Present at the meeting were the captain and crewmen of the Panamanian-flagged ship "Ba He Chuan".

Speakers there said that the birth of Kim Jong Il was a great fortune of the nation as it promised the rosy future of the Korean people. It was also a historic event that gave new hope to the progressive mankind, they added.

They noted that Kim Jong Il devoted his all to accomplishing the revolutionary cause of President Kim Il Sung.

The revolutionary exploits of Kim Jong Il, the sun of the 21st century, will be kept forever in the hearts of humankind, they said.

A letter to the dear respected Kim Jong Un was adopted at the meeting.

The participants laid bouquets before the statue of Kim Il Sung in Chongjin before paying tribute to him.