He went round for hours the Exhibition of Scientific Research Achievements, room for production and introduction of intermediary process of biological products, genome research room, plant tissue culture room, stem cell research room, gene transferable plant research room and other places of the branch to acquaint himself in detail with scientific researches.

It is a great success that the scientists and technicians of the branch clarified the cause of various contagious diseases by a bioengineering method, developed medicines and vaccines good for curing incurable diseases, he said, appreciating their spirit of devoted service to the people.

He was very pleased to learn that the branch provided a sure guarantee for rapidly developing agricultural production, pomiculture and foodstuff industry.

In order to effect a new turn in the development of the nation's bioengineering, it is necessary to provide sufficient conditions for scientific researches and pay deep attention to the living of scientists and technicians, he said, showing great loving care and benevolence for them.

Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, set forth the tasks facing the branch.

Noting that it is very important for improving the people's standard of living to develop bioengineering, he underscored the need to decisively develop the bioengineering for the purpose of making a new revolution in different fields including agriculture, medical science, food industry, energy and environment.

The branch should continue to conduct brisk scientific researches conducive to promoting people's health and fully displaying the advantages of the socialist public health system in the DPRK, he said, adding: It should also conduct in a bold and big way the work to cultivate more species of high-yielding crops and the projects to develop environment-friendly bio-energy and obtain rich resources from sea.

He was accompanied by Choe Thae Bok, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., the WPK, Thae Jong Su, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., the WPK, and Mun Kyong Dok, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., the WPK and chief secretary of the Pyongyang City Committee of the WPK.