Present at the meeting were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kwak Pom Gi, vice-premier of the Cabinet, the chairpersons of the friendly parties, leading officials of working people's organizations, officials concerned, returnees to the socialist homeland from Japan and working people in Pyongyang, the group of Koreans in Japan for expressing thanks on the occasion, delegations of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and other Koreans in Japan.

Yang Hyong Sop in his report said that it was a historical event which brought about a radical turn in the destiny of overseas compatriots and the history of the Juche-oriented overseas compatriots' movement that the first repatriation ship carrying Koreans from Japan dropped its anchor at Chongjin Port on December 16, Juche 48 (1959).

The repatriation of Koreans from Japan was a precious fruition of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il's idea of the Juche-oriented overseas compatriots' movement and their wise leadership he noted, and went on:

The President put forward the outstanding idea and theory on the overseas compatriots' movement long ago and successfully materialized them, opening a glorious history of the above-said movement.

True to the President's idea and cause, Kim Jong Il wisely led the struggle for the repatriation of Koreans from Japan.

When the repatriation operation came to a temporary halt due to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the Japanese reactionaries and the south Korean puppets, Kim Jong Il took this to heart more than anyone else and clearly indicated a specific orientation and ways for resuming the repatriation.

Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il took care of the returnees to the socialist homeland from Japan as their real fathers would do and enabled all of them to lead a worthwhile and happy life as masters of the state and society.

By pursuing the benevolent politics, all-embracing politics based on love and trust Kim Jong Il provided not only Korean returnees from Japan but also Japanese spouses who came to the DPRK together with their husbands with the same conditions for a worthwhile socio-political life and let them work at important posts of the revolution so that they might fully enjoy a dignified life free from any national discrimination.

The dignity and might of Songun Korea have reached the highest level and the future of the country and the movement of Koreans in Japan is very bright, the reporter noted, calling upon all the people to single-mindedly unite around Kim Jong Il and wage a more dynamic struggle to build a thriving nation, achieve the independent reunification of the country, develop the movement of Koreans in Japan and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche.