The dear respected Kim Jong Un provided this significant reception, associated with benevolence of leader Kim Jong Il, on the lunar New Year's Day when the Korean people are greeting with ardent yearning for the leader.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Ki Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop and officials of party, armed forces and power bodies, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, men and officers of the Korean People's Army and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media and persons of merit.

Choe Thae Bok said in an address that thanks to Kim Jong Il's noble love for the nation lunar New Year's Day came to serve as an important occasion in instilling the Korean people with national pride and honor and patriotism.

The social traits of promoting excellent national traditions has been established in the country and the heyday of national culture in the era of Songun ushered in under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il who guided the work to develop the heritage of national culture as required by the demand of the era, the speaker stressed.

True to his intention, Kim Jong Un is now implanting ardent patriotism into the Korean army and people and glorifying the time-honored cultural traditions of the nation generation after generation, the speaker noted, saying:

All the sectors and units should fan up the flames of Hamnam, the flames of industrial revolution in the new century, and thus significantly commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the 70th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il and glorify this meaningful year as a year of shining victory when an era of prosperity is unfolding.

A performance was given at the reception by artistes of the Wanjaesan Art Troupe.