A kick-off ceremony took place before the statues of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il in Hyesan City, Ryanggang Province, on Friday.

Present at the ceremony were Ri Sang Won, chairman of the Ryanggang Provincial Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, officials concerned, youth league officials and study tour group members.

The participants laid floral baskets and bouquets at the statues of the great leaders.

A reporter and speakers called on the study tour participants to deeply grasp the revolutionary history and feats of the peerlessly great persons associated with the revolutionary battle sites and revolutionary sites in the area of Mt Paektu and defend and add brilliance to the revolutionary traditions of Juche.

They stressed that all study tour participants should fully demonstrate the appearance of reserves, advancing group and wing of the WPK true to the will of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

At the end of the ceremony the study tour participants marched for Pochonbo.