Speeches were made there by Sok Song, first vice-chairman of the confederation, and others.

The speakers noted that last year was a year of dramatic change to be specially recorded in the history of the country, a year which witnessed eye-opening events that turned all the ideals of the people into reality.

They spoke with high appreciation that General Secretary Kim Jong Il kindled the torch of a great surge in Kangson, birthplace of the Chollima movement, and proposed launching the 150-day campaign and then 100-day campaign before taking revolutionary measures to bring them to victorious conclusions.

They stressed the need for all the Koreans to hold high the slogan "Let the entire nation unite under the banner of north-south joint declarations and achieve national reunification at the earliest date!" and step up the grand nationwide march toward reunification while meeting all challenges of the anti-reunification forces this year which marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of the June 15 joint declaration, an event of great significance in accomplishing the cause of national reunification.

Expressing the belief that the people in the homeland would successfully implement the tasks set forth in the joint editorial as long as there is the tested leadership of Kim Jong Il, they said that overseas compatriots, too, would devote their all to building a great, prosperous and powerful nation and reunifying the country.