Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The Japanese authorities officially approved "modern history of Japan," a history textbook for junior high schoolers which grossly distorted and justified Japan's history of aggression and crimes, despite the international community's strong protest and denunciation. This is a crime unprecedented in history. What should not be overlooked is the fact that Japanese venal historians marked Tok islet, an inalienable part of Korea's territory, as "Takeshima" in the textbook and absurdly asserted that the DPRK is demanding dominium over "Takeshima" though it belongs to Japan. They went the length of writing about the theory of "Mimana Miyake" in the book while deleting such hideous crimes as crimes related to the "comfort women for the army."
This goes to clearly prove that the textbook is a retrogressive revision of the present history textbooks for junior high schoolers which describes the issue of Tok islet as an "outstanding" one. The fact that Tok islet is an inalienable part of the territory of Korea admits of no argument and the theory about "Mimana Miyake" claimed by Japan is the height of folly. It was written in textbooks that Japan kept Mimana, the southern part of Korea, under its control for hundreds of years since the 4th century after establishing the "Japanese administrative office" there. But this was proved to be a forgery by the results of study conducted by historians in the north and south of Korea and fair-minded Japanese historians long ago.
Of course there are in Japan men of intellect who can see through the essence of history and politicians who are concerned about the serious consequences to be entailed by the distortion of history. Then how can such practices as tampering with history be committed with the official approval of the government authorities? Lurking behind this is a sinister aim sought by the right-wing conservative politicians of Japan to cover up Japan's shameful past crimes and imbue the younger generation with the militarist idea in a bid to drive them to overseas aggression. The Japanese authorities can never evade the historical, political and moral responsibilities for this despicable distortion of history.
Pyongyang, April 5 (KCNA) -- Anthropolites were discovered in Soksong-Ri, Hwadae county, north Hamgyong province in the northeastern part of Korea and ascertained to be 300,000 years old. A DNA test of bones buried in lava bed said that anthropolites were a woman, a minor and a child. Archaeologists assume that a mother together with her children met disaster to be buried in lava. A survey of the lava that covered the anthropolites ascertained that the fossils are 300,000 years old. The field survey also led to discovering five craters in the area. The absolute year of anthropolites is in accord with the geological relative year of the area. Archaeologists named the anthropolites "Hwadae men." Experts consider the "Hwadae men" to be palaeolithic men.
Pyongyang, April 3 (KCNA) -- Flute is the Koreans' very old favourite national musical instrument. It is clearly proved by a flute discovered in the early stratum belonging to the bronze age in Sophohang remains in Rason city. The flute was made of the middle part of a bird's leg bone. It is 13.5 cm long though a small part of its mouthpiece was broken. The mouthpiece is 1.5 cm in diameter and the end 1 cm in diameter. There are finger holes of 3-4.5 mm in diameter at intervals of 0.7-1 cm. Finger holes at both ends are more sparsely spaced and smaller. The flute remains unrotten in a shell-heap. Cultural layers of the old stone age, the new stone age and the bronze age were found in Sophohang remains that were excavated and surveyed several times in the 1960s.
Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A hunting site believed to be over 100,000 years old was unearthed on a limestone hill of the Koryong mountain range in Rodong-ri, Sangwon county, about 24 km East of Pyongyang. This place was very favorable for hunting as 15 vertical caves were used as traps. Some 2,000 pieces of fossils of animal bones were discovered in one of the caves. Among them were fossils of three dicerorhinus kirchdergensis and a fossil of one leg bone and fossils of 32 megaloceros and fossils of nine leg bones. The weight of the above-said animals are believed to be more than 3.5 tons and about 300 kilograms respectively. Only a few leg bone fossils were unearthed. This suggests that hunters in those times cut thighs from animals to eat them. The newly unearthed relics are rare ones showing the wisdom and resourcefulness of Palaeolithic men in the middle period of the old stone age.
Pyongyang, March 21 (KCNA) -- There is the Koryo Art Studio, which serves as an effective centre to preserve the nation's cultural heritages, in the eastern part of Pyongyang. It was established in March Juche 79 (1990). The studio reconstructed mausoleums of Tangun, Tongmyong and Wang Kon, the ancestral kings of Korea, and restored or renovated such relics as Kwangbop temple in Mt. Taesong, Songbul temple in Mt. Jongbang, Pohyon temple in Mt. Myohyang and Kaesim temple in Mt. Chilbo to their original state. This helped preserve the nation's cultural heritages on a permanent basis. An exhibition of huge historical paintings is now under way at the Korean Central History Museum. All the paintings on display there were created by the studio. They are a fresh reminder of the development of Korea's history. The studio also produces industrial art objects and souvenirs including Korean paintings, ceramic wares and sculptures.
Pyongyang, March 20 (KCNA) -- The people of the DPRK were the first in the world to be free from all taxes. President Kim Il Sung proposed tasks to abolish unpopular tax system of the Japanese imperialists and establish instead a fair tax system in the 10-point programme of the association for the restoration of the fatherland published in 1936 in the period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle. After the liberation of the country the president led the people's government to successfully carry out the task. Measures were taken to systematically reduce taxes several times to abolish taxes phase by phase.
Taxation began to gradually lose its meaning in socialist construction as the foundation of the independent national economy grew stronger and the level of the working people's ideological consciousness rose. State assistance to the rural economy and the allocation of state funds for the working people's living increased in all aspects and, accordingly, they became more devoted to the state and the society. Taking this situation into account, he completely abolished agricultural tax in kind in Juche 55 (1966). The historic law "on completely abolishing the tax system" was promulgated at the third session of the fifth Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on March 21, Juche 63 (1974). The law took effect from April 1 that year. This meant the realization of the centuries-old desire of the people to be free from tax burden.
Pyongyang, March 13 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang is the historic sacred place inseparably linked with the revolutionary life of President Kim Il Sung. He was born in Mangyongdae in Pyongyang on April 15, 1912, when the destiny of the nation was at stake owing to the Japanese imperialists' military occupation of Korea.
He embarked on the road of the revolution in his teens and liberated the country from the yoke of the Japanese imperialists through 20-year-long bloody battles. It was in Pyongyang that he made his first speech upon his triumphal return home.
Pyongyang is an operational base for the revolution where he mapped out all the lines and policies and led the Korean revolution and the human cause of independence. He authored and published many famous works here in his lifetime and met hundreds of political party, state and government leaders and many personages from different countries to give precious teachings on the human cause of independence. He radically changed the appearance of Pyongyang as befitting the capital city of new Korea. He initiated the project for the Pothong River improvement right after the liberation of the country, broke ground to signal the start of the project at the ground-breaking ceremony on May 21, Juche 35 (1946) and made a new history of the construction of Pyongyang. He wisely led the construction in the capital as the chairman of the Pyongyang municipal reconstruction committee in the postwar period.
Every street and building in over 40 major avenues in Pyongyang is associated with his immortal feats.
The president's statues historic monuments, monuments to dedicated poems and other monuments standing in different parts of Pyongyang hand his feats down to posterity. The president lies in state for perpetuity in the Kumsusan Memorial Palace built as the impeccable supreme temple of Juche. He is immortal along with ever-prospering Pyongyang.
Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Researchers of the scientific research room of the Korean Folk Museum recently completed their study aimed to ascertain national costume from the 30th century B.C. to 108 B.C. in the period of ancient Korea, a subject left untouched. During this period men wore Jogori (jacket) and Paji (trousers) while women donned Chima (pleated skirts) and Jogori long enough to go down beyond the waist and so open-fronted that its front part overlaps on either side.
Such old Chinese documents as "the chronicle of the three kingdoms" and "late Chinese book" have records that people wore Jogori in the period of ancient Korea and Koreans wove silk from the ancient times. A bone needle with hemp thread, a primitive relic found in Kungsan, Unha-ri, Onchon county, South Phyongan Province, and ancient spinning-wheels unearthed in several primitive sites testify to the fact that Koreans wove hemp and silk as early as in that period.
There were a series of common features in dressing custom in the ancient societies of Korea. There existed such ancient states as ancient Korea, Puyo, Jinguk, Kuryo, etc. In Korea but costumes of their people were basically similar to each other and this became a main fashion of the Korean national costume. Of course, there was a clear distinction in the use of clothing material, ornament, belt and shoes according to social status. Historical facts go to clearly prove that Koreans wore one and the same clothes from the early period of their state.
Pyongyang, March 5 (KCNA) -- Papers here today dedicate editorials to the anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's promulgation of the historic law on agrarian reform on March 5, 1946. The promulgation of the law was the successful realization of the Korean farmers' century-old desire to do farming in their land to their heart's content and a historic event that opened a new chapter in solving the land issue, Rodong Sinmun in an editorial says, and goes on:
It is the consistent principled stand of the Workers' Party of Korea to solve the land issue in conformity with the lawful requirement of the developing socialist society. To give face-lifting to the whole land of the country as befitting the land of the socialist state is the WPK's basic orientation to solve the land issue of socialism. It is an unshakable resolution and will of leader Kim Jong Il to defend and build up well this land liberated and bequeathed to the people by the president as a precious heritage and thus certainly accomplish the cause of building a powerful nation. Land realignment is a worthwhile work to give face-lifting to the land of the country marked with the president's great footsteps as befitting the land of Kim Il Sung's Korea both nominally and virtually. When the whole country and all the people turn out as one in the land realignment project to translate the desire of the president into a reality in this land according to the far-sighted plan of Kim Jong Il, we can further accelerate the building of a powerful nation.
Minju Joson calls upon all the officials and other working people in the agricultural field to turn out as one in the implementation of the WPK's policy on bringing a revolutionary turn in agriculture and thus boundlessly exalt the feats the party has performed in building the countryside and make positive contributions to the building of a powerful nation with markedly increased grain production.
by N. Steinmayr (Australia)
At the end of the XXth century, we are still faced with the anachronistic endurance of Korea's partition between north and south that has lasted for about 55 years. This division represents a tragic and anomalous chapter after a 5,000-year-long history of Korea as a unified and homogeneous nation, developing its own distinct cultural, linguistic and psychological features. No sooner had the Korean people successfully liberated themselves from Japanese colonialism in 1945 than Washington arbitrarily and artificially amputated the country into two halves. Through US military and political interference the partition of Korea was created and remains up to the present...
Pyongyang, March 5 (KCNA) -- Papers here today dedicate editorials to the anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's promulgation of the historic law on agrarian reform on March 5, 1946. The promulgation of the law was the successful realization of the Korean farmers' century-old desire to do farming in their land to their heart's content and a historic event that opened a new chapter in solving the land issue, Rodong Sinmun in an editorial says, and goes on:
It is the consistent principled stand of the Workers' Party of Korea to solve the land issue in conformity with the lawful requirement of the developing socialist society. To give face-lifting to the whole land of the country as befitting the land of the socialist state is the WPK's basic orientation to solve the land issue of socialism. It is an unshakable resolution and will of leader Kim Jong Il to defend and build up well this land liberated and bequeathed to the people by the president as a precious heritage and thus certainly accomplish the cause of building a powerful nation.
Land realignment is a worthwhile work to give face-lifting to the land of the country marked with the president's great footsteps as befitting the land of Kim Il Sung's Korea both nominally and virtually. When the whole country and all the people turn out as one in the land realignment project to translate the desire of the president into a reality in this land according to the far-sighted plan of Kim Jong Il, we can further accelerate the building of a powerful nation.
Minju Joson calls upon all the officials and other working people in the agricultural field to turn out as one in the implementation of the WPK's policy on bringing a revolutionary turn in agriculture and thus boundlessly exalt the feats the party has performed in building the countryside and make positive contributions to the building of a powerful nation with markedly increased grain production.
Pyongyang, March 1 (KCNA) -- Mt. Paektu, a symbol of Korea, the homeland of Juche, is towering high on its northern tip. The history of the Korean revolution recorded with victory and glory began on this mountain. The mountain is associated with the immortal revolutionary exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung and anti-Japanese war woman hero Kim Jong Suk. It is also the birthplace of leader Kim Jong Il. He was born in a secret camp on Mt. Paektu on February 16, Juche 31 (1942). Mt. Paektu is, therefore, well known as a holy mountain of revolution and a sacred place of the great man.
A combined team for surveying Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu recently confirmed that there are 216 peaks on the mountain. 16 main peaks, with Janggun Peak (2,750 m) being the highest, are linked with 200 other peaks. It has already been ascertained that the relative height of Jong Il Peak (1,798 m) standing behind the native home in the secret camp on the mountain is 216.42 m from its ground level and the small spring in the camp originates from Lake Chon. The spring was dug by Kim Jong Suk in 1936 when the camp was built.
It is about 16 km away from the lake. All these figures representing natural phenomena are surprisingly identical to the birthday of Kim Jong Il. These clearly prove that Mt. Paektu is the sacred place honoured with Kim Jong Il's august name and he is son of Mt. Paektu. The world progressives today are highly praising him as the sun of the 21st century who would lead the human cause of independence to victory. A "meeting to congratulate the sun of the 21st century" was held on Mt. Paektu on Feb. 13 with the attendance of many foreign friends from scores of countries and various regions and international organizations.
Pyongyang, February 25 (KCNA) -- 17 volumes of the translated versions of "80,000 blocks of complete collection of Buddhist scriptures," listed as a national treasure, are published in the DPRK. They are a library of Buddhism as they comprehensively deal with Buddhist scriptures and relations early in the 13th century. 6,793 volumes of the scriptures were brought out for 16 years (1236-1251). They hold an important position in the history of culture for their elaborate engraved sutra blocks, perfect engraved wood blocks, perpetual type-setting and excellent printing techniques. They are valued as the "standard scriptures" recognized by the people at home and abroad. The 700 odd-year-old "complete collection of Buddhist scriptures" and engraving blocks are preserved in an exhibition hall newly arranged in Pohyon temple, in Mt. Myohyang.
Глава Северной Кореи Ким Чен Ир 16 февраля отмечал свое 60-летие, и государственное информационное агентство KCNA сообщало об "обыкновенных чудесах", связанных с жизнью лидера, фигура которого является в стране объектом поклонения.
"Свечение появилось в небе над местом рождения лидера Ким Чен Ира в тайном лагере на горе Пэкту" вчера, сообщило KCNA в материале, появившемся практически одновременно с приездом в соседнюю Южную Корею президента США Джорджа Буша. В сообщении говорилось, что "местные жители были в восторге, когда увидели легкое облако в форме кимченирии, которое появилось на небе". Кимченирия - это специально выведенный цветок, названный в честь главы государства.
"Даже небо над горой Пэкту, казалось, было украшено прекрасными цветами, отражая безмерную радость и ликование корейского народа, празднующего день рождения Ким Чен Ира, величайшего человека, рожденного небесами", - передало агентство. Кроме того, KCNA сообщило, что к 60-летию Кима снег, который шел ровно 60 дней, накрыл землю 60-сантиметровым слоем в том месте, где родился северокорейский лидер, передает NTVRU.com со ссылкой на Reuters.
Между тем легенда гласит, что Ким родился на священной горе Пэкту на границе с Китаем. Правда, иностранные специалисты считают, что северокорейский лидер появился на свет в Советском Союзе.
Свечение над местом рождения Ким Чен Ира появилось в тот момент, когда в Южную Корею прибыл президент США Джордж Буш, который некоторое время назад причислил КНДР к "оси зла". Позднее Буш объяснил, что его обвинения выдвинуты не против всего северокорейского народа, а только против его лидера Ким Чен Ира. И, как стало известно сегодня, Буш не собирается останавливаться на голословных утверждениях. Чтобы наглядно продемонстрировать, насколько Северная Корея погрязла во зле, он собирается продемонстрировать фотографию Корейского полуострова. На нем отчетливо видны темная КНДР и яркая, залитая светом Южная Корея.
Снимок был сделан ночью, сообщила советник президента по общим вопросам Карен Хьюз. На нем видны залитая огнями Южная Корея и полностью погруженная в темноту территория Северной Кореи, где с трудом можно рассмотреть лишь два небольших световых пятна, одно из которых является северокорейской столицей Пхеньяном. Джордж Буш хочет использовать спутниковую фотографию в качестве иллюстрации к своему тезису о том, что "со свободой приходят свет и возможности, тогда как с репрессивным режимом приходит темнота". При этом Хьюз подтвердила, что, находясь с визитом в Южной Корее, Буш в своих публичных выступлениях не намерен использовать выражение "ось зла" применительно к Северной Корее. В то же время советник президента отметила, что это не означает, что Буш отказался от своей характеристики, так как в речи перед американскими военнослужащими он снова подчеркнет, что считает Северную Корею "самым опасным и репрессивным режимом". Izvestia
16:29 20-02-2002 (in Russian)
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- A natural wonder and magnificent sunrise were observed in the area of Mt. Paektu on February 16, an auspicious holiday. Gusts of wind of 57 m/s blew in fog and snow from Feb. 6, but the fog lifted from Feb. 13. The wind began to drop at about 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 16 when the sunrise began. At the time, temperature on Mt. Paektu was 14.5 degrees centigrade below zero, highest in February compared with an average year, and the speed of wind was no more than 1 m/s. The sky was mysteriously clear and it was very mild.
Officials of the meteorological observatory on Mt. Paektu and the combined group for surveying Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu commanded a view of the sunrise on Mt. Paektu, the sunrise of Korea in excitement. Meanwhile, the area of the secret camp of Mt. Paektu, had been snowy for 60 days since the first snow was recorded on October 10 last year, and the snow around the native home in the secret camp of Mt. Paektu is 60 cm thick as of Feb 16. As for the natural wonder and data observed, observers of nature and experts said that the weather of Feb. 16 reminds them of the
Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- February 16 is the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. He was born in Mt. Paektu in Juche 31 (1942), which is called the sacred mountain of revolution in Korea. He was born to the most patriotic and revolutionary family who had struggled against the foreign aggressors and for the independence of the country, people's freedom and emancipation and the accomplishment of the cause of socialism and communism through generations.
He finished his common education from September 1950 to August 1960 and higher education at Kim Il Sung University from September 1960 to March 1964. After starting his work at the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in June 1964, he was elected secretary of the C.C., the WPK in September 1973 and member of its political bureau in February 1974. He was elected presidium member of the political bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee and member of the Central Military Commission of the WPK at the 6th Congress of the WPK held in October Juche 79 (1980).
He was elected deputy to the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Supreme People's Assembly from February 1982. He was elected first vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK in May 1990, its chairman in April 1993 and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army in December 1991. In October 1997 he was elected General Secretary of the WPK. He was reelected Chairman of the NDC of the DPRK, the highest post in the DPRK, in September 1998. The title of Marshal of the DPRK was awarded to him in April 1992.
Kim Jong Il has wisely led socialist construction in the DPRK through his outstanding ideological and theoretical activities and with his unique political mode for scores of years and achieved the single-hearted unity of the whole society with his benevolent politics, an all-embracing politics. He has also performed immortal feats for the movement for the rebuilding of socialism and the human cause of independence. Progressive humankind is now highly praising him as great leader for his lofty political idea of "believing in the people as in heaven," the outstanding leadership ability and noble personality. Kim Jong Il was awarded the title of Hero of the DPRK and Kim Il Sung Order several times for his contribution to the strengthening and development of the Korean and the world revolution and the international communist movement. He also received many orders of the DPRK and foreign countries and honorary titles of doctor of universities in different countries.
Руководитель Корейской Народно-Демократической Республики Кореи Ким Чен Ир родился 16 февраля 1942 года. По официальной версии, он родился в тайном партизанском лагере в горах Пэкту в Корее (в Пэктусанском тайном лагере, уезд Самчжиен провинции Сянган в семье Ким Ир Сена и Ким Чен Сук). По неофициальной версии, место рождения - село Вятское, в 70 км от Хабаровска (Дальний Восток, СССР). Мальчику дали русское имя - Юра. Детство провел в селе Вятское, где располагалась 88-я отдельная бригада Советской Армии, батальоном которой командовал его отец Ким Ир Сен.
В ноябре 1945 года Ким Чен Ир вместе с семьей переехал в Пхеньян (северная Корея). Во время корейской войны (1950-1953) с семьей эвакуировался в Китай, где и закончил китайскую начальную школу. По окончании войны поступил в военное училище близ Пхеньяна. В 1959 г. поступил в лётное училище в Москве, но не выдержав нагрузки бросил учёбу и вернулся в КНДР.
С сентября 1960 года по апрель 1964 года учился в Пхеньянском государственном университете имени Ким Ир Сена. По окончании стал работать в личной охране Ким Ир Сена.
В 1961 году, во время краткосрочной службы в Корейской Народной Армии, вступил в Трудовую партию Кореи /ТПК/.
С июля 1964 года Ким Чен Ир работал в Центральном Комитете Трудовой партии Кореи, занимал должности: инструктора, заместителя заведующего, а затем заведующего отделом ЦК.
В сентябре 1973 года он избирается Секретарем ЦК партии, а в 1974 году - членом Политкомитета ЦК ТПК и преемником председателя партии Ким Ир Сена.
В октябре 1980 года на 6-М съезде Трудовой партии Кореи Ким Чен Ир был избран членом Президиума Политбюро ЦК, Секретарем ЦК, членом Центрального Военного Комитета партии.
С февраля 1982 года он - депутат Верховного Народного Собрания Корейской Народно-Демократической Республики.
С 24 декабря 1991 года Ким Чен Ир является Верховным Главнокомандующим Корейской Народной Армии.
20 апреля 1992 года Ким Чен Иру присвоено звание Маршала КНДР.
С апреля 1993 года он - председатель Государственного Комитета обороны КНДР. С 1998 года это высшая государственная должность, так как пост президента в КНДР упразднен. Фактически же он руководит страной с 1994 года /после смерти Ким Ир Сена/.
С 8 октября 1997 года занимает пост Генерального Секретаря Трудовой партии Кореи.
5 сентября 1998 года Ким Чен Ир избран на пост Председателя Комитета обороны КНДР. Это высшая государственная должность, предусматривающая руководство и командование политическими, военными и экономическими силами страны в целом.
Ким Чен Ир дважды Герой КНДР. В общей сложности имеет примерно 120 почетных наград и титулов разных стран мира и самой КНДР. 5 мая 1995 года он был награжден российской юбилейной медалью "50 лет победы в Великой Отечественной войне 1941-45 гг." Ким Чен Ир - автор многочисленных работ по теории и практике идей Чучхе.
В качестве главы КНДР выезжал за границу лишь трижды: неофициально в Китай в мае 2000 года на 4 дня и в январе 2001 года на 6 дней, и официально в Россию в конце июля 2001 года. До этого сопровождал Ким Ир Сена в поездках в СССР (1957, 1959), Индонезию (1965) и Китай (1983) - на поезде.
Ким Чен Ир был несколько раз женат, имеет двух сыновей. Первая жена долгое время жила в Москве, но в 1995 г. бежала в Швейцарию.
/ По материалам Редакции информационно-справочного обеспечения РИА "Новости" 16 февраля/. Источник: РИА "НОВОСТИ", 16.02.2002 (in Russian)
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Dr. Kwon Jong Rim is a renowned woman palaeontologist in the DPRK. She has been engaged in the study of extinct animals and plants for nearly 40 years. In this period she discovered hundreds of species of fossil plants (ten odd species of worldwide significance included). By deepening researches into them, she established and systematized strata of the tertiary formation. And she set the paleontological standard decisive of the geological times of the tertiary formation in the country after classifying the development of ancient plant community into eight courses.
She also clarified the relationship between the tertiary and the contemporary plant communities, thus providing geo-historical preconditions needed for improving the forests of the present times under a long-term plan. One of her feats is that she found out paleoclimatic conditions through researches into fossil plants in the layer of bituminous coal seams in the country including coal beds in Anju to open a vista for coal prospecting. She presented valuable papers such as "contrast between the tertiary plant community and the layer with coal seams in our country" and "the history of development of the cenozoic plant community and its relationship with the contemporary plant community in our country".
In this course she received the title of doctor in October 1999. Kwon was born in Seoul in January Juche 30 (1941) and came to the north during the Korean War. She graduated from Kim Chaek University of Technology in march 1963 and has so far worked as a member of the central mineral survey group, while training several doctors and masters of palaeontology.
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- King Wang Kon's mausoleum is a valuable cultural treasure which bears witness to the long history and cultural tradition of the Korean nation. King Wang Kon was the founder of Koryo, the first unified state in the Korean history which existed from 918 to 1392. His founding of Koryo in 918 was followed by the unification of Silla and late Paekje with it in 935 and 936 respectively. He thus achieved the territorial unification and opened the way for unified development of the nation for the first time in the Korean history. His mausoleum was splendidly rebuilt on January 31, Juche 83 (1994) on the occasion of his 1117th birthday to hand down his feats to posterity.
It is situated at the foot of Mt. Songak of Kaephung county, Kaesong city. Around the mausoleum there are a house for memorial service, stone statues, a monument to its reconstruction, a park, etc. The mausoleum covers a total area of 55,000 square meters. It was built in a three-tier architectural style. The mausoleum is railed off. There are also statues of four Korean tigers, eight civil and military officials, stone lanterns and a pair of stone posts. Exquisitely carved stone screen and other granite statues bear witness to a high level of stone workmanship in the period of Koryo. There are murals on the four walls and ceiling inside the mausoleum. All the murals retain their original colors though over 1,000 years have passed since they were painted. Bamboo, pine tree, blue dragon, white tiger, plum blossom and others depicted on the murals are symbolic of the firm principle, wisdom and strong spirit of the Korean nation. Displayed in the house for memorial service are a portrait of Wang Kon and six art works on his activities.
Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea publishing house brought out "Comrade Kim Jong Il, The Great Leader Of The Juche-Oriented Revolutionary Cause" (five volumes), a library comprehensively dealing with his greatness, on the occasion of his birthday. Leading the party and revolution for nearly 40 years, Kim Jong Il has glorified the revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung as the guiding idea in the era of independence. And he has faithfully carried forward and developed the revolutionary cause of the president and thus turned the DPRK into an ideologically, politically and militarily strong power and a land pervaded with human love. The library takes a profound and comprehensive depiction of Kim Jong Il as an outstanding thinker-theoretician, a prominent statesman, an extraordinary strategist, the benevolent father of the people, and a great man.
Vol. 1 "the great thinker and theoretician" deals with the greatness of Kim Jong Il as an outstanding thinker and theoretician who shows a bright road for the popular masses to follow for the cause of independence by carrying forward and developing the Juche idea, the revolutionary idea of Kim Il Sung. Vol. 2 "the great statesman" tells about the great personality of Kim Jong Il as a prominent statesman who has glorified a new history of the people-centered politics with the Juche-based political philosophy and distinguished political ability and led the revolutionary cause of Juche to victory. Vol. 3 "the great brilliant commander" stresses that he is an illustrious commander who is guiding the cause of Juche-based army building to great victory with his rare military wisdom and commanding art and through his distinguished activities. He is also a benevolent father who devotes his all to the happiness of the people with unbounded love for them, says vol. 4 "the great father". Vol. 5 "the great man" tells about his greatness as a paragon of a true human being in the present times.
Pyongyang, January 28 (KCNA) -- The Samsong temple on Mt. Kuwol is one of Korea's ancient cultural relics. From ancient Korea it was called Tangun Temple because a memorial service was made there for Tangun and renamed Samsong temple from the end of the Koryo dynasty as memorial services were held for three sages--grandfather of Tangun, father of Tangun and Tangun. The temple is associated with the patriotic spirit of the founder of Taejonggyo Ra Chol who committed suicide at the temple while waging an anti-Japanese struggle after coming there in protest against the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea and their policy of vandalism against Tangun. It was burnt by the Japanese imperialist aggressors but restored to its former glory in the days when Mt. Kuwol was rebuilt into a world-famous beauty spot. The temple has the Samsong Shrine with a crane-shaped roof which looks golden, red and blue at each corner, the Yanghyon hall for training sages, the Yongbin hall to accommodate guests, Jonsa room which keeps sachet and various dishes and utensils for rituals, a lodging house for keepers and a gate that looks like a kind of an open building with a roof which lacks eaves and rounded side boarding at either end.
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Many people are visiting the U.S. imperialists' armed spy ship "Pueblo" anchored close to the bank of the River Taedong flowing through Pyongyang. "Pueblo" was captured by navymen of the people's army on patrol duty while committing espionage after intruding into the territorial waters of the DPRK on Jan. 23, Juche 57 (1968). There were on board the 1,000-odd-ton class ship more than 80 GIs, various types of weapons and sophisticated spying equipment. The DPRK's seizure of "Pueblo" was a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty. But the U.S. imperialists amassed their aggressor forces in waters off the DPRK coast and threatened the DPRK with "military retaliation", clamouring that the spy ship was seized in the "open sea" and it was not engaged in any espionage.
The DPRK declared that it would react to the U.S. imperialists' "retaliation" with retaliation and counter an all-out war with an all-out war. The U.S. government was compelled to admit "Pueblo's" espionage and sign a document giving assurances that it would not repeat such an act in the future. Hearing an explanation about the crime and seeing evidence, visitors expressed bitter resentment at the U.S. imperialists' shameless nature and moves to provoke a war. There are so many places in the DPRK which bear witness to the crimes committed by the U.S. imperialists including the victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and the Sinchon Museum. Visits to these places deeply convince everyone that the U.S. imperialists are the sworn enemy of the Koreans and the harasser of peace.
Chosun Ilbo, January 24, 2002. With a population of 150,000, Kaesong, just across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the west coast, is the ancient capital of the 500 year Koryo Dynasty, home to the largest numbers of historical remains and relics in North Korea. Because of this reason, Kaesong has undergone the ordeal of being excavated at random. According to Kim Song-ryong (alias), a North Korean defector who comes from the town, the 1994-98 food crisis hit the ancient capital too. Before the famine, Kaesong citizens enjoyed living standards comparable to those of their Pyongyang counterparts, thanks to such specialties as Kaesong ginseng. However, with food rations suspended due to the food crisis, Kaesong citizens had to sustain serious harm since their movements were restricted, while people elsewhere were able to sustain themselves by doing business traveling to the border areas with China. Entries to Kaesong require special passes with a blue stripe printed on them, and none can access the DMZ.
An antique boom began to emerge late in the 1980s and peaked in 1994. Since genuine Koryo celadon ware could fetch an exorbitant sum ranging between thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, not only brokers, swindlers and trading firm staffers, but also some State Security Agency, People's Army Security Command and Ministry of People's Security (the police) officers, were all bent on making big money quickly, and plunged themselves into the antique business. The number of grave robber groups operating in the Kaesong area is said to have increased from about a dozen to a little over 100. Specialized antique dealers of scale, capable of mobilizing tens of thousands of dollars, allegedly travel from the capital to Kaesong by jeeps assigned to the Security Command of the People's Army or the State Security Agency.
Aggravating food shortages prompted even some ordinary citizens, let alone specialized robbers, to excavate tombs illegally. They have dug out, not only ancient tombs having no one attending to them, but also all the mounds in the city's suburbs that resembled ancient tombs. Ordinary tomb robbers could earn on the spot between US$100 and US$500 per artifact removed from a tomb. Tomb robbers have accumulated considerable know-how, according to Lee Suk-hui (alias), another North Korean defector who had worked the antique business in the North. Soft clay was used for the funeral mound of an illustrious official and the coffin inside was surrounded with soft-stone-mixed clay and quicklime, which maintains its hardness for more than 100 years, while cement crumbles over that period. Hence artifacts buried in the tomb are all virtually intact. If an iron skewer, stuck into the ground, moves smoothly, tomb robbers take it as a sign of a potentially valuable tomb, and if it hits something hard suddenly it tells where the coffin is laid.
Among the antiques thus collected are quite valuable Koryo celadon ware and less valuable white porcelain produced during the Yi Dynasty. Also excavated are pendants, folded fans, folded screens and paintings, all of which attract the attention of antique brokers. The antique boom produced hordes of swindlers, and 90% of antiques on the market are said to be imitations. Some young people, blinded by a desire to make big money overnight, are said to have robbed the Koryo Museum in Kaesong, only to be arrested and executed early in 1995. Some State Security agents and policemen too reportedly met the same fate several years later, when caught while attempting to steal Koryo celadon ware out of the same museum.
North Korea is said to strictly administer state-designated historical remains, but rumors abound in the country that because some men of clout have been so desperate to divert them, quite a number of treasures have been smuggled out of museums. In many instances, it is alleged to be difficult to discern which are genuine and which are false. Most antiques thus collected are taken out to China through the border city of Sinjuju, while some are surreptitiously sold to foreigners at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang. Mainly Japanese visitors have collected the smuggled items. Quite a few North Koreans who have negotiated antique dealings with South Koreans have reportedly been prosecuted as political offenders.
Most antiques coming out of North Korea recently are said to be fakes, because the most valuable items have already been sold. It's a stroke of good luck in the midst of misfortune that despite such rampant tomb robberies, taken part in by military personnel as well as private citizens, historical relics such as the Sonjukgyo Bridge, the Tomb of Wanggon, the founder of the Koryo Dynasty, and the King Kongmin Tomb, are administered by the state and kept intact.
Pyongyang, January 17 (KCNA) -- 50 years have passed since Koryo Museum was established in January Juche 41 (1952). Koryo is the first unified state in Korea. The museum is situated in Kaesong, which was the capital city of Koryo. It was founded in the period of war decisive of the destiny of the country and the nation in Korea. Its total floor space was 400 square meters at that time. At present the museum has several buildings with a floor space of 1,500 square meters and wide area surrounding them. Displayed there are more than 1,000 pieces of historic relics. In its main exhibition hall there are historic relics showing the foundation of Koryo and the history of its development including an old map of Kaesong. Exhibited there are also metal types developed for the first in the world, Buddha from the Jokjo temple estimated as one of the excellent relics listed as a national treasure dating back to the Koryo dynasty and relics showing the development of metal workmanship, architecture, sculpture and painting. The museum serves as not only a treasure house of Koryo culture but also a research centre. The museum is conducting an academic study and the work of discovering and collecting historic relics in the vicinity of Kaesong.
Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Korean literature and art date back to the primitive age. Unique culture developed in Korea on the basis of its common tradition, language and custom from the primitive age. Conspicuous in the primitive art were songs and dances. Such old Korean documents as "historical records of three kingdoms" and "history of three kingdoms" and such Chinese documents as "historical records," "Chinese literature" and "the chronicles of the three kingdoms" say that the primitive Korean tribes regarded songs and dances as an inseparable part of their life and activities.
It is recorded in old Chinese documents such as "literature in late China" that Korean music and dances developed from very remote times and considered as beautiful and were popular in china since 2000 B.C.
The major style of the primitive literature were songs and mythological stories. The traces of the primitive myths can be found in mythological stories about the foundation of ancient kingdoms, including "mythological story about Tangun" and "fable of haemosu," and heritages of fables in medieval age. Korea's primitive songs can find their traces in the fact that the "song of tortoise" was carried in the "history of three kingdoms".
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The historic site in Komunmoru, Sangwon county in Pyongyang has relics in a cave, which belongs to the early paleolithic era one million years ago. The cave, which is about 30m long, about 2.5m wide and 2m high, was discovered and surveyed in Juche 50s (1960s). Found in the site were stone implements used by paleolithic men and scores of kinds of fossilized animal bones. The stone implements included stone hatchets, trapezoid tools, edged chisels and pieces of tools. 29 kinds of animal fossils were found there. Among them, 17 kinds of relics including the Sangwon horse, buffalo and monkey are now extinct, and the rest fossils believed to belong to the paleozoic era were found in the country for the first time. Those relics prove that human beings lived in Korea already in the early period of human life.
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Compilation of "Great Korean Encyclopedia" vols. 30 has been completed in the DPRK as the most valuable national treasure. Edited in the encyclopedia are history, culture, nature, geography, customs, legends, biographical names and latest scientific and technological materials of Korea and other countries. It contains political, economic, cultural, military and all other fields and glosses over 100,000 lemmas in Korean alphabetical order. Compiled in it are at least 25,000 visual aids and photos and more than 5,200 biographical names. Each volume has more than 650 pages on an average. For the convenience of the readers, an index is given in the last vol. 30. The science and encyclopaedia press and the Korean Computer Center are now working out a computer program for the encyclopaedia. The compilation of the encyclopaedia in the DPRK has begun from Juche 53 (1964). The compiling group has edited and published a "Complete Encyclopaedia" (a set of three volumes), "Encyclopedia" (the first edition of 30 volumes) and "Complete Encyclopaedia" (6 volumes).
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- "Complete Collection of Kim Il Sung's Works" volume 40 was published by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House. This is a library of the immortal Juche idea systematically and comprehensively dealing with the president's works according to a chronological order. The book contains 23 works including his historic speeches, concluding speeches and talks from January to may in Juche 57 (1968). These works were published against the backdrop of a crucial period. The Korean revolution and the world peace were put into a grave danger by the incident of the U.S. imperialists' armed spy ship "pueblo" and the entire party and army and all the people in the DPRK were effecting a new surge in the revolution and construction, keeping themselves in full combat readiness.
In the works, the president set forth an outstanding idea, theories and policies for consolidating our revolutionary position like an impregnable fortress, with a deep penetration into the requirements of the situation and the developing revolution. Clarified in the book are the principled stand of the WPK towards the moves of the U.S. imperialists for aggression and a new war, tasks of closing the revolutionary ranks and increasing the national defence capabilities, the policy for strengthening the economic potential and self-reliance of the country and policies for improving the educational work in conformity with the requirements of the developing reality and ways for their implementation, etc.
Pyongyang, January 8 (KCNA) -- Koryo Songgyungwan is a university with a history of over 1,000 years. The university situated in Kaesong in the middle part of Korea is a successor to "Songgyungwan" in Koryo which existed between 918 and 1392. Koryo ran "Kukjagam," a predecessor of Songgyungwan as early as in 992. "Kukjagam", the highest educational institution for training talents of the state, was renamed "Songgyungam" in 1298 and "Songgyungwan" in 1308. Its educational content and purpose remained almost unchanged though it was renamed several times. It remained open in the period of Ri dynasty (1392-1910). The university in the period of the feudal state taught students Confucianism, criminal jurisprudence, arithmetic and western science. Songgyungwan was renamed Koryo Songgyungwan, a university of light industry, in Juche 81 (1992) by the DPRK, which regards it as an important policy to carry forward and develop national cultural heritages as required by the present times. Koryo Songgyungwan has several faculties including the Koryo Insam faculty, the Koryo Textile faculty, the Koryo embroidery faculty and Koryo ceramic works faculty and tens of courses that specialize in training technicians for the field of light industry.
Chosun Ilbo, January 4, 2002. It has been learned that North Korea founded in tight secrecy a special forces unit to safeguard the well being of National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il late in 1996, and christened it the 'O Jung-hup 7th Brigade,' publicized as the legendary troops of Korea's anti-Japan guerrilla warfare. The foundation of the special forces unit consisted of recruiting outstanding officers and enlisted men in the Army, Navy and Air Force and subjecting them to a year-long harsh training in the rugged terrain of Mounts Yangdok and Maengsan in South Pyongan Province, according to sources familiar with North Korea.
The 'O Jung-hun 7th Brigade' has been publicized as a unit that ensured the safety of the then guerrilla commander Kim Il Sung in 1938 by defeating a Japanese expeditionary force chasing Kim's troops. The special forces unit was so christened with a view to safeguarding Kim Jong Il in a like manner, observed a source. In recruiting members of the special forces unit, Pyongyang put out a catch phrase, "Let's safeguard the revolutionary headquarters," signifying the safeguarding of Kim Jong Il, added the source.
The brigade, unlike its designation, is organized in strength somewhere between division (12,000-14,000 troops) and corps (over 150,000 troops). Its commander also is not a full colonel as is the case with a regiment, but a major general. Tasks of the 'O Jung-hup 7th Brigade' cover not only guarding Kim Jong Il, but also conducting secret special operations ordered by him. "Whenever he visited People's Army units since the late 1990s, Kim Jong Il has emphasized the so-called 'storm infantry,' capable of waging mobile warfare using helicopters, and the 'O Jung-hun 7th Brigade' is the only such unit existing in the North," said the sources. Appointed as the first commander of the brigade was a certain General Yi, commander of the 2nd Division, reputed to have the strongest combat capabilities in the North. Yi, in his late 40's, is known to have enjoyed the deep trust of Kim Jong Il.
An indication of the higher status of the brigade can be found in the fact that its commander is authorized to use four motor vehicles, twice the number allotted to ordinary division commanders. He is authorized to use a Mercedes limousine, a Mercedes jeep, a Russian-made military-use jeep UAZ, and a commander's armoured car fitted with communication equipment. Supplied to ordinary division commanders are only Mercedes jeeps and commander's armoured cars. The brigade's battalion commanders are supplied with military-use jeeps, which are available to regimental commanders and above in ordinary units.
Another special treatment enjoyed by the brigade is the fact that it is allowed to use live ammunition in training practices as many as ten times more than the case with ordinary units. Each unit of the brigade is also authorized to use Russian-made 5-ton trucks, only four units of which are allocated to ordinary divisions.
Pyongyang has conducted a "campaign capturing the designation of O Jung-hup 7th Brigade" among ordinary military units since 1998 aimed at maintaining security about the existence of the brigade. The campaign, is aimed at not repeating the incidence of dissolving a special forces unit "534th Unit" in the 1970s when it was exposed by South Korean and American intelligence agencies. The existence of the "534th Unit," stationed in Hochon, South Hamgyong province, was verified by South Korea, among other countries, when the late President Park Chung-hee revealed "A kid tiger is being raised in Hochon." Thereupon the unit was dismantled immediately.
AP Network News, January 3, 2002. North Korea is assuming a chauvinistic stance in this era of globalization, inculcating in its citizens the notion that its leader, ideology, military and system are the best in the world. The North's swimming against the tide came in an editorial carried on New Year's Day simultaneously in the papers published by its three major institutions: the Workers' Party, the People's Army and the Kimilsung Socialist Youth League.
The chauvinistic campaign in the North came at a time when a new world order has been in the making after the worst terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11 last year. In addition, Pyongyang has a long way yet to go before it restores its economic strength in the 1970s or 1980s, despite its strenuous efforts in recent years to solve an array of economic difficulties, including a prolonged famine and acute power shortages. "This year's revolutionary march forward is a campaign to add brilliance to the dignity and honour of Kim Il-sung's nation with the full embodiment of the viewpoint that our leader, ideology, army and system are the best in the world," said the editorial, under the heading, "Let us glorify this year that greets the 90th birthday of President Kim Il-sung as a year of a new surge in the building of a Kangsong Taeguk (a strong and prosperous nation)."
Kim Il-sung, who had ruled North Korea for nearly half a century until his death in July 1994, is honoured as the North's "eternal" state president under a constitutional revision in September 1998, when the North formally inaugurated the regime of his son, Kim Jong-il, in the first session of the 10th-term Supreme People's Assembly, Pyongyang's rubber-stamp parliament. "These four viewpoints represent the spirit of a socialist Korea vibrant with the view of Juche and the eternal slogan of building a Kangsong Taeguk in the 21st century," the editorial said, arguing the notion that the leader of the North is the best in the world is a lifespring bringing about the rehabilitation and prosperity of the Korean nation, and the source of their matchless heroic valour and creative power.
As for the notion that the North Korean ideology is the best in the world, the editorial said this means "an unswerving conviction of the invincibility of Juche Idea and a strong will to make the thoughts of Great Comrade, Kim Jong-il as the eternal guiding principle." Juche, which has served as a guiding principle in the North since the mid-1960s, means "self-reliance" or "self-identification." Referring to the notion that the North Korean army is the best in the world, the editorial maintained: "The gun equals national power and the national right of independence." This notion is "the eternal marker for our goal of socialism of our own style," the editorial said, adding that as long as North Koreans value the gun and are under the army-first politics, their ideology and political system will be kept intact.In an apparent effort to survive persistent sociopolitical unrest, combined with an extremely adverse economic situation, which followed the death of its former leader Kim Il-sung, North Korea in September 1998 instituted military rule by making the chairman of the National Defense Commission the virtual top state leader and retaining Kim Jong-il as its chairman.
In mentioning the notion that the North Korean system is the best in the world, the editorial said, "Most important in realizing this notion is to go ahead with economic construction and improve decisively the people's living standards." But there was no change in the economic sectors to be given policy priority to that effect, according to the editorial. The sectors are agriculture, power generation, coal mining, the metals industry and railway transportation, the fields accented by the North during the past decade. Also to be given policy priority will be the sector of science and technology, with a focus on information technology and the information industry, the editorial indicated. North Korea since 2000 has placed priority on developing the IT industry, while boosting computer education and creating cyber-communication networks.
Undoubtedly reflecting chilly inter-Korean relations, the editorial did not make any mention of Seoul-Pyongyang talks, which broke off in mid-November last year, but did refer to the decades-old requirements for the unification of Korea on the North's own terms, including the abolition of the National Security Law in South Korea and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the South. Noteworthy is the fact that the editorial did not mention Pyongyang's relations with Tokyo, which have deteriorated in recent weeks.
Since 1995, the year after the senior Kim's death, North Korea has replaced its leader's New Year message with an editorial carried on New Year's Day simultaneously in the three most influential newspapers in the North.