Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- A meeting took place at Joson University under the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) in Tokyo on Nov. 5 to mark the 55th anniversary of the university.

Present there were Ho Jong Man, chief vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon, and its officials, Jang Pyong Thae, rector of Joson University, and teachers and graduates of the university and other Koreans in Japan.

A congratulatory message from the Education Commission of the DPRK was read out at the meeting.

Ho Jong Man in his congratulatory speech said it is the greatest honor and fortune of Joson University to have made a brilliant history of its development, holding in high esteem President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il as its teachers.

He went on:

There are many overseas compatriot organizations in the world, but only Chongryon has its own university.

Chongryon has vigorously advanced the patriotic movement along the road of Juche through generations and centuries by training native cadres with its own efforts.

Jang Pyong Thae in his report said the precious feat of the university is that it, as a center of training native cadres, has produced a lot of excellent talents serving the homeland and the nation and Koreans in Japan.

Academic degrees and titles of the DPRK were awarded to teachers of the university at the meeting.

The meeting heard a letter addressed to Kim Jong Il.

The letter said the university would further glorify its honor of being the only overseas university of the DPRK and renew its appearance as an authoritative university true to the Juche-oriented idea on education of overseas Koreans.

An art performance "Korean Dance Developing in an Alien Land" was given on the same day.