Present there were Hong Kil Nam, vice-chairman of the North Phyongan Provincial People's Committee, and officials concerned in the province and Sinuiju City from the DPRK side and Bing Zhigang, vice-governor of the Liaoning Provincial People's Government of China and officials concerned in the province and Dandong City from the Chinese side.

Speeches were made at the ceremony.

The speakers noted that after leader Kim Jong Il and President Hu Jintao reached an agreement on jointly developing and managing the two economic zones, a series of issues have been settled for the development of the Hwanggumphyong Economic Zone, with a substantial progress made.

They stressed that the joint development and operation of the zone would be conducive to furthering the DPRK-China friendly relations sealed in blood and attaining co-prosperity.

A ground-breaking milestone was erected there.