The statement said that since President Kim Il Sung liberated Korea and founded the DPRK the Korean people have led an independent and creative life in all spheres of social life, being responsible for their own destiny and the DPRK has turned into a socialist power--independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defense--despite all trials of the history.

By founding the DPRK Kim Il Sung made a great immortal contribution to the Korean revolution and the human cause of independence, it said, adding:

Today the Korean people under the distinguished Songun leadership of General Secretary
Kim Jong Il are firmly defending the sovereignty of the country and dignity of the nation and speeding up the general advance for the building of a thriving nation.

We are firmly convinced that under his Songun leadership the Korean people would achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country and build a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation in the near future.