Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Choummaly Saynasone was born in Attopu Province of Laos on June 3, 1936.

He took part in revolution in 1954 and joined the Lao People's Party, the predecessor of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, in 1955.

He received military and politico-theoretical education in Vietnam and the former Soviet Union.

He was a political commissar of a battalion and battalion commander, chief of staff and commander of the force stationed in Xiengkhouang area, the liberation area from 1962 to 1975.

He worked as director of the Combat Department of the Lao Ministry of Defence and deputy chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army and vice-minister of Defence from 1976.

He was appointed as first vice-minister of Defence in 1986 and minister of Defence in August of 1991.

He was elected vice-president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 2001.

He was elected member of the Central Committee of the party at the Third Congress of the LPRP in April of 1982, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Party Central Committee at its Fourth Congress in November of 1986, member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee at its Fifth Congress held in March of 1991, at its Sixth Congress held in March of 1996 and at its Seventh Congress held in March of 2001.

He was elected General Secretary of the Party Central Committee at the Eighth Congress of the LPRP held in March of 2006.

He was elected President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the First Session of the Sixth National Assembly of Laos in June of 2006.

He was reelected General Secretary of the Party Central Committee at the Ninth Congress of the LPRP held in March of 2011.

He was reelected President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the First Session of the Seventh National Assembly of Laos held in June of 2011.

He is concurrently Chairman of the Central Committee of Defence and Security of the LPDR.