The statement said:

Comrade Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, liberated Korea, founded the DPRK and defeated the U.S. imperialists for the first time in history. He indicated the path for the DPRK's today and future by founding the immortal Juche idea.

Thanks to him the DPRK has turned into a power independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defence.

He laid a foundation for friendship between Syria and the DPRK together with Hafez Al-Assad, former president of Syria.

I pay my heartfelt homage to Kim Il Sung for his undying exploits for the development of the friendly relations between the two countries.