Present there were senior party, army and state officials, chairpersons of friendly parties, deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly, leading officials of the party, armed forces and power organs, public organizations, ministries and national institutions, servicepersons of the KPA and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, pro-reunification patriotic champions who are former unconverted long-term prisoners, officials of the fields of science, education, culture and art, public health and media, heroes, those of merits, the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan, and a delegation of overseas compatriots and other compatriots and the chief of the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present there on invitation were diplomatic envoys, members of the military attaches corps here, representatives of international organizations here and other foreigners.

Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, addressing the banquet said that the 60-odd year-long history of the DPRK is the history of glorious revolutionary activities of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il. The President's idea on nation-building and his exploits have been thoroughly preserved and successfully carried forward by
Kim Jong Il, he said, and went on:

Kim Jong Il advanced the idea and theory of nation-building centered on the leader for the first time in history and has successfully embodied them, thus developing the DPRK into the country of
Kim Il Sung. He has also pursued the Songun politics in all fields, defending the destiny of the country and the nation and turning it into a political and ideological power, a military power and a scientific and technical power.

It is thanks to Kim Jong Il's ardent patriotism, bold political decision, energetic external activities that the June 15 era of reunification advancing in the idea of "By our nation itself" was ushered in this land, the dignity and position of Songun Korea have further risen and the international solidarity with the Korean revolution has remarkably grown stronger.

The DPRK will always hold Kim Il Sung as the sun of Juche, glorify his idea on nation-building and exploits performed by him through generations and resolutely defend and carry out the line and politics of the WPK under the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.