Last year the harmonious whole of the Party and the masses of the people was solidified and the purity and might of the revolutionary ranks strengthened, he said, and went on:

The ardent yearning of our service personnel and people for President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il became intenser as the days went by and they fully manifested their passionate loyalty and pure sense of moral obligation to translate into reality the great leaders' plans and wishes. Our Party's politics of love for the people and younger generation and its policy of attaching importance to science and education were embodied in reality and thereby the people's trust in the Party deepened and our single-hearted unity hardened. Amid the drive for carrying on education in revolutionary traditions through the study tour of the revolutionary battle sites in the Mt. Paektu area, the entire army and the whole society came to pulsate with the spirit and mettle of Paektu and bubble with the conviction and will to carry through the sacred revolutionary cause of Juche.

Last year the fighting efficiency of the People's Army was increased remarkably and national defence capability was built up.

Last year we made great progress in the building of a socialist economic giant and civilized nation by the joint operation of the army and people.

An upswing was brought about in production in different sectors including agriculture, fishery and chemical and coal-mining industries, opening up bright prospects for the building of an economic giant and improvement of the people's living standards. The construction sector kindled the fierce flames for creating the Korean speed to build many monumental structures that serve as standards and models of Juche-oriented architecture, thereby actually demonstrating the looks of the DPRK that is realizing its beautiful ideals.

Our sportspeople undauntedly fought by our own style of tactics in the 17th Asian Games and world championships to exalt the honour of the country.