Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Pak Pong Ju, Ri Yong Gil, Hyon Yong Chol and other senior party, state and army officials, the chairperson of a friendly party, members of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), deputies to the SPA, officials of party, armed forces and power organs, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, service personnel of the Korean People's Army and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, labor innovators, bereaved family members of revolutionary martyrs and working people in Pyongyang.

Also present there were Ho Jong Man, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, Ryang Su Jong, advisor of the Korean Federation of Workers in Commerce in Japan, the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan for celebrating the 66th founding anniversary of the DPRK, delegations, visiting groups of overseas Koreans and other compatriots staying in the homeland and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present there on invitation were foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international bodies and military attaches of foreign embassies here and foreign guests.

Pak Pong Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and premier of the DPRK Cabinet, made a report.

President Kim Il Sung declared before the world the founding of the DPRK on September 9, Juche 37 (1948) on the basis of the precious experience gained in the building of the people's power in the flames of the anti-Japanese revolution and the firm foundation laid in the building of the country after its liberation, the reporter said, and went on:

The history of the DPRK is a sacred course along which it developed into an independent socialist state under the leadership of Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.

They regarded independence as lifeline in the whole period of leading the revolution and led the DPRK to solve all issues arising in the revolution and construction by the efforts of the Koreans in conformity with the actual conditions of the country and interests of the Korean revolution, invariably adhering to the principle of independence in politics, self-sustenance in the economy and self-reliance in national defence.

They made sure that all the lines, policies and activities of the DPRK were thoroughly implemented to defend the interests and requirements of the people and provide the people with an independent and creative life.

They paid a particular attention to providing the DPRK with a firm political, military and economic guarantee for creditably performing its duty as a powerful weapon for accomplishing the cause of Juche with a noble sense of mission to protect the destiny of the country.

They regarded the single-minded unity as a mainstay for the revolution and consolidated in every way the unity of the revolutionary ranks in thinking and purpose, morality and sense of obligation, thus laying a firm socio-political foundation of the DPRK.

In the whole period of leading the revolution they considered the military affair as the most important state affair and exerted all efforts for bolstering up the defence capability.

They built strong self-supporting national economy so that the Korean people could enjoy happiness and wellbeing in the thriving socialist nation for all eternity.

Under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un the DPRK is advancing straight along the road of independence, Songun and socialism indicated by the President and Kim Jong Il while thoroughly implementing their behests without an inch of deflection and the slightest concession and settling all the issues arising in the revolution and construction the way the President and Kim Jong Il did.

As clarified in the statement of the government of the DPRK, it will make our every effort to weather the difficulties facing the nation, mend the north-south relations and open up a new phase for independent reunification, and carry out without fail the last instructions of the President and Kim Jong Il for national reunification.

The government of the DPRK will as ever remain true to the idea of its foreign policy-- independence, peace and friendship-- and boost the friendly and cooperative relations with all countries which respect its sovereignty and are friendly towards it and make positive efforts for the global peace, security and prosperity common to mankind.