Pyongyang, October 3 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il provided field guidance to the construction site of Tanchon Port.

Thanks to the ardent patriotism and devoted labor drive of the builders of the port, the port has made its clear appearance in the main to be capable of handling millions of tons of cargo a year. As a result, this has provided a bright prospect for massively exporting lead, zinc, magnesia clinker and light burned magnesia produced in the Komdok and Tanchon areas.

Being briefed on the port before a large map showing its panoramic view, he went round various places of the construction site to acquaint himself in detail with the projects.

Feasting his eyes on breakwaters extending toward rough sea, port dredging ground, the paved wharf, the port's main building now under construction in a peculiar way, etc., he expressed great satisfaction over the projects.

It is not easy to build a port capable of handling millions of tons of cargo in Tanchon area without any natural breakwater like an islet under the natural and geographical conditions very unfavorable for building a port, he said, highly praising the builders for working new miracles of Songun Korea in the drive for gigantic nature-harnessing in the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance.

The construction of Tanchon Port is as vast as the project for reclaiming the Taegyedo Tideland, he said.

This laudable success demonstrated once again before the whole world that Korea does what it is determined to do, he noted with pride.

Tanchon Port is an important construction object to which the party attaches great importance, he said, setting forth the tasks to be fulfilled to finish the port construction ahead of schedule.

It is necessary to channel main efforts into the dredging work to ensure the depth of the port so that even cargo ships with tens of thousands of tons may sail, unhindered, as the most difficult projects were finished in the main in the construction of the port, he noted.

He underlined the need to finish the dredging work at Wharf No. 2, in particular at an early date so that ships may enter the port in the near future and to complete the overall construction projects on the ground including the main building to ensure that the port operates from the next year.

State attention should be paid to the port construction as it is a difficult and gigantic nature-harnessing project, he said, stressing the need for the Cabinet and related units to take thoroughgoing steps for the project.

It is the plan and will of the WPK to provide the people with highly civilized living conditions, he said, calling for building a good beach and recreation ground near the port for working people.

The infrastructure network project including the port construction is an important work for the happiness of posterity and prosperity of the country, he said, expressing great expectation and conviction that the builders would discharge their honorable and noble mission and duty by successfully building Tanchon Port from the stand that they would be responsible for it for a thousand years and guarantee it for ten thousand years.

He was accompanied by Kim Ki Nam, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, Kim Kyong Hui, member of the Political Bureau and department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, Jang Song Thaek, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK and vice-chairman of the NDC, Pak To Chun and Thae Jong Su, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, Kwak Pom Gi, chief secretary of the South Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, and Pak Pong Ju, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the WPK.