Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Pak Pong Ju and other leading officials of the party, state and army, the chairperson of a friendly party, officials of the armed forces organs, officials of ministries and national institutions, institutions and industrial establishments in Pyongyang city who distinguished themselves in the 70-day campaign of loyalty, those who had the honor of being received by the great leaders, those related to revolutionary activities of the great leaders, people of merits, congratulatory groups and delegations of overseas Koreans, overseas compatriots and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present there on invitation were foreign diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations here and their spouses, military attaches of foreign embassies here and their spouses and foreign guests.

Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, made a speech at the banquet.

He praised the President for founding the Juche idea, building a Juche-oriented revolutionary party, matchless revolutionary armed forces and Korean-style socialism centred on popular masses, opening up a bright prospect for national reunification and making undying contribution to the cause of global independence.

The President's life-long devotion to the people was given continuity by leader Kim Jong Il's high-intensity forced march and is being carried on by Marshal Kim Jong Un, he noted.

He underlined the need to push ahead the revolution and construction in line with the requirement of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, and develop the party, state and army into the ones of the great leaders to the letter, holding them in high esteem as the sun of Juche.

He referred to the stand of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government to certainly achieve the historic cause of national reunification, behests of the great leaders, develop the external relations in the idea of independence, peace and friendship and make positive efforts for the cause of global independence.