North Korean news 18/4/2010

Kim Jong Il enjoys concert for Kim Il Sung day

Story from Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang, April 15 (KCNA)

General Secretary Kim Jong Il appreciated a concert given by artistes of the Unhasu Orchestra and other national art troupes on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.

Kim Jong Il warmly acknowledged the enthusiastic cheers of the audience and warmly congratulated them on the Day of the Sun, the greatest national holiday.

The performers enthusiastically sang high praises of the immortal exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung, founder of socialist Korea and father of the nation building.

Kim Jong Il waved back to the enthusiastically cheering performers and audience and congratulated the performers on their successful performance.

Expressing great satisfaction with the wonderful concert rich in ideological contents and high in artistry, he extended thanks to them in the name of the Central Committee of the WPK.

He expressed expectation and conviction that the entire army and all the people would work heart and soul as befitting soldiers and disciples of the President and build a thriving socialist nation on this land as early as possible and thus further glorify the dignity and honor of Kim Il Sung’s Korea.

Among the audience were KPA Vice Marshal Kim Yong Chun, vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and minister of the People’s Armed Forces, KPA General Kim Jong Gak, member of the NDC of the DPRK and first vice-director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, KPA General Ri Yong Ho, chief of the General Staff of the KPA, KPA Vice Marshal Kim Il Chol, member of the DPRK NDC, and other commanding officers of the KPA, Secretaries Choe Thae Bok and Kim Ki Nam and Department Directors Kim Kyong Hui and Jang Song Thaek .

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North Korean news 18/04/2010

Story taken from Korean Central News Agency in Pyongyang. Posted April 16, 2010.

Kim Jong Il Greets Syrian President

I extend warm congratulations to you and the friendly people of Syria on the occasion of the 64th anniversary of its independence, a national holiday of the Syrian people.

Our people are sincerely rejoiced over the big progress made by the Syrian people in carrying out the cause of justice to defend the sovereignty of the country and the dignity of the nation from every challenge of the hostile forces and build modern Syria after the independence.

I take this opportunity to heartily wish the Syrian people always success in their efforts to achieve prosperity of the country and solve the Mideast problem in a fair and comprehensive way and you good health and happiness.

Day of Sun Marked at DPRK Embassy in Beijing, Moscow

Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) — The DPRK embassy in Beijing hosted a reception on April 14 to commemorate the Day of the Sun.

Present there on invitation were Sun Jiazheng, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Li Chenqun, deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the C.C., the Communist Party of China, Zhang Zhijun, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Wu Donghe, chairman of the China-Korea Friendship Association, and other officials concerned of China.

Ambassador Choe Jin Su and staff members of the DPRK embassy were on hand.

In his speech at the reception Choe Jin Su wished the Chinese people greater success in their work to build a harmonious socialist society and achieve the reunification of the country under the leadership of the CPC with Hu Jintao as its general-secretary.

Meanwhile, a similar reception was given at the DPRK embassy in Moscow on April 13.

Present there on invitation were personages of government ministries, political parties, organizations and institutions of Russia including Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Zhirinovsky and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Borodavkin and Yazov, former Soviet Union defence minister.

Speaking at the reception Ambassador Kim Yong Jae noted that President Kim Il Sung gave birth to the DPRK-Russia friendship long ago and made immortal contributions for the development of friendly and cooperative relations between the two peoples.

He expressed the will to continue to develop the bilateral relations in the spirit of the DPRK-Russia joint documents this significant year.

Borodavkin said that Russia and the DPRK have steadily worked to develop the bilateral relations and expand mutual cooperation in various fields on the basis of the treaty of friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation between the two countries signed in 2000 and the agreements reached between their top leaders.

A performance of the Russian State Academic People’s Chorus Named after M. E. Pyatnichki was given at the reception.

A reception was also given at the DPRK Consulate General in Nakhodka of Russia on the same day.

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Korean news 18/04/2010

Multi-national investigation begins into Cheonan sinking

A multi-national team of investigators has begun working with South Korean authorities to determine the cause of the sinking of the South Korean naval frigate Cheonan.

The stern of the ship arrived in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometres south-west of Seoul, Saturday night. 

U.S. and Australian investigators are part of the team.  Yonhap news reports.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2010/04/17/8/0301000000AEN20100417001600315F.HTML

North Korea denies sinking South Korean naval vessel Cheonan

The North Korean government has denied involvement in the sinking of South Korean naval vessel Cheonan.   Quote from Korea Times.

“The military warmongers are getting more undisguised in their moves to link the accident with the North though it was caused by their fault,” said the statement, carried by the KCNA.”

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/04/113_64359.html

North Korea deny Cheonan sinking

Korea Herald reports on the North Korean denial.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100417000061

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