Pyongyang, June 30 (KCNA) -- A symposium of historians denouncing the Japanese authorities' moves to tamper with history was held at the Grand People's Study House under the sponsorship of the history society of the DPRK. Speeches were made under such titles as "reactionary theory of 'Mimanamiyake' is sophism to justify history of Japan's domination of Korea," "Japan's crafty distortion of history to cover up its criminal history of aggression of Korea in middle ages," "Japanese authorities' tampering with history to justify and whitewash Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea and colonial rule over it," "Japanese reactionaries' distortion of Korean people's independent movement for modernization and history of their struggle against aggression," "truth behind the U.S. imperialists' provocation of Korean War and Japanese reactionaries' distortion and denial of their involvement in war" and "Japanese reactionaries' crime of whitewashing their history of wars of overseas aggression."
Referring to the fact that retrogressively revised history textbooks grossly distorted the history of early Korea-Japan relations, the speakers disclosed that this is intended to justify the history of Japan's aggression and domination of Korea. Saying that those new textbooks did not mention at all the criminal atrocities committed by Japan against the Korean people, the speakers said that the hiding of such hideous crimes as cruelly killing millions of Koreans, drafting more than 6 million young and middle-aged Koreans by force and reducing nearly 200,000 Korean women to sexual slaves for the "imperial army," the biggest crime committed by the Japanese imperialists during their military occupation of Korea, is intended to cover up those crimes and evade the responsibility to settle the past.
The Japanese reactionaries wrote that the Korean War broke out due to the "invasion" by the DPRK although it was provoked by the U.S. imperialists. This is a reflection of the dastardly stand of the Japanese authorities accustomed to currying favour with their master from long ago and a crafty trick to conceal their true colours as war accomplice. Referring to the Japanese authorities' criminal acts of whitewashing the history of wars of overseas aggression launched by Japan, the speakers dismissed them as an intolerable mockery of the Korean people and those in the Asia-Pacific region and a brigandish act of reversing justice and injustice. They strongly urged the Japanese authorities to immediately withdraw those history textbooks and write new ones based on historical facts to meet the requirements of the times.
Pyongyang, June 24 (KCNA) -- A Pyongyang mass rally and an anti-U.S. demonstration took place at Kim Il Sung Square today on the eve of "June 25, the day of struggle against the U.S. imperialists", 51 years after they unleashed the Korean War. Ryang Man Gil, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, spoke first at the rally. The last Korean War was a criminal war of aggression deliberately ignited by the U.S. imperialists to stifle the DPRK and realize their ambition for world supremacy and a war of unprecedented mass killings of civilians, he said, and went on: Yankees called out their aggression troops and armed forces of South Korea and their 15 satellite states to kill Koreans in the most cruel and bestial way and destroy peaceable cities, rural and fishing villages, industrial establishments, schools and hospitals.
During the war they dropped more than 420,000 bombs on Pyongyang to reduce it to debris. GIs occupied Sinchon county to kill more than 35,383 innocent people, or one quarter of its population. They made desperate efforts to stifle the DPRK and bring the Korean people to their knees with the mobilization of huge armed forces of aggression and through criminal atrocities but surrendered to the Korean people and people's army who turned out as one in the struggle, rallied close around the party and the leader. The U.S., far from drawing a due lesson from the defeat in the Korean War, has maliciously challenged the peace-loving DPRK's sincerity and efforts for reunification while persistently committing new war provocations pursuant to the hostile policy toward the
DPRK. An anti-U.S. demonstration took place at the end of the rally. Present at the rally were Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and officials concerned.
Pyongyang, June 12, 2001 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il arranged a historic Pyongyang meeting and provided the fellow countrymen with the north-south joint declaration that indicated the guideline of reunification the nation should maintain in the new century. Rodong Sinmun stresses this in a signed article today. He has pursued the transparent policy of national independence and patriotism to lead the nation's cause of independence and reunification to victory, the article says, and goes on: He has wrought a miracle of history. He put forward a unique line of attaching great importance to the army, saved the destiny of the country and the nation despite the worst adversity through army-first guidance and policy and opened a new era of national security, reunification and prosperity.
The army-first policy is basic to the policy of independence. His policy of independence, army-first policy, is the most effective ideal policy that surely guarantees the accomplishment of national independence. His policy represents the noble love of the country and the nation. It also represents devoted services for the welfare of the fellow countrymen. It is thanks to his fixed patriotic will for reunification that a new history of independent national reunification began and the historic Pyongyang meeting took place and the north-south joint declaration, was published to mark great events in the history of the nation. The declaration provided the fellow countrymen with a guideline of national reunification in the new century. it illumined the most realistic and broad way of reunifying the country. Kim Jong Il is the great lodestar of national reunification. He is possessed of literary and military accomplishments and virtue and talent. He leads national reunification to victory with distinguished political and leadership ability.
Pyongyang, May 31 (KCNA) -- Senior party and state officials and working people today laid wreaths before the tomb of ardent patriot Ri Po Ik, grandmother of President Kim Il Sung, at Mangyongdae on the occasion of her 125th birth anniversary. Laid before the tomb was a wreath sent by leader Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army. Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were Kye Ung Thae, Yang Hyong Sop, Choe Thae Bok and other leading officials. Amidst the playing of the wreath-laying music, wreaths were laid in the name of the central committee of the WPK, ministries, national institutions, educational, public health and press organs, party and power bodies and farms in the city.
Pyongyang, May 20 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il yesterday sent a wreath to the bier of lieutenant general of the KPA Han Ju Gyong, lecturer at the victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, expressing deep condolences over his death.
Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Kang Sok Sung, member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, deputy to the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly and Director of the History Institute of the C.C., WPK, died of sudden illness at the age of 68 on May 11, Juche 90 (2001). The C.C., the Workers' Party of Korea and the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly issued an obituary on his death on May 11. The obituary says: He was born into a poor peasant family and was forced to do hard work undergoing the sufferings as a member of a ruined nation during the Japanese imperialist colonial rule. After the liberation of the country he grew up as a competent official under the loving care of President Kim Il Sung and energetically worked for the strengthening and development of the party and socialist construction. He devoted his all to defending and adding lustre to the glorious revolutionary tradition of the party, holding the directorship of the history institute of the C.C., the WPK for many years.
Pyongyang, May 11 (KCNA) -- Many calabash-shaped pots have been unearthed at the sites of dwellings, dolmens and stone coffin tombs which are believed to be in the period of Tangun's Korea (early 30th century bc-14th century BC) in and around Pyongyang, Phyodae in Samsok district included. Calabash-shaped pot, typical earthenware of this period, is literally shaped like a calabash without calyx. It resembles calabash not only in appearance but also in size. It is generally gray or dark gray. as its shape is unique and the surface is smooth, it gives a feeling of softness. Among this kind of pots, there are those whose bottoms are round, flat and pointed and those whose upper body is embossed with a belt pattern consisting of lines. There are two or four holds of various shapes as additional patterns, such as knob-shape, ring-shape, lip-shape and half-moon-shape.
This gives an admirable symmetrical effect. Calabash-shaped pot has been called Misongri-type pot, whose name was derived from Misong-ri, Uiju county, North Phyongan Province, where it was unearthed at a cave there for the first time. In and around Pyongyang, artifacts of three forms of calabash-shaped pot have been found and the small pot with a long neck, which is believed to be the origin of the pot, has been discovered only in the Pyongyang area. This is another evidence that Pyongyang is a time-honoured city which has existed since the period of Tangun's Korea.
Pyongyang, May 5 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a signed article to the 65th anniversary of the Association for the Restoration of the Fatherland (ARF) calling for preserving the tradition of national unity to foil outsiders' moves for aggression and achieve the cause of reunification. The article says: The ARF was organized under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung. It made a great contribution to rallying broad masses around the organization, defeating the Japanese imperialist robbers and liberating the country. After liberation such political meetings as the joint conference of political parties and public organizations of the north and the south were held and programmes and line for national unity including the ten-point programme for the great unity of the entire nation and the five-point policy of great national unity were set forth in Korea. As a result, a united national front was formed. For national reunification it is necessary to achieve great national unity among other things.
The nation should preserve the tradition and draw on the experience whereby it achieved liberation with the might of the united national front to foil the outsiders' moves for aggression and achieve national reunification by the concerted efforts of the nation. The main aim of the Korean nation's struggle at present is to foil and check the U.S. imperialists' moves to obstruct Korea's reunification. All the fellow countrymen should oppose and reject the U.S. imperialists' anti-DPRK and anti-reunification moves with the viewpoint that the nation's destiny and future hinges on how to conduct an anti-U.S. struggle. All the Koreans in the north and the south and abroad will wage a joint struggle rallied close under the banner of national independence to foil the U.S. imperialists' moves for aggression and interference and surely accomplish the cause of country's reunification as early as possible.
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- "Biography of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung" vol. 5 was brought out by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House on the occasion of Sun's Day, his birth anniversary. The biography has eight chapters from chapters 52 to 59 on the life and activities of the president who defended and exalted socialism in the period from January Juche 79 (1990) to July Juche 83 (1994) and energetically worked for accomplishing the revolutionary cause of Juche and on the accomplishment of the cause of perpetuating his memory.
Pyongyang, April 21 (KCNA) -- Book "On the Road of Following the Sun of the Nation" authored by Kim Hung Gon was published. In the book he recalls that he participated in the historic April joint conference of representatives of political parties and public organizations in north and South Korea and the Ssuksom consultative meeting in Juche 37 (1948) as a representative of a youth organization of South Korea and met President Kim Il Sung. The president set forth the line of a united front in the early period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and worked so energetically to put it into practice, that such hidebound anti-communist nationalists as Kim Ku embarked upon a patriotic road in alliance with communism and glorified their life, says the book. The book consists of 6 chapters, each chapter carrying such materials as figures, events, organizations and anecdotes to verify the main contents. Working as a member of the consultative council of former South Korean politicians in the north for the promotion of peaceful reunification, he wrote the book with facts and materials he experienced by himself.
Agence France Presse reported that the DPRK state media said that growing numbers of DPRK people go to visit the USS Pueblo, which was attacked and captured by the DPRK on January 23 1968 and is now moored on the Taedong River in Pyongyang. Reports said that people are visiting the ship to express their anger at the new hard-line being taken by the US administration of President George W. Bush. According
to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), an education center dedicated to highlighting "crimes" committed by the US has also been opened at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang. On Thursday, the DPRK's ruling party newspaper said that any new war on the Korean peninsula would be the "most merciless and destructive" in history. ("NORTH KOREA USES US SPY SHIP TO FIRE PROPAGANDA MISSILES," Pyongyang, 4/19/01)
Pyongyang, April 14, 2001 (KCNA) -- "Biography of Kim Il Sung" vol. 4 was brought out by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House on the occasion of Sun's Day. The volume contains his revolutionary career and activities from October Juche 69 (1980) to December Juche 78 (1989). The volume consisting of 10 chapters from 42 to 51 says that he wisely organized and led the struggle to open a decisive phase in vigorously accelerating the modelling of the whole society on the Juche idea and achieving the complete victory of socialism.
By Ku Jong Gon, The Pyongyang Times staff reporter
Pyongyang is the home of ancient civilization. A cave in Sangwon County, known as Komunmoru Relics dating back to one million years in. the first period of the Old Stone Age and the relics found in Taehyondong, Ryokpho District, belonging to the mid-term of the contemporary days can be sited as the most time-honoured relics. Human fossils and stone and bone instruments were unearthed in those places. Various types of tools, farm instruments, fishing tackle and earthenwares were found in Kumthan-ri, Sadong District and old tombs around Thongil Street. This proves that the inhabitants were engaged in farming, fishing and other production activities in the lower reaches of the River Taedong. Wasan-dong in Sosong District and Ryongsan-ri and Kumthan-ri in Ryokpho District are well-known for the discovery of the Bronze Age relics.
Pyongyang had a 3,000 year-long history and brilliant culture as the capital city of Ancient Korea, the first ancient state founded by Tangun in early 30th century BC. The mausoleum of the king occupies 45 hectares on Mt Taebak in the Kangdong area of Pyongyang. Rebuilt in October Juche 83 (1994), the pyramidal tomb of regular square is 22 metres high, each side measuring 50 metres. The reason for relative abundance of relics in Pyongyang is that it prospered for several hundred years as the ancient capital of Korguryo, the first feudal state in Korea which was in existence from 277 BC to AD 668. In Anhak there remains a big palatial site with five blocks where once the royal palace of Koguryo stood when the capital moved from Jian, Jilin Province, China in 427.
The tomb of King Tongmyong, father of Koguryo is located in Ryokpho District, Pyongyang. (It was rebuilt in 1993.) The old castle on Mt. Taesong situated in northeast Pyongyang was built to defend the royal palace and the capital. As one of major castles in Korea, it is 7,076 metres in circumference and has an area of 2.7 square kilometres. Other satellite walls including Chongamdong mud rampart and Kobangsan castle are dotted around. The 23-km-long Pyongyang Castle built from 552 to 568 during the Koguiyo Dynasty has an area of 11.85 square kilometres. It is a showcase of the highly developed architecture of the ancestors. Other relics include Taedong Gate in the east of the Pyongyang Castle erected in the mid-6th century during Koguryo Dynasty, Pothong Gate, Sungin Temple, Sungryong Temple, Hungbok Temple, hexagonal seven-storied pagoda and Ryongwang Pavilion. The relics showing the time-honored history of the Korean nation and their great skills are now well preserved under the state law.
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- Heaven Day ceremony for commemorating the 141st anniversary of Chondoism was held in Pyongyang on April 5. Han Yong Up, vice-chairman of the Korean Chondoist Church central guidance committee, made a report at the ceremony. He said that Chondoism, greeting the 141st anniversary of its foundation, has invariably taken the road of love for the country and the nation under the slogans "reject west and Japan," "promote national interests and welfare of the people," etc. He noted he keenly realized through his experiences that leader Kim Jong Il is the tender-hearted father of the nation who embraces all fellow countrymen. He called upon the Chondoists in the north and south of Korea and all other fellow countrymen to turn out in the building of a powerful nation and the reunification movement for the implementation of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, the lodestar of national reunification. Present at the ceremony were advisor O Ik Je and other officials of the central guidance committee and Chondoists in Pyongyang.
North Koreans know little about Yu Kwan-sun, a young Korean girl student who sacrificed herself in the 1919 March 1 movement for independence from Japanese colonial rule. She is not referred to in the North's textbooks and no entry is made in its encyclopedia published in 1983. However, a brief reference to her is made in the Great Korea Encyclopedia published in 1999. The role of the 33 representatives of the Korean people who led the March 1 movement is devalued miserably in the North. They are portrayed as feeble-minded bourgeoisie who begged for the nation's independence from Japanese imperialists.
It was Pyongyang's young patriotic students that led the March 1 independence movement, North Koreans are taught. Students of Sungsil School in Pyongyang, which the father of the late North Korean founder and president Kim Il Sung, Kim Hyong Jik, made a base for the anti-Japanese movement by planting the seeds of revolution there, are claimed to have taken the lead in waging the anti-Japanese demonstrations. Though he left Sungsil School halfway, no evidence exists linking Kim Hyong Jik with the March 1 movement. Nonetheless, the North portrays him as a national leader who played a decisive role in the independence movement...
Daedong Gate is located at the eastern gate of Pyongyang Castle. The Gate was built in the 6th century near the Pyongyang Castle. The existing building was remodeled in 1635 after several rounds of renovation. On the upper story of the gate, there is a sign saying 'Euphoroo'. in Korean 'Eupho' means stretching out one's arms from the upper story of the gate and scooping water from the Daedong River. This goes well with the scenic view of the site. The height of the gate is 19 meters. The elevation is 6.5 meters high and in the middle there is an arch road. The four elevated edges were broadened to support the structure. The two-level upper story of the gate is 15.91 meters high as seen from the front and 10.34 meters high as seen from the side. On the first level, there is a wooden floor with the height of 1.5 meters. The poles of the gate are colored red. Daedong Gate has typical features of the architecture in the early Chosun Dynasty, continuing the tradition of the Koryo Daynasty...
Pyongyang, March 23 (KCNA) -- More revolutionary historical materials and war relics have been displayed at the victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in the DPRK. They tell about the feats performed by the people's army and the people of Korea in the battles to defeat the u.s. imperialists. Among those materials and relics are seven pictures of President Kim Il Sung who led the June 1950-July 1953 Fatherland Liberation War to victory. There are also over 50 exhibits including photographs and war relics which show the mass heroism and revolutionary optimism displayed by the Korean servicemen and people.
The Daily Yomiuri reported that the Japanese government's fact-finding team on DPRK atomic bomb victims said on March 18 that an alleged 1,353 people in the DPRK were victims of the atomic bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, and that 928 of them are still alive. The mission team, headed by Shigekazu Sato, deputy director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asia-Pacific Affairs Bureau, told reporters in Beijing that the survivors are demanding compensation from the Japanese government. The team visited the DPRK from March 13-18 to investigate reports of people in the DPRK who were victimized by the atomic bombs in Japan, and the study was the first such official attempt by the Japanese government. The team met with Choe Chang-sik, vice minister of the DPRK's Public Health Ministry, as well as with five representatives of the atomic bomb victims, said the report. The report
added that the team recognized the number of victims as 1,353 as of the end of 2000, but that the figure could increase in the future. ("928 OF 1,252 A-BOMB VICTIMS SAID STILL SURVIVING IN NORTH KOREA," 03/18/2001)
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- In front of the main shrine of Pohyon Temple in Mt. Myohyang, one of Korea's celebrated scenic spots, is a 13-storeyed octagonal pagoda symbolic of stone architecture in the mediaeval ages. The polished granites are laid on its base. The Pagoda is 10.03 metres high and it is claimed to be one of the tallest and most elaborate pagodas in Korea. Its top is made of bronze and the base three-storeyed. The Pagoda gradually becomes narrower ascending upward in height and width, giving a symmetrical effect. Each edge of the main body is carved in relief, with rims on each facet. the bells, 104 in number, fastened to the eaves of every storey, jingle in a slight breeze. The bells and top of the pagoda were destroyed by U.S. bombing during the Korean War and have been restored to original state after the war.
The Pagoda is preserved as a heritage of the Korean ancestors' talent and wisdom.
From Korea's liberation from Japanese rule in 1945 to the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, Seoul, in the eyes of North Koreans, was the principal city and capital on the Korean peninsula. North Koreans squarely regarded Seoul as their capital in September 1948 when their central government was established in Pyongyang. The North Korean constitution too stipulated that "the capital shall be Seoul" (Article 103.) The concept of Seoul being their capital, however, began to change as the status of North Korea rose in connection with the Korean War. The description changed to read "the democratic capital of our motherland is Pyongyang" during the war, "the capital of our revolution is Pyongyang" in the 1960s, and "the capital shall be Pyongyang" in the socialist constitution amended in December 1972 (Article 149). The changed concept remains in the current constitution amended in September 1998...
Pyongyang, March 13 (KCNA) -- Since olden times, the Korean nation has been resourceful, courageous and virtuous and has cared for justice and truth and valued moral obligation. Sharing joy and sorrow and living in cooperation and harmony with neighbours and friends is part of their traditional customs. A glimpse of this is given by the existence of Hyangdo, a community of villagers for amity and assistance that was traced to the Koryo dynasty (918-1392), about which a relevant ancient record runs in part: "Hyangdo is a beautiful entity. It was mostly a gathering of neighbours."
Hyangdo gatherings were set on promoting harmony through discussions of communal affairs and dinner pastimes. It laid a special stress on financial assistance in case of happy and, particularly, unfortunate events. The members united to criticize any breach of promise or ethics and help the sinners out of it. This fine custom was motivated by desire for mutual help, harmony and unity and a concept of value that stressed morality at the expense of power and wealth. The Korean nation has lived in harmony for thousands of years until the mid-20th century when it was bisected by foreign forces. However, national harmony, or national commonness, runs steady and deep across the barrier.
by Leonid Petrov
Subdued by Japanese colonial rule, Korea was immersed in the process of rapid and painful change that urged nationalism-inclined Korean intellectuals to sum up the lessons of the national past and discover a way for their country's successful development in the future. In the 1930s, leftist historians and economists, united under the banners of Marxist Socio-economic school, proved successful in adopting the new methodology of Historical Materialism. However, close collaboration with Chinese and Japanese communists made them dependent upon the erratic policies of the Moscow-controlled Comintern...
Pyongyang, March 3 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today devotes a full page to an article entitled "great history of socialist solution to land issue" on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the promulgation of the historic agrarian reform law. The promulgation of the law on March 5, Juche 35(1946) was a declaration on putting a definite end to the exploiting land ownership deeply rooted in the Korean countryside, marked a historic event which brought about an epochal turn in the peasants' destiny and a prelude to the new chapter on the solution to the land issue, the article notes, and goes on: The solution to the issue is a historic task to guarantee the popular masses an independent life. Properly solving the issue of land ownership is prerequisite to settling the question of land and, furthermore, the socialist rural question...
Pyongyang, March 2 (KCNA) -- A symposium of scholars of the north and the south on the illegality of the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea was held here on Thursday. Present there were scholars in the field of social sciences of the north and historians from the south who came here to participate in the north-south joint exhibition of data. The symposium heard speeches made by scholars from the north and the south on the subjects of "Illegality of Japanese Imperialists' Occupation of Korea Proven by Data", "Historical Study of Japanese Imperialists' Criminal Aggression and Occupation of Korea ," "'South Korea -Japan Treaty' and Prospect of Signing Korea -Japan Treaty," "Illegality of Japan's 'Annexation' of Korea " and "Examination of Unreasonable Conclusion of Treaties Forced by Japan upon Korea from 1904 to 1910". The speakers accused Japan of craftily working to justify its aggression and occupation of Korea , talking about their "lawfulness" and "validity", and evade the responsibility for them...
Pyongyang, March 2 (KCNA) -- The north-south joint exhibition of data on the illegality of the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea opened at the grand people's study house in Pyongyang yesterday under the cosponsorship of the History Institute of the Academy of Social Sciences of the North and the Saun Institute of the South to mark the 82nd anniversary of the march first popular uprising, a nationwide anti-Japanese patriotic resistance. On display in the exhibition hall are at least 1,000 data on the Japanese imperialists' illegal occupation of Korea and the criminal colonial rule enforced by them...
Pyongyang, March 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in an editorial dedicated to the 82nd anniversary of the March First Popular Uprising calls for achieving the cause of national reunification through great national unity under the uplifted banner of national independence. The uprising was a nation-wide courageous patriotic resistance movement waged by all the Korean people against the Japanese imperialist aggressors for the independence of the country and the sovereignty of the nation, the editorial notes
Pyongyang, February 28 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il today sent a wreath to the bier of the late Pak Si Hyong, researcher at the faculty of history of Kim Il-sung university, winner of Kim Il Sung Prize, Labour Hero, academician, professor and doctor, expressing deep condolences over his death.
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- 620 million-year-old fossils were recently unearthed for the first time in the DPRK. A paleontology research team of the geology faculty of Kim Il Sung University carried out scientific researches and excavation of fossils on the upper layer belonging to the proterozoic era distributed in Junghwa county and Sangwon county, Pyongyang and Hwangju county and Yonthan county, North Hwanghae Province. It succeeded in unearthing at least 1,000 pieces of fossil animals and plants. They are proved to be macroscopic multi-cellular primitive jelly-fishes, the first of their kind, and primitive seaweeds which lived 620 million years ago.
The fossil of a primitive jelly-fish, 0.6 to over 2.0 cm in diameter, has a central part and looks like crepe. The fossil of primitive seaweeds, 0.1-0.3 cm in width and 1-15 cm in length, consists of a narrow leaf, stem and root. the excavation of the world's rare fossils provides a reliable material basis on which to scientifically prove that living organism existed in Korea and evolved and developed into those macroscopic multi-cellular organisms from 620 million years ago and it led to the birth of human beings. The new paleontological data also made it possible to prove that Korea is one of the ancient countries in the world in terms of the development of lithosphere.
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Historians from the south side including Ri Jong Hak, director of the Saun Institute, arrived here today to participate in the north-south joint exhibition of data on the illegality of the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea. The exhibition will be held here from March 1, the anniversary of the march first popular uprising, the nationwide anti-Japanese patriotic resistance. The historians were greeted at the airport by officials concerned.
Chosun Ilbo reported that the DPRK Foreign Ministry made an official statement Friday that, "the Japanese history textbook contains contents that justify annexation of Korean Peninsula." The ministry added that, "such content is not only unethical and unjust behaviour, but once again reveals the ill expansionism pervasive in Japan." The announcement, which was broadcasted on national TV, warned that, "if Japan fails to repent the wrongful past and continue to revive militarism, Japan will have to face strong protests from neighbouring countries that will bring regrettable collapse in the end." (Kim In-mok, "NK BLASTS JAPANESE HISTORICAL DISTORTIONS," Seoul, 02/23/01)
Gennadiy Charodeyev of Izvestia reported that the DPRK celebrated its leader Kim Jong-il's 59th birthday on February 16. Officially he was born in an anti-Japanese guerilla camp, yet unofficial version claims the event took place in a village of Vyatskoye 70 kilometers from Khabarovsk, USSR. Izvestia's author narrated Kim Jong-il's brief biography, mentioning his more than 120 foreign and DPRK awards and titles. He admitted that he had stopped smoking, but did not abstain from wine. Izvestia's author described mass manifestations and other birthday-related events in DPRK, including visits to Pyongyang by "foreign compatriots" from the PRC, Japan, the RF and other countries. ("THE LODE-STAR IS SHINING," Moscow, 8, 02/17/01)
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- There was a magnificent sunrise above Mt. Paektu on February 16, leader Kim Jong Il's birthday, the first ever to be celebrated in the 21st century. That morning the sky above Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution, was bright with morning glow as its majestic landscape was clearly visible after day-break. At about 7:12:40 a.m. sunrise was seen on the right of Hyangdo Peak before making its full appearance at about 7:17:40 a.m., throwing radiant rays.
At that time, Hyangdo Peak brilliantly shined as sunrays were shed on frostworks on its cliff. The sky seemed to be decorated with a rainbow after the display of firecrackers. The noise of iceberg cracking on Lake Chon was so big as to shake the whole mountain. This mysterious and magnificent sunrise above Mt. Paektu was witnessed by members of a joint expeditionary group to Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu, members of the excursion team to the revolutionary battlesites in the area around Mt. Paektu and many people in the area.
Meanwhile, the fall of snowflakes in areas around Ryongjong-ri, Phanmun county in Kaesong city, on Feb. 15 was accompanied by a flash of lightning and thunder. Such phenomenon observed at about 10:00 a.m. and about 12:15 a.m. were reminiscent of the display of firecrakers and throw of confetti in the sky on the February holiday. A rainbow was seen in the sky above the Sinhung workers' district in Taehongdan county, Ryanggang province, on that day. The rainbow formed from Mt. Paektu to Mt. Taeroun in that area remained for 25 minutes from about 5:00 p.m. Those who witnessed those wonders in the sky said that even the nature seemed to congratulate Kim Jong Il, illustrious commander born of heaven, on his birthday.
Pyongyang, February 20 (KCNA) -- Sincere research and unique thinking are the stand and attitude of leader Kim Jong Il in his ideological and theoretical activities. He performed striking exploits in the development of human thought and theory by publishing a number of famous works with no parallel in the spirit of the times, uniqueness, profundity and richness with his outstanding ideological and theoretical activities. He wrote many works startling academic circles while at Kim Il Sung University.
Among them were "the position and role of county in socialist construction" (March 1964) and "on characteristic feature and aggressive nature of modern imperialism" (January 1962) and other works which give clear answers to the theoretical and practical questions arising in the revolution and construction. He published more than 890 works from June Juche 53 (1964), when he started his work at the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, to June Juche 83 (1994). His famous work "On The Juche Idea" (march 1982) is a typical one showing his outstanding Ideological and theoretical wisdom. This work systematizes in an integral way the Juche idea founded by President Kim Il Sung and newly clarifies the socio-historical outlook based on the position and role of the popular masses and the guiding principle and method in the revolution and construction.
In the 1990s, he published works including "Socialism Is a Science" (November 1994) and "Abuses Of Socialism Are Intolerable" (March 1993), clearly indicating the road of the progressive humankind in the movement for the rebuilding of socialism and in accomplishing the cause of global independence under the complicated world political situation. The idea that everything is decided by ideology, the theory that the leader is the top brain of the popular masses, the principle that the driving force of the revolution is the integral whole of the leader, the party and the masses and the theory of seed, which means the core of literary and art works, are a clear proof of the greatness of the ideological and theoretical exploits performed by Kim Jong Il.
В последнее время, к началу 2000-х годов перспектива объединения Кореи становится всё более реальной. 13 - 15 июня 2000 года имел место исторический визит президента Республики Корея Ким Дэчжуна в КНДР. Во время его визита и неоднократных встреч с северокорейским лидером Ким Чен Иром были достигнуты договорённости, намечающие практические шаги к сближению и в перспективе объединению двух Корей.
В указанном контексте весьма актуальным становится вопрос о том, что общего можно найти в социальном устройстве, экономике, общественной мысли, культуре РК и КНДР. Ведь именно знание и понимание общих или схожих моментов является лучшей основой для реализации задачи объединения Кореи. Автор настоящей статьи предлагает взглянуть на так называемые "идеи чучхе" - государственную идеологию КНДР - с точки зрения того, что традиционного, то есть сближающего Северную Корею с Южной, можно в них найти...
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- More relics have been recently discovered in different parts of Pyongyang. Earthen walls dating back to ancient Korea were unearthed in Kwangdok-ri, Samsok district in the northern suburbs of Pyongyang. It is believed that there may be only earthen walls dating back to Koryo dynasty. But this time, stratum of walls dating back to ancient Korea has been discovered there. Pieces of the mouth and body of a top vessel and stone axe, relics of ancient Korea, were unearthed in the 1,053 metre-long lower stratum of the walls belonging to Koryo dynasty.
Also unearthed inside the walls were sites of two houses 50 cm below the surface of the earth. Stone ax, stone arrowhead, stone dagger as well as at least 50 pieces of top vessels were found in the site of an oval semi-dugout 6.8 metres long on its eastern-western side and 3.4 metres wide on its northern-southern side and in the site of a house which was so badly destroyed that only its eastern part remains. A site of a village covering some 50,000 square metres was discovered in Richon-ri, Sungho district, the eastern part of Pyongyang. Included there are at least ten house sites believed to belong to the period from the Neolithic era to ancient Korea and earthenware vessels, top vessels, gourd-style jars, a stone ax and a scimitar, which bear witness to the cultural development in that period. A survey of relics is going on. The newly discovered relics will greatly help study ancient civilization along the river Taedong.
Pyongyang, September 11 (KCNA) -- Archaeologists of the archaeology institute of the Academy of Social Sciences of the DPRK are intensifying the excavation of relics in Namyang-ri. The historic site in Namyang-ri covers area of 200,000 square metres, 24 km southeast of Tokchon city, South Phyongan Province. The survey made so far proved that nearly 200 sites of top-like vessel shaped shelters are believed to belong to the people in the 3000s B.C. That was around the time Tangun's. Korea was built.
More than 30 sites of the same shelters have been unearthed till now since Juche 83 (1994). Among them are sites of shelters belonging to the period from the latter half of the 4000s B.C. to the first half of the 2000s B.C. Unearthed there were gourd-like pots, relics peculiar to Kojoson, and Pipha shaped bronze spearheads which are believed to be used in the middle of the 3000s B.C. Also excavated there were button-like bronze relics, bronze bell-making molds, choppers, daggers, spearheads and other relics showing the cultural development in that period. The relics in Namyang-ri are of great importance in the systematic scientific study of the history and culture around the period when Tangun's. Korea was founded.
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- A national memorial service was held at the 6,000-seat theatre of the April 25 house of culture today to commemorate the half centenary of the death of Kim Chaek, a communist revolutionary fighter (Jan. 31, 1951). Kim Chaek skillfully commanded military and political activities to implement General Kim Il Sung's line of armed struggle in the period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, thus making a great contribution to the liberation of the country.
After liberation he rendered devoted services for successfully carrying out Kim Il Sung's policy of building a new country, holding such important posts as the first principal of the Pyongyang Institute and vice-chairman of the North Korean People's Committee. After the foundation of the DPRK he was vice-premier of the cabinet and concurrently minister of industry. During the fatherland liberation war, he greatly contributed to the victory in the war, working as a member of the military commission and the commander of the front.
Among those present at the service were Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok and other senior party and state officials. Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il Chol who is also vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, in a memorial address said that Kim Chaek was most loyal to Kim Il Sung all his life from the sincerest and most transparent viewpoint and stand toward the leader of the revolution.
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- A Pipha-shaped bronze dagger and a bronze axe of Tangun's Korea have recently been unearthed in Anju, South Phyongan Province. The blade of the dagger is speckled with greenish rust and although its edge is slightly damaged, its original shape is preserved more or less. The dagger is 24.5 centimetres long with the widest part of the blade and the root 3.5 centimetres long respectively. It weighs 140 grammes. The hilt is made of dark brown stone, which was ground exquisitely. It is unique in form and comfortable to handle. The bronze axe is pocket-shaped with its handle being fixed at the head. Its edge is arch-shaped and both ends of the edge are tipped. From the edge to the waist, it becomes narrow and then wide at the head, which is 1.4 centimetres narrower than the edge. The axe is five centimetres long and weighs 75 grammes. Its edge is 4.5 centimetres wide and the pocket is 3.5 centimetres deep. Since the remains are from Tangun's Korea, the first ancient state of Korea, they will serve as a source of archaeological knowledge about the history of King Tangun and the ancient Korea.
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- It is a proud tradition of the Korean revolution to devotedly defend the leader. This tradition was established by such young communists as Kim Hyok and Cha Kwang Su in the 1920s. Since that time the Korean communists have held president kim il sung in high esteem as the leader of the Korean revolution and a central figure for unity and cohesion and absolutely trusted him. In the period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle, many fighters including O Jung Hup protected him at the cost of their lives, firmly convinced that the Korean revolution was sure to triumph only when he was held in high esteem. During the last Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) many soldiers including hero Ri Su Bok and unknown soldiers displayed their intense loyalty in devotedly defending the leader, thus safeguarding the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the nation and demonstrating the honour of Kim Il Sung's nation to the world.
This long-standing tradition of devotedly defending the leader is given a steady continuity. Soldiers and people safely protected the portraits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il before breathing their last, adrift in stormy waves, and there were the soldiers who laid down their lives for protecting slogan-bearing trees, an eternal treasure of the revolution. All of them are the nation's models in devotedly defending the leader. The might of the single-hearted unity of Korea admired by the world people is displayed in devotedly defending the leader.
Pyongyang, December 28 (KCNA) -- The great leader President Kim Il Sung published a famous work "On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work" on December 28, Juche 44 (1955). The work elucidates theoretical and practical issues in establishing Juche in the revolution and construction including the matter of surbodinating the ideological work of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) to the Korean revolution and the matter of bringing up the party members and other working people as revolutionaries firmly equipped with the revolutionary idea of the party. Rodong Sinmun today in an article says that the publication of the work helped firmly preserve Juche character in the ideological work of the party and intensify the drive to establish Juche in all fields of the revolution and construction.
The article recalls that Kim Il Sung's whole history of revolutionary activities is a history of the struggle to establish Juche. He performed immortal feats in building the party, the state and the army of Juche type and constructing an independent national economy and national culture, the article notes, and continues: The feat made by him in the protracted struggle to establish Juche was that he laid down an ideological and theoretical guideline for the Korean revolution to dynamically advance along the road of Juche, completely unaffected by flunkeyism and dogmatism. His another feat was that he trained the Korean people as ideologically strong men and women who absolutely follow the Juche idea and struggle as required by it come what may and laid a solid foundation to build a Juche-based powerful nation on this land by themselves.
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- December 24 will mark the 83rd birth anniversary of the indomitable communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk. On this occasion, an endless stream of working people from all walks of life, servicepersons of the people's army and school youth and children are visiting the revolutionary martyrs' cemetery on Mt. Taesong here and her statues and revolutionary sites in various parts of the country. They are looking back with deep emotion on the brilliant life of Kim Jong Suk who devoted all her life to the country and the people. She embarked upon the road of revolution to win the liberation of Korea in her early years. She won fame as a brave fighter and a competent political worker in the days of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle. All her life is shining as a paragon of genuine revolutionaries intensely loyal to the President Kim Il Sung.
She was just like a fortress and shield in protecting his safety. It is well known that when she spotted enemy soldiers creeping in by stealth close to the headquarters during a battle fought against Japanese troops in Juche 29 (1940), she lost no time to wipe out them, thus protecting commander Kim Il Sung at the risk of her life. She made a distinguished contribution to the sacred war for the liberation of the country with her outstanding organizational ability and revolutionary sweep. After the liberation of the country, she devoted herself to the building of a party and regular armed forces, the establishment of a people's government and the successful carrying out of democratic reforms, pursuant to Kim Il Sung's line of building new Korea. Kim Jong Suk is always remembered by the Korean people for her immortal exploits performed on behalf of the country and the revolution.
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- The first volume of the historical dictionary (second edition) was recently published in two parts at the Science and Encyclopedia Press Group. After the first edition was published in two volumes in 1971, the press group published the Complete History of Korea (34 volumes and two chronological tables) and the Partial History of Korea (60 volumes) on the basis of the results gained in studying history. The Korean historical science was supplemented by new details through an extensive study on the history of ancient Korea, the first state of Korea, and remarkable successes were made in studying foreign history. It urgently needed the enlargement and revision of the historical dictionary. In this way the three volumes of historical dictionary will be published. Its first volume will deal with the historical facts from the primitive history of Korea to the modern age, the second volume with the contemporary history and the third volume with the foreign history. Every volume is divided into two parts, and these three volumes will be published soon.
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The Academy of Social Sciences has recently compiled the book "History of Development of Korean Musical Instruments." Scientifically and theoretically systematized in the book in a chronological order are national musical instruments made and used by our ancestors for thousands of years from the period of ancient Korea, the first ancient state in Korea, to the last period of ri dynasty and to the modern times.
The book has 5 chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the historical fact that national musical instruments in ancient Korea in the early period of 30th B.C. exerted strong influence on the development of music and musical instruments in its neighboring countries. In its chapters 2 and 3, the book says that the variety of musical instruments rapidly increased and they reached a high level in the period of Koguryo and foreign musical instruments were introduced into palace music and the form of musical performance developed in the early 12th century. Its chapters 4 and 5 deal with the method of manufacturing traditional national musical instruments, and compilation of many music books written by musical groups and performers active among people since the 17th century. The book is of great significance as it provides basic information about the development of the history of national musical instruments and the issue of carrying forward and developing them.
Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- The Pothong gate in Pothongmun-dong at the central district, Pyongyang, was built in the mid-6th century as the western gate of the middle castle of the walled city of Pyongyang, the capital of Koguryo (277 bc-ad 688), the first feudal state in Korea. It served as the western gate of Sogyong (Pyongyang at present) in the period of Koryo (918-1392) and was called the Kwangdok gate and the Uyanggwan before it was called the Pothong gate. It is situated on the River Pothong, hence the name. In the period of the ri dynasty (1392-1910), great importance was attached to it in view of national defence and traffic as a gateway toward the north-western region. It was rebuilt in 1406 and repaired in 1473, 1644, 1719 and 1777.
In the present-day Korea, the gate spiced with traditional flavor links Chollima and Changgwang streets with others in Pyongyang. The scene of seeing off guests at the Pothong gate was one of the eight scenic beauties in Pyongyang in the past.The gate is one of the oldest castle gate in Korea and consists of a stout embankment and a two-storey tower. The embankment is piled up with well-trimmed granite. At its center is an arch gate 4.55 metres high and 4.4 metres wide. The great wooden door is covered with iron plate. The two-storey tower has hipped roof whose facade is 14.8 metres long and whose side is 9.65 metres long. The middle room is planked and a pillar without joint on its both sides pierces up to the upper story which is faintly painted. The gate is in a good state of preservation in accordance with the national policy of preserving culture. It stands as a historical building with magnificent and well-balanced appearance.
Pyongyang, December 7 (KCNA) -- A bronze Pipha-shaped dagger and a bronze axe were recently unearthed in Anju city, South Phyongan Province. They are believed to belong to Tangun Korea, the first state in Korea. The Pipha-shaped dagger has symmetrical blades on both sides of a cylindrical bar and its bottom is used as a short handle. It is 24.5 cm in length, 3.5 cm in width and 140 g in weight. Its handle is also 3.5 cm in length. The bronze axe looks like an open sack when it is observed from the top to the bottom of its blade. And its blade is shaped like an open fan. Its helve is to be fixed to its round part. It is 5 cm in length, 4.5 cm in width and 75 g in weight. These relics are very instrumental in systematizing the history of ancient Korea. These are displayed at the Phyongsong History Museum.
Pyongyang, December 6 (KCNA) -- The Worker's Party of Korea publishing house brought out "Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Works" volume 34, a library of the immortal Juche idea which carries works of the President Kim Il Sung systematically and comprehensively in chronological order. The volume contains 26 speeches, conclusions and talks he made during the historic period from January to February Juche 54 (1965).
At that time when the works were published, the workers' party and people of Korea were faced with
enormous and important tasks to make a decisive advance in carrying out assignments of the second half of the seven-year plan, a magnificent programme for socialist construction set forth at the fourth congress of the party, and wage a more vigorous drive for national reunification. The volume comprises outstanding ideas, theories and policies the President with his scientific insight into the internal and external situation and the requirements of the developing Korean revolution put forward to step up socialist construction by enlisting the patriotic zeal and creative power of all the people and speed up national reunification during the period.
Pyongyang, December 2 (KCNA) -- Mt. Kyongam stands in Sariwon, the capital of North Hwanghae Province. Located in the city's south western part, it is 140 metres high above sea level. As it is surrounded by the plains on all sides, it looks like a precipice. On the top of the mountain there is a huge rock shaped like a cockscomb. Hence the name Kyongam mountain since olden times. Every season different flowers blossom and every kind of trees and plants grow here on the mountain, thereby varying its appearance according to seasons. The Kyongam pavilion at the northern foot and other historical relics add a special touch of beauty to the mountain scenery. In March Juche 55(1966) President Kim Il Sung came here and proposed turning it into a recreation ground in which the people could enjoy scenic attractions. After his visit, recreation and public service facilities, spa resorts, playing ground, artificial falls and a zoo were built. Fruit trees and flowering plants were added to send forth delightful fragrance. It is now a favorite haunt for the local people.