Kim Jong Un set forth important tasks to win victories in the drive for defending socialism and on all fronts for building a thriving nation this year and thus glorify the 70th anniversaries of Korea's liberation and the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea as revolutionary, great auspicious events, speakers said.

The Korean people have turned out in the general offensive for the dignity of the socialist homeland and prosperity, full of conviction of final victory, they noted.

The DPRK is attaching special significance to promoting the wellbeing of the people, they said, adding: A turn will be effected in improving the people's living standards and building an economic giant this significant year.

Kim Jong Un in his New Year address underlined the need to ease tension and create a peaceful climate on the Korean peninsula, improve inter-Korean relations and thus open up a broad avenue to independent reunification, they said.

They called upon the officials of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and Koreans in Japan to turn out as one in the nationwide movement to reunify the country.