Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) -- The title of the DPRK Hero was awarded to Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.

Kim Jong Il performed undying revolutionary feats for the country and its people, the times and history by wisely leading the WPK, army and people for decades since he embarked upon the road of revolution in his early years.

He developed in depth the Juche idea, the Songun idea founded by President Kim Il Sung with his clairvoyant wisdom and energetic ideological and theoretical activities, thus glorifying them as an encyclopedic ideological and theoretical boon indicating the road to be followed by the WPK, revolution and the era of independence. He gave a steady continuity to the tradition of the Korean revolution by upholding and carrying forward the revolutionary tradition of Mt. Paektu.

He developed the WPK, army and state bequeathed by the President into his party, army and state shining with his immortal name and placed the country's dignity and power onto the highest level in the history of the Korean nation spanning five thousand years.

True to the last instructions of the President for national reunification, Kim Jong Il led all the fellow countrymen along the road of independence and great national unity, ushered in the June 15 era of reunification advancing in the spirit of "By our nation itself" and made a great contribution to achieving the victory of the socialist cause and accomplishing the just cause of the world peace and stability and friendship and solidarity among peoples under the uplifted banner of independence against imperialism.

He devoted all his efforts and wisdom and energies for building a thriving nation and improving the standard of people's living, regarding the idea of believing in the people as in Heaven as his maxim in the whole period of his revolutionary activities. He breathed his last at work on a train due to manifold mental and physical strain while making the most arduous forced march for field guidance without having any good rest.

A decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly on awarding the title of the DPRK Hero to Kim Jong Il was promulgated on Dec. 19.