Present there were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and officials concerned.

The reporter and speakers said that Kim Jong Il was born as the son of legendary guerrillas in Mt. Paektu, sacred mountain of the revolution, adding that this was the great fortune of the nation that promised the bright future of the revolutionary cause of Juche and the event of world significance that opened a bright prospect in realizing the human cause of independence.

Kim Jong Il has developed and enriched the revolutionary idea, the Juche idea of President
Kim Il Sung with his outstanding ideological and theoretical activities, demonstrated the dignity of Juche Korea with his original Songun politics and brought about new history of change for the prosperity of Kim Il Sung's nation to this land, they stressed, and went on:

Kim Jong Il visited the workers of the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex in order to kindle the flame of the New Year's drive and has provided ceaseless field guidance from the outset of this year. Working people across the country have performed miracles and innovation in the struggle for improving the people's standard of living under his leadership.

They called upon all the working people to devotedly defend Kim Jong Il and create new norms and records in production and construction in the same work-style and fighting spirit as displayed by workers of the Songjin Steel Complex, regarding their posts as fronts.

Meanwhile, the workers' art group of the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea gave a performance at the Central Hall of Workers on the occasion of the February holiday.