In August last year when visiting the plant associated with the patriotic devotion of leader Kim Jong Il, he gave it tasks for consolidating its material and technological foundation, developing various cutting-edge machine products and making light aircraft.

Going round the plant, he learnt in detail about the development and production of new products.

He noted with pleasure that its workers made a marvelous sci-tech achievement with worldwide competitive power in the course of developing cutting-edge equipment and thus provided a solid springboard for rapid progress of the DPRK's machine-building industry.

The plant has a very important mission and role to play, he said, stressing that it should push forward a drive to develop the country's machine-building industry onto a higher stage.

To train talented persons is more important than to update equipment in a drive for modernizing the plant, he said, adding that deep attention should be paid to the work for building up the designing force and the ranks of technicians and skilled workers and providing the scientists and technicians with better working and living conditions.

Then he watched the test flight of light airplanes produced at the plant.

He learnt in detail about mechanism, performance, etc. of the newly-made light airplanes before giving an instruction to start the test flight.

Watching their flight, he expressed his great satisfaction over the fact that the plant with a long history is producing not only military aircraft but also various types of civilian airplanes at will.

And he got aboard one of the planes to personally conduct its take-off and landing test, saying: I have to try the airplane as it was produced by our working class. This will please our scientists, technicians and workers and encourage them to the dynamic work for attaining a higher goal.

Noting that last year he gave an instruction to make light aircraft and sent samples, he praised the officials, scientists, technicians and workers of sectors concerned, the plant and other relevant industrial establishments for having successfully manufactured those planes whose all equipment and apparatuses are home-made. And he warmly asked officials to convey his greetings to them.

He expressed great expectation and belief that the officials and workers of the plant would give a facelift to their factory as required by the new century, make a great leap forward in the production of advanced machines and thus creditably play a role of the vanguard and shock brigade in the building of a thriving nation.

Accompanying him were Hwang Pyong So, O Kum Chol, Ri Pyong Chol, Jo Chun Ryong and Hong Yong Chil.