Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, enjoyed a demonstration figure skating performance.

Figure skaters successfully presented refined skills such as graceful and soft movements and skilful spins and jumps in their group performance, male and female numbers, ice dance and pair demonstration performance. Their program included "Fortune of Korea", "Thought of General", "Song of Gypsy," "Rich Harvest Comes to the Chongsan Plain", "Thunder over Jong Il Peak", "Sound in Spring", "The Country I Am Defending" and "Glory to Our Great Party".

Kim Jong Il expressed great satisfaction over the successful demonstration figure skating performances the players presented with graceful rhythms meeting the national aesthetic need and a high level of difficult movements. He extended thanks to them.

He gave instructions which would serve as guidelines for further developing the figure skating.

He said that in order to develop figure skating it is necessary to provide good conditions, environment and equipment for training and harmoniously combine music and costume and music and movements.

Developing sports including figure skating is of very weighty significance in preparing all the people so that they may contribute to the labor and defence with strong physical bodies, demonstrating the dignity and honor of Juche Korea and developing the friendly relations with various countries of the world, he said.

He stressed the need for the sportspersons to acquire Korean-style figure skating technique and training methods, create peculiar figure skating and ice dances as required by the new century and register great successes in international arena and thus fully demonstrate the honor of Songun Korea and the Korean people's spirit.

He also acquainted himself with the management and operation of the Ice Rink.

He stressed the need to raise the utility rate of the Ice Rink which can host ice games including hockey and figure skating all the year round so that young people and children may visit it to train their physical bodies. To do so the Ice Rink should be modernly face-lifted as required by the Songun era, he added.

Among the spectators were senior officials of the party and armed forces organs Kim Jong Un, Ri Yong Ho, Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Kim Kyong Hui, Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Gak, Choe Ryong Hae, Kim Yang Gon, Pak To Chun, Kim Phyong Hae, Thae Jong Su, Mun Kyong Dok, U Tong Chuk and Ri Myong Su, KPA Generals Kim Won Hong, Pak Jae Gyong, Ri Pyong Chol, Yun Jong Rin and Hyon Chol Hae, servicepersons and officials in the fields of literature and art, media and sports.