Present at the opening ceremony were O Su Yong, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Ri Ryong Nam, minister of Foreign Trade, Kim Jong Sik, vice-chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, Ri Hak Gwon, head of the DPRK Chamber of Commerce, officials in the field of foreign trade and delegations and delegates from various countries and regions and diplomatic envoys and staff members of foreign embassies here.

O Ryong Chol, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, said in a congratulatory speech that the fair would serve as an important occasion in developing the economic cooperation and exchange among various countries and regions.

Kim Mun Jong, director of the Korean International Exhibition Corporation, said in his opening address that the DPRK would as ever develop on a wider scale the economic and commercial dealings with all countries which are friendly towards it on the principles of complete equality and reciprocity.

Then the participants looked round the machine tools, electric and electronic equipment, vehicles, petrol-chemical products, medicaments, articles of daily use, foodstuffs, etc. displayed by companies from the DPRK, China, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, UK, Australia, Austria, Italy, Indonesia, Vietnam, France, Finland, Poland and Taipei of China.

The fair will go on till September 24.