He, who is also supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, arrived there at dawn by making a long trip along a snow-covered road.

He highly praised the scientists and technicians for having performed feats in successfully putting the satellite into orbit by carrier rocket Unha-3, true to the last instructions of leader Kim Jong Il, and had a photo session with them.

Then he dropped in at the General Satellite Launch Command Center to watch again a video showing the process of the satellite launch.

Noting that the scientists and technicians of the DPRK successfully implemented the last instruction of Kim Jong Il to lift off a scientific and technological satellite in 2012 which marks the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung at a time when the whole country is pervaded with boundless yearning and reverence for Kim Jong Il, he expressed thanks to them in the name of the WPK Central Committee.

The successful launch of the satellite is a striking demonstration of the general national power of the DPRK, he noted, inviting the scientists and technicians who have made a great contribution to powerfully demonstrating the scientific and technological might of Juche Korea before the whole world, to visit Pyongyang.

He told them to come to Pyongyang and visit together with him Kim Jong Il who lies in state at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to make a report to him on the successful launch of the satellite.

He said that the successful launch of the satellite once again demonstrated before the whole world the will of the DPRK to unconditionally carry out what the WPK decides to do.

The successful satellite launch is a shining victory of the WPK's policy on science and technology and its idea of pushing back the frontiers of latest science and technology, he stressed, adding that it is necessary to continue holding fast to the policy of giving importance to science and technology in future, too, and this is a consistent line of the WPK.

Pointing out that it is the age of science and technology, he underscored the need for the whole party and state to establish traits of attaching importance to science and technology and not to spare investment in developing them.

He expressed great expectation and conviction that the scientists and technicians at the space center would bring about a fresh turn in space scientific research and satellite launch on the basis of the latest successful liftoff.