Agence Congolaise d'Information on January 29 posted articles on its website under the headline "February 16, the Day of the Shining Star of the DPRK" illustrated with a portrait of smiling Kim Jong Il.

The website in its preface praised him as the greatest man who performed immortal exploits for the Korean revolution and the cause of global independence.

It went on:

He defended the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the nation by pursuing the original Songun politics and opened up a prosperous era unprecedented in the 5 000-year-old history of the nation.

The Korean people are vigorously advancing toward the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea with the same spirit as was displayed in succeeding in the first H-bomb test.

They will build a thriving socialist nation without fail true to the behest of Kim Jong Il.

The January issue of the Italian magazine La Voce carried an article titled "Eternal leader Kim Jong Il".

The magazine praised him as an outstanding thinker and theoretician, great master of leadership and benevolent father of the people.

It introduced his immortal contribution to the cause of independence against imperialism.