20th Birth Anniversary of Kimjongilia Marked
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A national meeting took place here Tuesday to mark the 20th anniversary of the birth of Kimjongilia, an immortal flower.
Present there were Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop and other senior officials, officials of armed forces organs, ministries, national institutions, scientific and educational organs and national and local Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia committees, members of the associations for propagating and supporting the immortal flower and working people in the city.
Kimjongilia is a flower Mototeru Kamo, a Japanese famous botanist and an ardent adherent to the Juche idea, had bred with 20 odd years of energetic research, assiduity and efforts.
Yang Hyong Sop, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, made a report at the meeting.
The birth of the flower named after Kim Jong Il was an eruption of the world revolutionary people's deep respect and trust in him who is the great leader, a great revolutionary and a great person, and it was a great auspicious event of the Korean nation and the world progressives, the reporter said, and went on:
Kimjongilia came into being in February Juche 77 (1988), on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il, and later was officially registered as a new species of begonia family by the International Society for Horticultural Science to become a world-widely famous flower.
In Juche 84 (1995) the North European Kimjongilia Association was formed in Sweden as an international organization whose mission is to propagate and disseminate the flower.
Many Kimjongilia greenhouses were built in China, Indonesia, Japan and other countries and different forms of propagation and aid societies formed one after another such as the Mongolian Kimjongilia Association, the Japanese Kimjongilia Fanciers Society and the American Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Association. As a result, the immortal flower has been widely cultivated in many countries.
The flower will always be in full bloom all over the world amid the best wishes of the Korean people and the world progressives, conveying the personality of Kim Jong Il as the greatest man through centuries to come.
Meeting to Vow Loyalty to Kim Jong Il Held
Samjiyon, February 12 (KCNA) -- A meeting to vow loyalty to Kim Jong Il was held at the secret camp in Mt. Paektu, a time-honored holy place of the revolution, on Tuesday with the approach of his birthday.
Present there were senior party, army and state officials, officials of the party and armed forces organs, ministries, national institutions and working people's organizations, men and officers of the Korean People's Army and working people in Ryanggang Province.
The meeting heard speeches reflecting faith and will to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche started in the thick forest of Mt. Paektu generation after generation.
Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, noted that the birth of Kim Jong Il with the spirit and stamina of Mt. Paektu was the greatest fortune for the Korean nation as it promised rosy future in carving out the destiny of the Korean people and carrying out the revolution of Juche.
He stressed the need for all the officials and other party members to devotedly defend Kim Jong Il in any storm and stress and strengthen the WPK into the Juche-oriented revolutionary party always shining with the august name of President Kim Il Sung and the invincible party demonstrating its dignity with the idea and will of Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Gak, first vice-director of the KPA General Political Department, said that the KPA will wage the general offensive in response to the WPK's call for greeting the 60th anniversary of the DPRK with proud successes and increase in every way the might of the KPA, the backbone of the self-reliant national defence, thus reliably defending the socialist motherland.
The KPA will continuously create examples for society in all fields as befitting the core rank of the revolution and the vanguard for prosperity of the country and perform feats in the main fronts for building an economic power with invincible might of the revolutionary army which does not know impossibility, he stressed.
Ri Yong Chol, first secretary of the Central Committee of the youth league, said that the young people will become fortresses and shields that defend Kim Jong Il at the cost of their lives without hesitation by inheriting the spirit of devotedly defending the leader displayed by the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners.
The entire youth vanguard of Songun will unite in one mind around Kim Jong Il and fully display the honor of being the reserve combat unit and detached force of the supreme commander in the worthwhile struggle to open wide the gate to a great prosperous powerful nation, he added.
Paektusan Cup Sports Contest Opens
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Paektusan Cup sports contest was opened on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
The participants will compete in eight events including basketball, volleyball, table tennis, ice hockey and speed skating in Pyongyang and Samjiyon of Ryanggang Province during the contest.
Its opening ceremony took place at the Basketball Gymnasium in Chongchun Street, Pyongyang, on Tuesday.
Among those present was Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Pak Hak Son, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, made an opening address at the ceremony which was followed by speeches.
At the end of the ceremony there was a men's basketball match between the April 25 Sports Group and the Sobaeksu Sports Group.
Congratulations to Kim Jong Il from Int'l Youth Organization
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with a congratulatory message and a gift by the Coordinating Council of the World Federation of Democratic Youth on the occasion of his birthday and the 60th anniversary of the DPRK.
President of the federation Miguel Madeira conveyed the message and gift to the head of the delegation of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, which participated in the meeting of the General Council of the federation, on February 3.
Crewmen of Foreign Ships Celebrate Feb. Holiday
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A meeting of crewmen of foreign ships was held at Nampho Port on Monday to celebrate the birthday of Kim Jong Il. Present there were captains and crewmen of the Panamanian-flagged ships "Fareast Luck" and "Trade Fortune".
Speakers at the meeting said that Kim Jong Il is deeply revered and trusted by the world progressive people as the "sun of the 21st century" and the "greatest man" for his undying feats performed in accomplishing the human cause of independence.
They praised him for leading the cause of socialism to victory, shattering the moves of the imperialist allied forces with his matchless grit and pluck.
They expressed the belief that this year the Korean people would register greater successes in the struggle to build a great prosperous powerful nation and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.
A congratulatory letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, its participants laid a floral basket before the statue of President Kim Il Sung in Nampho City before paying homage to him.
Mongolians Here
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Mongolian Mt. Paektu Association for Independent Development headed by L. Tserensodnom and D. Michka, general director of the Mongolian HUM Company Ltd., and his party arrived here on Tuesday on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
Delegations of Overseas Koreans Here
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Congratulatory groups of overseas Koreans arrived here Tuesday on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
They are a group of Koreans in Japan headed by Nam Sung U, vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, a group of the General Association of Koreans in China led by First Vice-Chairperson Choe Un Bok, a group of the International United Confederation of Koreans led by Vice-Chairman Ju Yong Il and a group of the Association of Koreans in Canada led by its advisor Jon Sun Yong.
A Korean artiste in Canada and her companion arrived here on the same day.
DPRK, Cuba Cooperate in Culture
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The 2008-2010 plan for cultural exchange between the governments of the DPRK and Cuba was signed here on Tuesday.
Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and other officials concerned and from the Cuban side were Ambassador Jose Manuel Galego Montano and staff members of the Cuban embassy here.
The plan was signed by Jon Yong Jin and Jose Manuel Galego Montano.
Reception Hosted by Iranian Ambassador
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Iranian Ambassador to the DPRK Morteza Moradian hosted a reception at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel on Monday on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the victory in the Islamic Revolution of Iran.
Present there on invitation were Jong Yong Su, minister of Labour who is chairman of the DPRK-Iran Friendship Association, Kim Yong Il, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Myong San, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, officials concerned, foreign diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations here.
On hand were Iranian embassy officials.
Speeches were made there.
Book "General Kim Il Sung, Father of Songun" Off the Press
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Publishing House has recently brought out the biographical book of the Songun "General Kim Il Sung, Father of Songun" (Vol. 1).
@The book writes that President Kim Il Sung created the Songun idea on giving preference to the military affairs and carrying out the general Korean revolution with army as the main force and led the anti-Japanese armed struggle to victory.
@It impressively tells that the President founded the Korean People's Revolutionary Army with the will of the Songun in the dark period of the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule and was the first to pave the road of the Songun revolution.
@Along with this, the book, on the basis of historical facts, gives the undying feats of the Songun revolution performed by him who advanced into the area of Mt. Paektu, the sacred mountain of the revolution, to expand and develop the armed struggle into the homeland and lead a great war against Japanese imperialism to a brilliant victory.
Sinam-ri Noted for Folk Sports Masters
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- Sinam-ri, Ryongchon County, North Phyongan Province, is well known throughtout the country for masters of folk sports.
The area has produced quite a few masters of ssirum (Korean wrestling) known to the whole country and many peasants of the Sinam Co-op Farm in the county have emerged supreme in swinging and seesawing contests of the National Folk Sports Games of Agricultural Working People.
It was 52 years ago that folk sports began to be encouraged in Sinam-ri.
President Kim Il Sung visited the ri in Juche 45 (1956) and, making a round of the then Ryongchon Middle School No. 1, said the pupils should play ssirum and swinging, folk sports games loved by the Koreans from the olden times.
Thenceforth, the school has paid special attention to the development of folk sports.
Nice ssirum and swinging sites were laid out and seesawing equipment installed in the school. Teachers trained themselves for folk sports and briskly disseminated them among the pupils.
In the after-school sports hours, the indoor and outdoor sports facilities of the school were animated with folk sport activities. And pupils' fervor for folk sports grew day by day.
So, pupils of the school have won dozens of gold medals, new record medals and best player medals at the national folk sports games over the last decades.
The results recorded by the school in developing folk sports set everyone in Sinam-ri afire with an optimistic zeal for ssirum, swinging and seesawing.
The Sinam-ri villagers are still today taking an active part in folk sports activities while hastening production.
Koreans Called upon to Turn Out for National Reunification
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- All Koreans should wage a dynamic movement for reunification under the uplifted banner of "By our nation itself" this significant year and thus make decisive progress in accomplishing the cause of national reunification, says Rodong Sinmun Tuesday in a signed article.
No task is more important and urgent for the Korean nation suffering from division than to achieve reunification, the article notes, and goes on:
The struggle to achieve national reunification precisely means a just patriotic struggle to defend and embody national character.
All Koreans should give a stronger impetus to the struggle for national reunification. Whoever has the blood and soul of the Korean nation should link his or her destiny to that of the country and the nation and dedicate oneself to the patriotic struggle for national reunification.
Any act of brushing aside or shelving the issue of national reunification and supporting outsiders in their anti-reunification actions, kowtowing to them, is a traitorous act aimed to perpetuate the division of the country.
All Koreans who are concerned about the destiny of the nation should subordinate everything to national reunification on which the destiny and future of the nation hinge, considering it as the supreme national duty to struggle to achieve national reunification, irrespective of idea, ism, political view, religious belief and class and social stratum. They should turn out in a nationwide struggle for national reunification and should neither hesitate nor vacillate before hardships and difficulties as the very ones responsible for the reunification movement, cherishing the pride and honor of being members of the Korean nation.
U.S. and S. Korean War-like Forces' Moves for War of Aggression under Fire
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The People for Achieving Peace and Reunification reportedly released a statement on Feb. 5 assailing the U.S. and the south Korean trigger-happy forces for their reckless moves for a war of aggression.
The statement condemned the south Korea-U.S. "Combined Forces Command" for upgrading the "CONPLAN 5029" to the "OPLAN" and examining a proposal for sharing the duties of the U.S. and south Korean forces according to it.
Their reckless moves to work out a scenario for a war of aggression against the north now being stepped up behind the curtain of dialogue and negotiations are intolerable as they are quite contrary to the trend towards national reconciliation and peace on the Korean Peninsula, it noted.
Accusing the U.S. of putting pressure upon the south Korean military authorities to attain its purpose for aggression, the statement demanded the U.S. and the south Korean military cancel the above-said war scenario at once.
Information Bulletins Issued in Brazil and Romania
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) -- The Brazil-Korea Friendship Association and the Romanian Preparatory Committee for Commemorating the Day of the Sun and February 16 released information bulletins on Feb. 4 on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
A bulletin issued by the Brazilian association said in an article titled "Cause of independence and Kim Jong Il" that Feb. 16, 1942 was the historical day which promised the Korean people and progressive humankind a bright prospect and victory of the cause of independence.
The bulletin recalled that the leader developed in depth the Juche idea of President Kim Il Sung and embodied the original method of leading the masses, providing steadfast guidelines and a powerful driving force for carrying out the cause of independence.
A bulletin issued by the Romanian committee noted in an article titled "Kim Jong Il, statesman of trust" it is thanks to Kim Jong Il's politics based on trust that the DPRK is winning victory, pulling through manifold difficulties by dint of single-minded unity. Socialist Korea will win victory after victory as it is led by him who is winning victories thanks to that politics, it stressed.
For Spanish-speaking people
Acto central por 20o aniversario de denominacion de Kimjongilia
Pyongyang, 12 de febrero (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar este martes en esta capital el acto central por el vigesimo aniversario de la denominacion de la flor Kimjongilia.
Estuvieron presentes en la ocasion Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop y otros funcionarios de instituciones de las fuerzas armadas, ministerios, organos centrales, organismos de ciencia y educacion y los comites central y locales de Kimilsungia y Kimjongilia, los miembros de las sociedades de apoyo a la divulgacion de la citada flor asi como trabajadores capitalinos.
Kimjongilia se trata de una nueva flor cultivada por Mododeru Kamo, destacado botanico y adepto japones a la idea Juche, al cabo de su investigacion, meditacion y esfuerzos incansables de mas de 20 anos.
El informe de la ocasion estuvo a cargo de Yang Hyong Sop, miembro suplente del Buro Politico del CC del Partido del Trabajo de Corea y vicepresidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema.
El nacimiento de esa flor denominada con el nombre del Dirigente Kim Jong Il resulto un manifiesto del respeto sincero y confianza de los pueblos revolucionarios del mundo en este gran lider, gran revolucionario y gran humano y significo un gran jubilo para la nacion coreana y la humanidad progresista, destaco el orador y prosiguio:
Esta flor nacida en febrero del 77 (1988) de la Era Juche en ocasion del dia de nacimiento (16 de febrero) del Dirigente fue registrada oficialmente como nueva variedad de begonia por la Sociedad Internacional de Horticultura, lo cual la situo en la posicion de flor de prestigio mundial.
En el 84 (1995) de la Era Juche, quedo constituida en Suecia la Asociacion de Kimjongilia de Europa del Norte que resulto la primera organizacion internacional para la divulgacion de esta flor.
Ademas, en China, Indonesia, Japon y otros paises fueron inaugurados los invernaderos de Kimjongilia y fueron constituidas las organizaciones para la divulgacion y las sociedades de apoyo de varios tipos, como la Asociacion de Kimjongilia de Mongolia, la Sociedad de Amantes de Kimjongilia de Japon y la Asociacion de Kimilsungia y Kimjongilia de America, con lo cual que esta flor echa sus raices en numerosos paises del mundo.
En medio de los infinitos votos del pueblo coreano y la humanidad progresista del mundo, Kimjongilia estara en plena floracion en todo el mundo transmitiendo de siglo en siglo la noble personalidad del Dirigente.
Kim Jong Il recibe mensaje de felicitacion y regalo de FMJD
Pyongyang, 12 de febrero (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio un mensaje de felicitacion y regalo que con motivo del dia de su nacimiento (16 de febrero) y del aniversario 60 de la fundacion de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, le dirigiera el Consejo de Coordinacion de la Federacion Mundial de la Juventud Democratica (FMJD).
Miguel Madeira, presidente de la FMJD, los entrego el dia 3 al jefe de la delegacion de la Union de la Juventud Socialista Kim Il Sung que participo en la reunion del consejo general de esa organizacion mundial.
Inaugurada competencia deportiva por "Copa Paektusan"
Pyongyang, 12 de febrero (ATCC) -- Con motivo del dia del nacimiento (16 de febrero) del Dirigente Kim Jong Il, quedo iniciada este martes en el Centro de Baloncesto del reparto Chongchun en esta capital la competencia deportiva por "Copa Paektusan".
@En el marco del certamen se efectuaran en Pyongyang y Samjiyon de la provincia de Ryanggang los juegos de 8 disciplinas, entre otras, baloncesto, voleibol, ping pong, jockey sobre hielo y patinaje de velocidad.
En la ceremonia inaugural participaron el secretario del CC del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Kim Jung Rin, y otros funcionarios.
El presidente del Comite de Direccion de Deportes de Corea, Pak Hak Son, hizo uso de la palabra inaugural y otros intervinieron.
Terminado el acto, hubo un partido de baloncesto (m) entre el equipo deportivo 25 de abril y el Sobaeksu.
Rubricado plan de intercambio cultural entre Corea y Cuba
Pyongyang, 12 de febrero (ATCC) -- Quedo suscrito en el capitalino Palacio Cultural del Pueblo el plan de intercambio cultural para 2008-2010 entre los gobiernos de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y de la Republica de Cuba.
En la ceremonia de firmas estuvieron presentes por la parte coreana el vicepresidente del Comite Coreano de Relaciones Culturales con el Extranjero, Jon Yong Jin, y otros funcionarios y por la cubana, el embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario, Jose Manuel Galego Montano, y otros miembros de la embajada cubana en Corea.
Jon Yong Jin y Jose Manuel Galego Montano firmaron el documento.