TODAY'S NEWS (April.24.2001 Juche 90) [CONTENTS] * Letter to Kim Jong Il from Latin American seminar participants * Japan's distortion of history protested * Friendly gathering with Polish delegation * Art exhibition opens to mark KPA birthday * S. Korean defector publishes book * Chinese residents help builders in land realignment project * Lao President on friendly relations with DPRK * Korea's illustrious man St. So San * Kim Jong Il's army-first politics praised * National technical innovation festival held * Rodong Sinmun on comradeship * Work to preserve cultural relics brisk * National meeting held to mark KPA anniversary * Lao foreign minister and Namibian delegation here * Chairman of Hyundai Asan of S. Korea here For Spanish-speaking people * dirigente kim jong il dirige sobre terreno fabricas de industria ligera de sinuiju * comunicado conjunto sobre establecimiento de relaciones diplomaticas rpdc - belgica * corriente indetenible ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Letter to Kim Jong Il from Latin American seminar participants Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A letter to leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the First Latin American Seminar on the Juche Idea in the 21st Century held in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 30. The letter noted that President Kim Il Sung founded the immortal Juche idea and ushered in a new era of history in which the exploited and oppressed popular masses emerge as masters of the world and carve out their destinies in an independent and creative manner. It also said that Kim Jong Il has carried forward and developed the idea and theories of Juche to give perfect answers to all the complex problems arising in the present times. And he has smashed every move of the imperialists with the great independent politics, the army-first politics, and built a strong fortress of the struggle for independence to continue accomplishing the cause of independence, it recalled, and further said: You are, indeed, the great defender of the cause of independence and the brilliant guiding sun as you have protected and led the destiny of humankind in the vortex of history. We extend full support and solidarity to the Korean people in the efforts to build a powerful socialist nation and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification under your wise leadership. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Japan's distortion of history protested Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- An estimated 250 Korean residents in the United States reportedly staged a demonstration in front of the UN building in New York on April 18, protesting against Japan's distortion of history textbook. They were carrying a banner bearing letters urging Japan to stop such deed. The demonstrators called for boycotting Japanese products and checking the shameless campaign Japan is conducting to occupy a UNSC permanent seat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Friendly gathering with Polish delegation Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A friendly gathering with members of a delegation of the Poland-Korea Association was held at the Pyongyang Changhangjon Senior Middle School on Monday. Invited to the gathering were members of the delegation led by chairman of the association Andrzej Kozlowski. Vice-chairperson of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Hong Son Ok and members of the Korea-Poland Friendship Association were present together with teachers and students of the school. The Polish guests looked round educational facilities of the school before appreciating an art performance given by schoolchildren. Then the participants talked to each other about the strengthening and development of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two peoples. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Art exhibition opens to mark KPA birthday Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- An art exhibition was opened at the People's Palace of Culture on Monday to celebrate the 69th birthday of the Korean People's Army. On display at the exhibition are 50 odd fine art works which show the enduring leadership feats performed by President Kim Il Sung, leader Kim Jong Il and the great communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk for the foundation of the KPA and its strengthening and development as well as the struggle of the KPA soldiers and people intensely loyal to the party and the leader. Present at its opening ceremony were minister of culture Kang Nung Su and officials concerned, artists and art lovers and working people in the city. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ S. Korean defector publishes book Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Book "Under the Care of the Great Sun" written by Yun Song Sik, a South Korean defector, was off the press. Yun was active as a dissident democrat in South Korea before defecting to the north in late Juche 87 (1998). He is now a permanent member of the consultative council of former South Korean politicians in the north for the promotion of peaceful reunification. Edited in the book are notes written by him, moved by the stirring reality of the DPRK where the masses of the people are building a powerful socialist nation despite manifold hardships, single-heartedly united around leader Kim Jong Il. It also carries his letter to Kim Jong Il, accounts of his press interviews and articles contributed to the press. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chinese residents help builders in land realignment project Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Chinese residents in South Hwanghae Province of the DPRK helped builders in the provincial land rezoning and levelling project. They visited the Jangbang Cooperative Farm in Haeju to convey their aid materials and help builders in land realignment project there. At the break the helpers sang and danced together with agricultural workers. They also gave mental and material support to soldiers of Pak Song Un's unit of the Korean People's Army who are carrying out the land realignment project. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lao President on friendly relations with DPRK Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Khamtay Siphandone, chairman of the C.C., Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, met with secretary of the C.C., the Workers' Party of Korea Choe Thae Bok who is leading the delegation of the WPK to the 9th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Hanoi on April 20. At the meeting he said it is thanks to the prominent leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il that an epochal phase has been opened up in the relations between the north and the south of the Korean peninsula in recent years. Referring to the sincere support the WPK extended to the Lao people's struggle, he said his party always remembers it. The relations between the two parties and two countries of Laos and the DPRK are now developing on good terms, he said, expressing the belief that they will continue to strengthen and develop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Korea's illustrious man St. So San Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Among the brilliant military commanders recorded in the history of Korea is St. So San (1520-1604), a Buddhist monk who fought the Japanese invaders in his advanced years. His real name was Hyu Jong. From childhood, he was very clever and keen-minded. Left an orphan when he was nine, he entered monkhood at 18 and in his thirties became widely known for his sound knowledge of Buddhist scriptures and high accomplishments. He was ordained as a saint (high-level Buddhist title given by the feudal state). He went hiking to beauty spots across Korea, evolving verse on the landscape and books on Buddhism. His fame among the Koreans reached the peak during the Imjin Patriotic War (1592-1598). When the Japanese samurais invaded Korea, he called on all the Buddhist monks across the country to turn out in fighting, saying: "Remember that monks are subjects of this country " though on the wrong side of 70, he personally formed and led a volunteers unit in the attack on the walled city of Pyongyang, opening a route of advance for the Korean army. His patriotism is still vivid in the memory of the Koreans. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kim Jong Il's army-first politics praised Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Leonid Pablovich Kantamirov, a war veteran of Russia, published a poem "Army of Korea Tells". The poem said that power comes out of the barrel of the gun and an army should have a great brilliant commander. General Kim Jong Il, an iron-willed commander, has wisely led the army of Korea, it noted, and went on: The army of Korea which was founded on the basis of the tradition of Mt. Paektu and is now standing guard over the defence line of the country as imposingly as Mt. Paektu is the ranks of crack shots who can ruthlessly wipe out any enemy on our planet. Noting that a country is bound to go to ruin and an army to suffer a defeat if the country has no strong army though there is power and if it lacks a brilliant commander though it has an army, the poem said the army should always be led by the brilliant commander. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ National technical innovation festival held Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A national technical innovation festival was held here to mark the 40th anniversary of the start of the model machine movement. On display at the festival were 1,400 materials out of the successes of technical innovation in all fields of the national economy through the active model machine movement for emulating lathe no. 26, a mass movement for the management of equipment. The festival offered a good occasion of introducing achievements made by various fields of the national economy in increasing production potential and improving the production processes and methods by taking good care of the equipment and introducing new science and technology in order to raise the level of technical equipment and improve the quality of products. Meanwhile, a national seminar on the experience gained in the technical innovation drive took place on the same occasion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rodong Sinmun on comradeship Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a joint article of Rodong Sinmun and Josoninmingun calls for holding aloft the slogan of comradeship. Leader Kim Jong Il has led the revolutionary cause of Juche to one victory after another holding aloft the slogan of comradeship, the article says, and goes on: Comradeship is a master key to the victory in the revolution. It is President Kim Il Sung's idea of comradeship that a comrade is more valuable than anything else in the revolutionary struggle and comradeship provides strength to carve out destiny, a key to the human emancipation and a driving force for the victory in the revolution. Kim Jong Il comprehensively systematized the idea of comradeship founded by the president and made a unique clarification of the law governing revolutionary development that a revolution starts and emerges victorious thanks to comradeship. Comradeship we mean was initiated by Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Comradeship produces a powerful driving force for revolution, gives a strong impetus to the development of the socialist society and helps train true revolutionaries. The Korean revolution is a glorious one which has triumphed thanks to comradeship and the history of the Korean revolution is precisely a history of comradeship as it brilliantly decorated the 20th century. Comradeship was a secret of the ever-victorious Korean revolution, a source of invincible spiritual power of the Workers' Party of Korea and inexhaustible strength of the army and people of Korea. The whole course in which the Korean revolution was pioneered and has advanced represents a history in which comradely relations that were established with the birth of the down-with-imperialism union as a momentum have steadily grown strong and comradeship has come into full bloom. Comradeship has demonstrated tremendous vitality in the Korean revolution and brought about stirring realities. It was a source of inexhaustible strength that enabled Korean-style socialism to dynamically advance despite all difficulties. No nuclear weapons could bring the people closely united on the basis of comradeship to their knees and the enemies' anti-socialist moves were completely frustrated by their invincible might. Comradeship was a decisive factor of the successful solution of the problem of succession to the revolutionary cause, which makes it possible to carry the cause of the Korean revolution to completion generation after generation. The revolutionary soldiers of Korea have long glorified the brilliant history, firmly united around Kim Jong Il on the basis of comradeship and this problem of succession to the leadership over the Korean revolution found a successful solution thanks to the comrades who, loyal to him, are fully ready to share destiny with him. The Korean revolution should be accomplished by virtue of comradeship, the article says, and continues: It is the fixed will of Kim Jong Il to complete the Korean revolution to the last on the basis of comradeship despite manifold ordeals as Kim Il Sung started and advanced the Korean revolution on the basis of comradeship. The whole party and army and all the people should hold high the slogan of comradeship under the leadership of Kim Jong Il. We should inherit and develop the tradition of comradeship, holding high the banner of Juche idea and thus bring comradeship into full bloom in the new century led by Kim Jong Il. When a hundred people get together they should be comrades of faith who share will with Kim Jong Il and when a ten million people get united, they should become comrades with strong sense of obligation who share life and death with Kim Jong Il. All of them should remain true to the oath taken before the party and the leader no matter how much water may flow under the bridge. The article calls for becoming Kim Jong Il's true comrades who earnestly learn from his comradeship and wholeheartedly uphold his politics. It is necessary to consolidate all the social relations to be those of comradeship and firmly protect the revolutionary and true ties of comradeship that exist in our society, it concludes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Work to preserve cultural relics brisk Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Work to preserve cultural relics is now under way as a mass movement in the DPRK. April is the "Month of Preserving Cultural Relics." April and November have been annually observed as "Months of Preserving Cultural Relics" since Juche 74 (1985) and a variety of work has been conducted in those periods. Measures are to be taken in those months this year to preserve scores of relics including the site of the Anhak Palace and Hyanggyo (Confucian shrine and academy) in Junghwa, Pyongyang, the Ankuk Temple in South Phyongan Province and Kwaegung Pavilion in Ryanggang Province. Every cultural relics preservation department (bureau) of provincial (city) people's committees will organize various work such as creating ornamental forests near historical relics to suit their geographical features, mending headges and renovating landmarks and explanation boards on them. A variety of work will also be organized to explain laws and regulations on the preservation of cultural relics to working people, youth and students and introduce relics through film shows and publications. Thanks to the policy of preserving national cultural heritages pursued by the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government, many relics have been unearthed, restored to their original state and preserved across the country. As a result, national cultural heritages created by forefathers are preserved in their original state. In recent years alone, new measures have been taken to preserve lots of relics including the Sungyang Confucian Shrine and academy in Kaesong, Kwangbop Temple and Popun Temple in Pyongyang and Mangmi Pavilion in Manpho, Jagang Province. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ National meeting held to mark KPA anniversary Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- April 25 is the foundation anniversary of the Korean People's Army (KPA). On the occasion, a national meeting was held at the April 25 House of Culture today to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the heroic KPA. Present were senior party and state officials, KPA officers and men and working people in the city. Invited were foreign diplomatic envoys and military attaches here. Kim Yong Chun, member of the DPRK National Defence Commission and chief of the KPA general staff, made a report "Let us firmly guarantee the revolutionary cause of Juche with arms, consistently holding fast to the party's army-first policy." For nearly 70 years after their foundation the revolutionary armed forces have successfully carried out their noble mission and role as the main forces of the revolution through the arduous struggle and performed immortal feats which will shine long in the annals of the country, he said, and went on: The victories in the two big wars against the most atrocious and formidable Japanese and U.S. imperialists were historic ones which could have been achieved only by the revolutionary armed forces that had grown to be an invincible army intensely loyal to the party, the leader, the fatherland and the people under the army-first leadership of President Kim Il Sung. The victories were a noteworthy military miracle in the world history of war. It was thanks to his far-sighted revolutionary army-first leadership that the people's army resolutely foiled the ferocious challenge of all sorts of the hostile forces and class enemies in those grim decades of revolution, creditably defended the security of the party, the revolution, the country and the people and firmly guaranteed the victorious advance of the socialist cause of Juche by force of arms. The Juche cause of army building and revolutionary army-first leadership of the president are being successfully carried forward by supreme commander Kim Jong Il at a new higher stage. He set forth the army-building policy of modelling the whole army on the Juche idea and wisely led the struggle for its realization. It was thanks to his unique army-first leadership, considering military affairs as the first one of state affairs and giving top priority to strengthening the revolutionary armed forces, that the defence lines of the country have been firmly consolidated as an impregnable socialist bulwark and the people's army could emerge victorious in sharp confrontation with the imperialists, demonstrating its invincible might. Due to the reckless provocations and aggression moves of the new U.S. administration, the Korean peninsula is beset with the danger that its situation, which was developing in favour of detente and reunification, may go back to confrontation and tension. If the imperialists force a war upon us despite our serious warnings, our army and people will deal an annihilating blow of retaliation at the enemies with all potentials they have built up for decades and the enemies will face the most miserable end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lao foreign minister and Namibian delegation here Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Somsavath Lengsavath, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and his party arrived here today. They were met at Pyongyang Railway Station by vice minister of foreign affairs Pak Kil Yon and Lao ambassador to the DPRK Khamkheng Sayakeo. Meanwhile, the Namibian government delegation led by Nahas Angula, minister of higher education, training and employment creation, arrived here today. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chairman of Hyundai Asan of S. Korea here Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Jong Mong Hon, chairman of the Hyundai Asan of South Korea, and his party arrived here today. They were met at the airport by Song Ho Gyong, vice-chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and officials concerned. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ For Spanish-speaking people ------------------------------------------------------------------------ dirigente kim jong il dirige sobre terreno fabricas de industria ligera de sinuiju pyongyang, 24 de enero (atcc) -- el gran dirigente kim jong il dirigio sobre el terreno del 21 al 23 del mes en curso las fabricas de industria ligera de la ciudad de sinuiju de la provincia de phyong-an del norte. le acompanaron yon hyong muk, miembro del comite de defensa nacional de la republica popular democratica de corea, kim kuk thae, secretario del cc del partido del trabajo de corea y los primeros subjefes de departamento del cc del ptc. le acogieron en el mismo lugar kim phyong hae, secretario responsable del comite del ptc en la provincia de phyong -an del norte, jang yun son, presidente del comite popular de esta provincia y los funcionarios directivos de la provincia, la ciudad y las fabricas. el dirigente kim jong il ante todo dirigio sobre el terreno la fabrica de articulos de tocador de sinuiju nuevamente construida en sinuiju sur. al recorrer los talleres de jabon, pasta dentifrica y articulos de tocador y otros varios procesos de la fabrica se entero de los detalles del estado de construccion y produccion. el dijo que es muy elevada la calidad de todos los productos de esta fabrica y se mostro muy contento de que desde ahora se puede suministrar con mas abundancia los cosmeticos a nuestro pueblo. enseno que se debe aumentar sin cesar la produccion en la fabrica de articulos de tocador de sinuiju por que esta ocupa una importante porcion en la realizacion del proyecto del partido del trabajo de corea de asegurar la vida mas abundante y civilizada al pueblo y presento las tareas concretas para este particular. despues dirigio sobre el terreno la fabrica de vasijas de hierro esmaltado de sinuiju. el subrayo que para aumentar sin cesar la produccion en la fabrica es preciso renovar audazmente a base de la tecnica moderna todos los procesos de produccion e introducir en estos los adelantos de la ciencia y tecnica. dijo que debe esforzarse por que sean mas utiles y hermosas las vasijas de hierro esmaltado que son articulos de uso diario predilectos del pueblo, enseno los medios para este fin y presento las tareas concretas que se presentan para normalizar en un alto nivel la produccion. vio la funcion del grupo de propaganda movil de la fabrica. acto seguido el dirigente kim jong il dirigio sobre el terreno la fabrica de alimentos basicos de sinuiju. al recorrer varios procesos de produccion se entero de los pormenores del estado de equipamiento tecnico y de produccion y se mostro muy regocijado al ver la salsa y pasta de soya, aceite y otros distintos alimentos basicos que salian a chorros. dijo que las modernas fabricas de alimentos basicos construidas en un corto espacio de tiempo en distintas localidades producen gran cantidad de alimentos secundarios predilectos de nuestro pueblo y anadio que esto es una revolucion en el desarrollo de la industria alimenticia de nuestro pais. dijo que es importante aumentar sin cesar la produccion en las ya preparadas bases productoras de alimentos basicos y subrayo que se debe tomar estrictas medidas para suministrar con suficiencia soya y otras materias primas y materiales. el dirigente kim jong il enseno que los obreros del sector de la industria ligera de la ciudad de sinuiju con el abnegado servicio al pueblo deben operar nuevo cambio en la produccion para suministrar mayor cantidad de articulos de primera necesidad de buena calidad a nuestro pueblo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ comunicado conjunto sobre establecimiento de relaciones diplomaticas rpdc - belgica pyongyang, 24 de enero (atcc) -- quedo publicado el dia 23 de enero del 2001 el comunicado conjunto sobre el establecimiento de las relaciones diplomaticas entre la republica popular democratica de corea y el reino de belgica. el comunicado conjunto senala: los delegados de los ministerios de relaciones exteriores de la rpdc y el reino de belgica celebraron el dia 18 de dicimembre del 2000 y el dia 23 de enero del 2001 en bruselas las conversaciones para establecer relaciones diplomaticas entre ambos paises. las conversaciones tuvieron lugar de acuerdo con las cartas intercambiadas por los cancilleres de ambos paises relativas al establecimiento de las relaciones diplomaticas. en ellas ambas partes acordaron establecer relaciones diplomaticas a nivel de embajador entre la rpdc y el reino de belgica a base de los convenios de viena sobre las relaciones diplomaticas y las relaciones consulares. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ corriente indetenible pyongyang, 24 de febrero (atcc) -- el diario "rodong sinmun" en el numero de hoy senala: la normalizacion de relaciones entre la rpdc y los paises occidentales es el ruto de la politica exterior independiente del partido del trabajo de corea. recientemente la rpdc establecio las relaciones diplomaticas con canada y espana. con anterioridad lo hizo con holanda y belgica. el ano pasado entablo relaciones diplomaticas con filipinas, italia y gran bretana y las reanudo con australia. la independencia, la paz y la amistad son invariable ideal de la politica exterior del partido del trabajo de corea y el gobierno de la republica popular democratica de corea. la rpdc no practica discriminacion ni propone condicionamiento en la mejora de las relaciones exteriores. el partido del trabajo de corea mantiene la posicion de establecer y desarrollar las relaciones de buena vecindad, amistad y cooperacion con todos los paises que respetan la soberania de la rpdc y tratan amistosamente a esta. hoy es una corriente indetenible el hecho de que se agranda de dia en dia la atencion internacional a la rpdc y varios paises aspiran a mejorar sus relaciones con esta. esto es sumamente natural y normal. la realizacion de la normalizacion de relaciones de la rpdc con varios paises del mundo constituye una positiva contribucion a la paz y la seguridad del noreste asiatico y a la larga, del mundo. el gobierno de la rpdc tambien en el futuro desarrollara relaciones de amistad, cooperacion y buena vecindad con todos los paises del mundo que respetan la soberania de la rpdc y tratan amistosamente a esta y asi contribuira activamente a la causa comun de la humanidad para verificar la independencia del mundo. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
