In the speech he said that the current conference of cell chairpersons, the fifth of its kind in the history of the WPK, is under way amid the arduous yet vigorous struggle going on to bring overall prosperity on the whole front of accomplishing the socialist cause under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.

He noted that President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il advanced the unique line of party building, a line of attaching importance to the basic organizations, long ago and directed primary efforts to the work for strengthening the basic party organizations including cells.

In his lifetime leader Kim Jong Il would teach that to strengthen the cell, a grass-root organization of our Party, is the most important work for ensuring the prestige of the WPK, further strengthening our Party organizationally and ideologically and enhancing its militancy, saying that the Party's organizational and ideological soundness and might, and the thoroughgoing implementation of the Party's lines and policies are guaranteed by the party cells, the Chairman added.

He stressed that the Party Central Committee convened the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK in order to further strengthen the party cells in keeping with the requirements of the developing revolution and bring about a fresh turn in the their work, true to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il's unique line of party building and idea of giving importance to the basic organizations.

In reflection of the ardent loyalty of the participants in the conference and all other cell chairpersons and party members, the Chairman of the WPK expressed the highest respects and eternal glory to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il who, with their rare wisdom and distinguished leadership ability, advanced the unique idea of party building and developed the WPK into the invincible militant general staff and an ever-victorious iron-willed party which has struck its roots deep into the popular masses.

Saying that the rapid development of the DPRK's nuclear force is now exerting big influence on the world political structure and strategic environment, the Chairman of the WPK informed of the situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula and the international political situation around the DPRK. He stressed that nobody can deny the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S.

Although grave challenges that should not be overlooked face us, we neither feel disappointed nor are afraid of them but are optimistic about progress of our revolution under this situation, he said, and went on:

The prevailing situation offers a good opportunity to further strengthen our unity and make us develop with our own efforts in all fields, depending on the Juche character and self-reliance. We have to work with confidence, optimism and smile.

He noted that the Party Central Committee comprehensively analyzed the prevailing subjective and objective conditions and the future developments and convened the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the Seventh WPK Central Committee to set forth grand and tested orientation and unique strategic and tactical policies for hastening overall development of our revolution.

He said with high pride that all the people turned out in hearty response to the militant call of the Party and have been making steady progress and changes in the drive to implement the decisions of the Seventh WPK Congress.

Noting that we successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force by thoroughly implementing the revolutionary line of independence in politics, self-support in the economy and self-reliance in defense, despite short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies, he said that we have further cemented the self-reliant socialist economic foundation and the economic structure of self-sufficiency based on domestic efforts, technology and resources and developed the socialist culture in an overall way by raising the fiercer flames of the cultural revolution.

He went on:

This year, too, the number of units which completed their annual plans drastically increased in major fields of the national economy and a fresh turn was brought in grain and fruit production. We manufactured new-type trucks, tractors and farm machines with our own strength and technology. Many light industrial factories were renovated and updated to produce quality consumption goods.

It is the miracle of history that the building of a powerful socialist nation has been steadily pushed forward without a moment of stagnation despite the harsh sanctions and pressure threatening the existence of the state and its people. Our people's absolute trust in the great Party which brought about the miracle has grown deeper and the harmonious whole of the Party and the masses has been cemented as firm as rock.

The proud victories and successes of our Party and people are associated with loyalty and devoted efforts of the Party cells and their chairpersons that linked tens of millions of masses to the Party Central Committee in blood vessel and inspiringly aroused them to the implementation of the Party's policies.

The Party Central Committee sees hundreds of thousands of Party cells and their chairpersons active among the broad masses from the great people who rise up as one following only the Party and is greatly encouraged by them.

He sent warm thanks and militant greetings to all the participants in the conference and all other chairpersons of the Party cells who have devotedly worked only for the Party and the socialist motherland with their responsibility for the grass-root organizations of our Party, silently dedicating their all.

He stressed the need to launch a brave offensive for implementing the decision of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the WPK and attaining the goal of the five-year strategy for national economic development set forth at the Seventh WPK Congress to smash the escalating aggression moves of the U.S. imperialists and their sanctions and pressure and promote the radical progress of socialist construction in a more exciting and elated posture than ever before.

In order to successfully carry out the important and urgent tasks set forth by our Party at present, the Party cells, basic organizations of the Party, should be further strengthened and all the Party cell chairpersons should fulfill their responsibilities and duties, he stated.

He underscored the need for the current conference to properly make an overall review and analysis of the successes and faults in the work of the Party cells since the Fourth Conference of Secretaries of the Cells of the WPK and take practical measures for making all the Party cells into loyal ranks upholding the Party's idea and leadership in the van and enhance the roles of the Party cell chairpersons in the work.

Participating in the current conference are chairpersons of the Party cells and branch committees, leading officials of Party committees at all levels and Party officials in the fields of munitions industry, leading sectors of the national economy, light industry, agriculture and other fields and sectors and units of armed forces organs, he said.

Expressing belief that the current conference would mark another turning point in increasing the militant power of our Party in every way by strengthening the Party cells and enhancing the roles of their chairpersons, he declared the Fifth Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK open.