"Archaeopterix Coreanica"

Pyongyang, October 5 (KCNA) -- "Archaeopterix coreanica", registered as a natural monument, is on display at the Natural History Museum of Kim Il Sung University.

It was discovered in Paektho-dong, Sinuiju City, North Phyongan Province, the DPRK on March 10, 1989.

President Kim Il Sung was told that it is a progenitor bird fossil discovered in the stratum dating back about 150 million years. He named it "Korean archaeopteryx" and said that the excavation of the fossil shows that our country is the cradle of birds.

The fossil is composed of a skull, pterygoid, neck bone and feathers. The pterygoid has clear hook-shaped talons.

The Korean archaeopteryx with the most primitive shape of a bird clearly proves that the birds originated from the reptiles.

The age of the Korean archaeopteryx was most suitable for the birth and development of life. The fossil is of great significance in the study of biodiversity and ecological environment as it was unearthed with fossil fish, insects, pterodactyls and plants, etc. -0-