Present at the opening ceremony were Ri Jong Guk, minister of Machine Industry, Kim Song Dok, vice-chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, officials of ministries and national institutions, delegations and delegates from different countries and regions, diplomatic envoys and staff members of foreign embassies here.

Kim Mun Jong, director of the Korean International Exhibition Corporation, made an opening address which was followed by a congratulatory speech by O Ryong Chol, vice-minister of Foreign Trade.

The speakers welcomed the delegations and delegates taking part in the Pyongyang exhibition.

They said that the machine-building industry of the DPRK has steadily developed on the basis of latest science and technology.

They hoped that the participants would exchange successes and experience in machine production and make good results through trade transactions.

They expressed the will to boost cooperation with foreign countries and different regional bodies in machine production on the principle of equality and mutual benefits in the future, too.

At the end of the ceremony the participants looked around exhibits presented by companies of the DPRK, Germany, Singapore, China, the Czech Republic and Taipei of China.

The exhibition will go on until Thursday.