On the occasion of the 24th Congress of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, which is held amid the great interest and expectations at home and abroad in the stirring period when a bright future is being unfolded on the road ahead for our country and nation, I extend warm congratulations to those attending the congress and all other officials of Chongryon and compatriots in Japan.

The past four years since the 23rd Congress of Chongryon were a proud period when Chongryon officials and other compatriots in Japan performed brilliant exploits on the glorious road of clearly demonstrating its original features as a dignified overseas citizens' organization of Juche Korea, which was born and has developed under the care of the great leaders, and ushering a new golden age for the movement of Koreans in Japan.

Even in the unprecedentedly grave situation and circumstances, Chongryon, holding higher the banner of Juche, steadfastly defended its organizations, the patriotic legacy of the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and developed these organizations, affiliates and other bodies at all levels into fortresses of single-hearted unity, into bulwarks of patriotic loyalty.

Through the political and cultural events that involved the entire Korean community, including the celebration held to mark the 60th anniversary of its establishment, Chongryon strived to carry forward the great leaders' ideas of and exploits in the Juche-oriented movement of overseas compatriots and aggressively conducted the five-point education, thus training its officials and other compatriots into the incarnations of thoroughgoing faith and willpower-this is the greatest success it achieved in the period under review.

It ensured that all its organizations and all compatriots directed their efforts to bringing up the younger generation into dependable pillars, who will carry forward the baton of loyalty and patriotism; it also steadily unfolded the mass movement aimed at championing and expanding the rights and interests of the Koreans resident in Japan, thus further consolidating its motive force.

Chongryon officials and other compatriots in Japan have shared the same destiny with their socialist homeland both in ordinary days and grim days, rendering active support to our Republic and making a great contribution to the struggle for the independent reunification of the country and its prosperity.

I highly appreciate Chongryon for having overcome all manner of trials and difficulties during the period under review and creditably carried out the tasks set out at its 23rd Congress; I offer heartfelt thanks to Chairman Ho Jong Man, Chongryon officials and all other compatriots in Japan for following their motherland unwaveringly and supporting it with a single mind.

As it is being held in the stirring period for an epochal turning-point in implementing the cause of Juche, the 24th Congress of Chongryon is a significant meeting that will set up a new milestone in effecting an overall upsurge in the movement of Koreans in Japan.

To meet the requirements for the historic stage of a fresh era of prosperity that is unprecedented in the nation's 5 000-year history, Chongryon and the compatriots in Japan should consolidate their association that shines with the august names of the peerlessly great persons, both organizationally and ideologically, and step up their patriotic advance to hasten a new heyday in the movement of Koreans in Japan.

Chongryon should thoroughly establish the ideological and leadership system of Juche across its organizations at all levels, strengthen the single-hearted unity of its ranks in every way possible and continue to prioritize ideological education to achieve a breakthrough for victory by relying on the inexhaustible mental strength of its officials and other compatriots.

It should ensure that its organizations, affiliates and other bodies at all levels achieve a solid unity based on love for their motherland and nation. In particular, it should hold fast to the principle of prioritizing its chapters to turn all its grass-roots organizations into lively, working entities and build a harmonious Korean community that is overflowing with the beautiful trait of mutual assistance and warm affection.

Democratic national education is the source of the greatest pride for Chongryon and an undertaking of everlasting significance that ensures the continuity of the movement of Koreans in Japan.

Chongryon organizations at all levels should concentrate all their efforts on the education of the rising generations, with the focus of its building and patriotic movement put on national education; they should build up the teachers’ ranks at schools at all levels, including Korea University, and continuously increase the ranks of students, thus bringing about efflorescence of national education.

Chongryon should channel its particular efforts into the work with people of younger generation and other compatriots of various strata in Japan to further consolidate the mass foundation of the movement of Koreans in Japan; it should also briskly conduct the national cultural work and mass sporting activities, highly demonstrating the pride and mettle of the Korean nation.

Chongryon organizations at all levels and their officials should devote all their efforts to defending the rights and interests of the compatriots and to activities for providing them with a rich and happy life, holding high the compatriot-first slogan, "Let's make selfless, devoted efforts for the compatriots!"

The genuine dignity and happy future of the overseas compatriots are guaranteed by their powerful motherland and the reunification and prosperity of their nation.

In line with the demands of the new era of peace, prosperity and reunification on the Korean peninsula, Chongryon should work in a bold manner to achieve the national unity of compatriots of various strata, and organize and conduct more vigorously the patriotic movement for reunification, thus taking charge of and playing an important role in writing a new chapter in the history of national reunification.

Chongryon should carry on positive external activities to give wide publicity to the policy and stand of our Party and the DPRK government with regard to foreign affairs in keeping with the current rapidly-changing situation and further develop its friendly ties with progressive figures and other people of Japan and international organizations, so as to create on its own initiative an environment favourable for its work and the movement of Koreans in Japan.

Chongryon officials and other compatriots in Japan should ardently love their motherland, staunchly safeguard it, and cherishing the great Kim Jong Il's patriotism, make characteristic contributions to the building of a powerful socialist country. By doing so, they can invariably exalt their honour as a pacesetter for patriotism, a model of patriotic loyalty and an exemplary overseas compatriots' organization.

Only victory and glory are always in store for Chongryon and the movement of Koreans in Japan that are dynamically advancing along the unchangeable track of patriotism, sharing their destiny with their socialist motherland of Juche.

Believing that the 24th Congress of Chongryon will constitute a meeting of victory and glory noteworthy in the history of the movement of Koreans in Japan, a meaningful gathering that will consolidate the harmonious whole of Chongryon officials and other compatriots in Japan and provide all the compatriots and their children with hope and dream for the future, I sincerely wish the congress an excellent success.