Warmly acknowledging the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, he heartily congratulated them on the New Year.

After the playing of the national anthem, the audience paid silent tribute to fatherly leader Kim Jong Il in humblest reverence.

Its repertoire included female trio and chorus "Cantata to Comrade Kim Jong Il", female trio and female pangchang immortal masterpiece "Song of Best Wishes", chorus "His Life", male duet and male pangchang "We Long for You, General", male solo and pangchang "When We Sing of Songun", orchestral music and chorus ""On the Path of Struggle under the Leadership of the General" and narration and orchestral music "Korea Has Risen Up".

The performers eulogized the fact that Kim Jong Il represented the burning hearts of the army and people of the DPRK and the destiny and future of Kim Il Sung's nation and he was a symbol of dignity and mightiness and matchless strength of Songun Korea and that all the servicepersons and people have traversed the road of the glorious revolution, holding the great, distinguished, enthusiastic and staunch leader, noble and genuine great man in the present era.

The concert deeply impressed the audience as it powerfully demonstrated that Kim Jong Il will be always with the ranks of the people making a general onward march, confidently advancing towards a new victory of the Juche revolution under the leadership of Kim Jong Un and will always live in the hearts of the service persons and people of the DPRK.

He warmly waved back to the enthusiastically cheering performers and audiences.

Greatly satisfied with the admirable concert which was clear-cut in ideological and thematic principle and fully reflected the Korean people's ardent desire and wish and their steadfast pledge and will, he gave thanks to the performers, highly appreciating their successful performance.

Noting that the concert was successfully arranged, narrative poem in particular was very good and it was recited well, he said with emotion that whenever the benevolent image of Kim Jong Il was projected, he could not keep back tears in his eyes and was greatly inspired to watch the concert.

Our servicepersons and people are very high in their indomitable mental power as they have greeted the New Year, renewing their firm pledge to implement the behests of Kim Jong Il to the last, holding him in high esteem forever, he said.

He expressed great expectation and belief that the whole party and army and all the people would bring about great innovations and big leap forward again in the new year's march and thus glorify 2012 as a year of pledge and implementation to show before the whole world how the soldiers and disciples of Kim Jong Il l uphold and realize his desire.

Among the audience were senior officials of the party, state and armed forces organs Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Ri Yong Ho, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Kuk Thae, Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop, Ri Yong Mu, O Kuk Ryol, Kang Sok Ju, Pyon Yong Rip, Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Gak, Kim Yang Gon, Kim Yong Il, Pak To Chun, Choe Ryong Hae, Kim Rak Hui, Thae Jong Su, Kim Phyong Hae, Mun Kyong Dok, Ju Kyu Chang, U Tong Chuk, Kim Chang Sop, officials of the party and power bodies, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media and service members of the KPA.