Present there were senior party, state and army officials including Choe Ryong Hae and Hwang Pyong So, the chairperson of a friendly party, officials of party, armed forces and power organs, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, officers and men of the Korean People's Army (KPA) and the Korean Internal Security Forces, men of meritorious services, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs, working people in Pyongyang, overseas Koreans and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present there on invitation were representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations and military attaches here.

Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, made a report.

The reporter said February 16 is the greatest auspicious day of the nation when the Korean people have come to always live under the blessings of the illustrious leaders and a revolutionary holiday common to mankind that opened up a bright road for the human cause of independence.

He said that Kim Jong Il was born in Mt. Paektu, sacred mountain of the revolution, grew up in the flame of wars against Japan and the U.S., led the WPK and the army and people of the DPRK to victory for more than half a century since he embarked on the road of the revolution with the lofty intention to glorify Korea for all ages.

The reporter continued:

Kim Jong Il created the ever-victorious history of the revolutionary cause of Juche with firm faith and staunch attack spirit of Mt. Paektu, achieved miracles and changes in all fields of politics, military affairs, economy and culture and realized in his lifetime the great cause of demonstrating the dignity and might of the country all over the world.

He formulated the revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung as Kimilsungism, glorified it as the guiding idea in the era of independence, formulated and systematized the Songun idea and advanced the Songun revolutionary line and the Songun political theory.

He led the country to demonstrate its might as the world's greatest political and ideological power and pursued the benevolent politics and all-embracing politics with his outstanding political ability, thus creating the harmonious whole in which all service personnel and people share the same thought, intention and feelings with the leader, single-mindedly united around the leader, and remarkably strengthening the driving force of the Korean revolution.

During the grim days of trials Kim Jong Il held higher the banner of Songun and turned the DPRK into the world-class military power and dignified nuclear weapons state no one dares provoke. This is the unprecedented miracle in human history and the peculiar feat to be praised by generations to come.

He indicated a shortcut to the building of an economic power and provided valuable treasures and assets for the eternal prosperity of the country and the happiness of the people.

With his ardent patriotism he led all Koreans along the road of independent reunification and the great national unity, thus opening up the June 15 era of reunification based on By Our Nation Itself. With his superb diplomatic strategy and energetic external activities he made great contributions to raising the international prestige of the DPRK and defending the world peace and stability.

With his high responsibility for the future of the revolution he successfully solved the issue of succession to the leadership, thus performing the greatest feat that guarantees the eternal future of the country and the revolution.

As led by Marshal Kim Jong Un, another great man symbolic of the spirit of Mt. Paektu who is identical to the preceding leaders in thinking, leadership and virtues, the Korean revolution makes progress along the road of advance that started on Mt. Paektu and the army and people of the DPRK are dashing toward the high eminence of a thriving nation with conviction in certain victory.

The reporter called on the entire party and army and all the people to win victories in the general advance of defending socialism and building a thriving nation in hearty response to the New Year address made by Kim Jong Un, a resolution of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the joint slogans of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK and thus glorify the 70th anniversaries of Korea's liberation and the WPK as a great revolutionary, auspicious events.

Similar meetings took place in provinces, cities, counties and industrial complexes on the same day.