincial art theatres and halls to celebrate February 16.
Art performances were also given by working people and students at organs, enterprises, farms and schools to congratulate him on his birthday.
Working people and servicemen held celebration meetings, evening galas, public presentations, oratorical meetings and other functions. They made their pledges of loyalty to build a powerful socialist nation on this land under his leadership, holding him in high esteem.
The February holiday was grandly celebrated in different countries of the world.
Party and states leaders, people of various circles and organizations of different countries presented congratulatory messages, floral baskets and gifts to him and awarded certificates of honorary titles and medals to him on the occasion of his birthday.
Celebration meetings, photo exhibitions, film shows, seminars and other multifarious functions took place in Syria, Jordan, Austria, Peru, Mexico and many other countries.
Papers call for exalting country's dignity
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- Papers here today run editorials on the occasion of Kim Jong Il's birthday.
Rodong Sinmun says that Kim Jong Il is a peerless patriot and a legendary great man who created the greatest heroic epic in the history of the Korean nation spanning thousands of years.
It goes on:
Kim Jong Il made the DPRK shine forever as the state of President Kim Il Sung and an invincible "country enforcing the army-based politics." This is the most brilliant exploits he performed on behalf of the country and the people.
Kim Jong Il is a great architect of the prosperity of the country as he clearly indicates the road to be followed by socialist Korea with his clairvoyant wisdom and a great brilliant commander who firmly protects and glorifies the destiny of the country and the nation with his matchless grit and fixed faith and will.
The courage and gut of Kim Jong Il, son of guerrillas of Mt. Paektu, represents the death-defying will that no force on earth can defeat the people ready to die, the strong spirit that there is always a way out and the firm confidence that we remain unfazed even when a huge enemy force comes in attack on us.
It is the resolution of our party, army and people led by Kim Jong Il to react to the hardline with the toughest stand and counter the double-dealing tactics with a revolutionary offensive.
Kim Jong Il is the great father who leads all the Korean people along a patriotic road with his boundlessly noble benevolence and broad magnanimity.
He has enforced such a policy of boundless love as braving death for the sake of the people with his warm humanity and comradeship towards them, an all-embracing policy of leading all the Korean people irrespective of political view, religion, career and class origin and a people-centered policy of mixing always with servicemen and people and sharing sweets and bitters with them.
This is his political mode whereby he always wins victory with his humanity.
Minju Joson says that the birth of Kim Jong Il was a great fortune for the country and the nation and a historic event that promised a bright future of Juche-oriented revolution.
Congratulatory message to Kim Jong Il from Russian President
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory message from Russian President V.V. Putin on Feb. 16, on his birthday.
Extending heartfelt congratulations to Kim Jong Il on his birthday, the message said:
The positive activities conducted by you, the leader of the DPRK, to boost the good-neighborly relations between Russia and the DPRK and the new measures taken by you to settle the basic issues related to the peaceful cooperation between the north and the south of Korea and develop the economy are commanding understanding and respect in Russia.
I wish you good health for the wellbeing of your country, for the lasting peace and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and the further development of the bilateral relations and success in your activities as chairman of the national defence commission.
It is my hope that the gifts I present to you with my sincerity will help remind you of our meeting and friendship and true feelings of respect.
Economic and commercial councilors corps visits Kimjongilia Show
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- The economic and commercial councillors' corps here visited the 7th Kimjongilia show on Feb. 14 on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
The guests were struck with admiration at seeing Kimjongilias which came into full bloom reflecting the best wishes of the Korean people and the world progressives for Kim Jong Il.
Sergei Lyoushkin, commercial councillor of the Russian embassy who is doyen of the corps, wrote in the visitor's book that the ecstasy of the show proves well how deeply the Korean people and the world progressives are respecting and revering Kim Jong Il.
Reception given by Palestinian Ambassador
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Palestinian Ambassador to the DPRK Shaher Mohammed Abdlah gave a reception at the embassy on Feb. 14 on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
Speaking at the reception, the ambassador said that he was glad to celebrate the birthday of Kim Jong Il together with the friendly Korean people and wished him good health on this significant holiday.
The leadership and people of Palestine are positively supporting the Korean people in their struggle to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, he noted.
The friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries provided by President Yasser Arafat and President Kim Il Sung are further developing under the deep care of Kim Jong Il, he said, wishing the workers' party, army and people of Korea great success in their struggle to increase the military power and achieve the prosperity and development of the country under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Yang Hyong Sop, Vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, in a speech said that the birth of Kim Jong Il in Mt. Paektu, a holy mountain of revolution, was a great fortune of the Korean nation and a historic event that opened the bright future for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche.
He referred to the immortal feats performed by Kim Jong Il for the country, the people, the era and history.
He stressed that the Korean people will in the future, too, extend full support to the Palestinian people in their just struggle to restore the legitimate national rights including the right to self-determination and the right to build an independent state with sacred Kuds as its capital under the leadership of Yasser Arafat.
National meeting for celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held at the April 25 House of Culture here today to celebrate the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Present at the meeting were senior party and state officials.
Present on invitation were foreign delegations and delegates staying here to celebrate the birthday, diplomatic envoys here and foreigners.
Jon Pyong Ho, politburo member and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, made a report titled "Let us firmly defend and boundlessly glorify our country and our system under the army-based leadership of the great comrade Kim Jong Il."
His birth in Mt. Paektu was a great fortune of Korea and a great jubilee of the nation that opened a rosy future of the revolutionary cause of Juche and a bright way for the prosperity and development of the country and thanks to this day the Korean revolution concluded the 20th century of ups and downs with a miraculous victory in the struggle to defend socialism and is glorying the new century as a history of building a powerful nation of Juche, the reporter said, and went on:
For scores of years Kim Jong Il indicated the way ahead of the era and revolution with his rare clairvoyance, ushered in a heyday of the socialist homeland with his distinguished political ability, opened a new era of the army-based revolution with his transparent philosophy of arms and thus performed the immortal revolutionary feats on behalf of history and the people.
The reporter stressed the need to shatter the imperialists' moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK, defend socialism of our style, accelerate the general march toward the building of a powerful nation and thus give full play to the dignity and potentials of socialist Korea this year, the 55th anniversary of the DPRK.
All the party members, servicemen and people should become ardent advocators of the army-based idea and steadfast defenders and implementers of the army-based policy who always think and act as demanded by the idea and policy of Kim Jong Il, cherishing their validity and invincibility as their unshakable faith, the reporter said.
It is the fixed will of Kim Jong Il to realize national reunification at an early date, the reporter said, stressing the need to regard the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration as an invariable landmark for national reunification and foil the obstructive moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad to surely achieve the reunification with the concerted efforts of the nation.
Our army and people with Kim Jong Il at the van remain unfazed and our victory is certain in the confrontation with the imperialists, the reporter said, calling for getting united close around him and working harder to win a new victory of the Korean revolution under the banner of the army-based policy.
Trial overland tour of Mt. Kumgang begins
Mt. Kumgang, February 14 (KCNA) -- A trial overland tour of Mt. Kumgang started today. It will last till Feb. 16.
President Jong Mong Hon and managing director Kim Yun Gyu of the Hyundai Asan of South Korea and over 400 South Korean figures from all walks of life entered the area of the north side by more than 20 separate buses at 1:15 pm today, using the temporary road between Songhyon-ri, Kosong county, South Korean Kangwon Province, and Onjong-ri, Kosong county of the north side.
Ri Jong Hyok, vice-chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and other officials concerned greeted the participants in the tour.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held in connection with the start of the tour.
Pang Jong Sam, director of the general Mt. Kumgang International Tourism Company, made a congratulatory speech on behalf of the north side. The current trial overland tour of Mt. Kumgang after the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration clear shows in practice that when the Koreans pool their efforts, there is nothing impossible to do despite any foreign forces' obstructions, he said.
Several personages from the south side in their congratulatory speeches noted that the tourism of Mt. Kumgang over the past years has made a positive contribution to the development of inter-Korean relations.
The meeting was followed by an art performance given by artistes of the north and south and an acrobatic performance by the north side circus.
The participant in the trial overland tour of Mt. Kumgang will have a sightseeing of Mt. Kumgang, a famous mountain of the nation, on Feb. 15 and 16.
For Spanish-speaking people
kim jong il recibe mensaje de felicitacion del cc del fdns
pyongyang, 17 de febrero (atcc) -- con motivo del cumpleanos del dirigente kim jong il le dirigio el dia 16 un mensaje de felicitacion el comite central del frente democratico nacional de sudcorea (fdns).
el historico 16 de febrero en que usted, gran general nacio en el monte paektu como hijo de la guerrilla es el dia de gran fortuna de que la nacion coreana y la humanidad acogieron al sol brillante del futuro y es el dia del gran jubilo en que fue prometido firmemente el brillante porvenir de la epoca del juche, senala el mensaje y continua:
usted, respetado general profundizo y desarrollo la idea revolucionaria del presidente kim il sung como la invencible idea directriz, la teoria directriz y el metodo directriz de la epoca de la independencia, dirigio dinamicamente la causa de la eternidad del lider y de priorizacion militar vista por primera vez en la historia y puso sobre una nueva orbita de la victoria y auge la causa del juche iniciada en el monte paektu.
con la original politica de priorizacion militar basada en la idea juche, frustro las maniobras de aislamiento y aplastamiento de los imperialistas incluidos los yanquis, salvo el destino de la patria y la nacion del peligro y abrio una nueva epoca de la construccion de potencia prospera, los cuales son los milagros sin precedentes en la historia humana que admiran a todo el mundo.
el crecimiento sin precedente del ambiente de la soberania y la gran unidad de la nacion, la acogida de la epoca de un nuevo viraje en el movimiento democratico nacional y los demas exitos no los pueden pensar jamas al margen de la politica y la direccion de priorizacion militar de ud, gran general.
enarbolando la bandera de la declaracion conjunta del 15 de junio, frustraremos estrictamente las conjuras de las fuerzas divisionistas internas y externas que obstaculizan la reconciliacion, la cooperacion y la reunificacion independiente de la nacion y abriremos sin falta una coyuntura de viraje para la reunificacion de la patria.
kim jong il recibe mensaje de felicitacion de la chongryon
pyongyang, 17 de febrero (atcc) -- el dirigente kim jong il recibio el dia 16 un mensaje de felicitacion del presidium del comite central de la asociacion general de coreanos residentes en japon (chongryon) con motivo de su cumpleanos.
el mensaje senala:
el historico 16 de febrero en que nacio el gran general como hijo del monte paektu es el dia de mayor jubilo en la historia nacional de 5 mil anos que prometio la prosperidad eterna de corea del juche siguiendo las tradiciones antijaponesas y el dia de gran fortuna en que fue asegurado firmemente el radiante futuro de la causa de independencia de la humanidad.
el dirigente, con el arma universal de la direccion de priorizacion militar en alto, llamo a todo el pueblo a la heroica lucha por la patria y el socialismo y la creacion de proezas milagrosas, y de esta manera salvo el pais y la nacion y exalto la gran fisonomia de la patria haciendola invencible potencia politica, ideologica y militar.
el dirigente con la genial presciencia y gran audacia preparo la historica declaracion conjunta norte-sur del 15 de junio para situar sobre la nueva etapa de desarrollo la lucha de toda la nacion coreana por lograr la reunificacion independiente del pais.
al dar con la prevision del juche claras respuestas a todos los problemas complicados que surgieron bajo la situacion conmovedora del mundo, oriento la corriente del desarrollo de la epoca y situo la posicion internacional de la rpdc a una fase superior de la historia.
como nos enseno el dirigente, debemos operar un viraje decisivo en crear una nueva fisonomia de la organizacion de la chongryon conforme a la demanda del nuevo siglo y la circunstancia cambiada y lograr que los integrantes de la nueva generacion lleven adelante las nobles tradiciones y hazanas realizadas por los de la primera generacion.
kim jong il recibe mensaje de felicitacion del presidente de rusia
pyongyang, 17 de febrero (atcc) -- el dirigente kim jong il recibio el dia 16, con motivo de su cumpleanos, un mensaje de felicitacion del presidente de la federacion rusa v. putin.
el remitente le rinde cordiales felicitaciones al destinatario con motivo de su cumpleanos y senala:
suscitan comprension y respeto en rusia las dinamicas actividades que despliega usted como dirigente de la republica popular democratica de corea para estrechar las relaciones de buena vecindad y de amistad de ambos paises y las nuevas medidas que toma para solucionar los problemas esenciales de cooperacion pacifica entre el norte y el sur de corea y lograr el desarrollo economico.
le deseo buena salud para el bienestar de la patria, la duradera paz y cooperacion en la peninsula coreana, un mayor desarrollo de las relaciones de nuestros dos paises y el exito en el cumplimiento de su cargo de presidente del comite de defensa nacional.
espero que mi regalo sincero le sirva de motivo para recordar el encuentro, la amistad y el veridico sentimiento del respeto entre usted y yo.