Present there were Ro Tu Chol, vice-premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Ryu Yong Sop, minister of Post and Telecommunication, and officials concerned and members of the delegation of the Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt headed by its Chairman and CEO Naguib Sawiris and Ismail Abdelrahman Ghoneim Hussein, Egyptian ambassador to the DPRK.

Present there on invitation were diplomatic envoys of different countries and representatives of international organizations here.

Pak Myong Chol, director of the DPRK Post and Telecommunication Company, noted in a speech at the ceremony that the start of the above-said network provided an important occasion in developing the post and telecommunication of the country as required by the age of information industry.

He noted that the credit for the realization of the above-mentioned network goes to the positive efforts made by Naguib Sawiris to boost the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Egypt.

He expressed the belief that cooperative relations between the DPRK Post and Telecommunication Company and the Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt would grow stronger.

Naguib Sawiris in his congratulatory speech said that the Egyptian and Korean peoples have friendly and cooperative tradition.

Under the wise guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il the Korean people have achieved great successes despite difficulties, he said.

He expressed the belief that the Korean people would surely build a great prosperous powerful nation upholding the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.

At the end of the event the participants went round the Center for Serving Subscribers. the Hand Phone Service Centre, etc.

Meanwhile, a press conference was held at the People's Palace of Culture on the same day in connection with the start of the above-said network.