It said:

The international environment was quite complicated last year, but the Korean revolution advanced invariably along the road of victory indicated by leader Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Il was a defender of justice; for long, he conducted energetic external activities under the unfurled banner of anti-imperialist independence, remarkably enhancing the position and authority of Songun Korea in the international arena and rendering immortal services to promoting the cause of independence of mankind.

The historic visits he made last year to China and Russia served as important occasions for achieving peace in the world and security in Northeast Asia and developing the traditional relations of friendship.

Whatever a sudden turn the international situation may take and however frantically the imperialists may behave, nothing can arrest our advance towards socialism. We will, in the future, too, hold fast to our Party's principles of independence, friendship and peace and strive to develop relations of friendship with countries that respect our country's sovereignty.