The message said that the 77th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission who is a son faithful to the Korean people, would come soon.

It said we know that Kim Jong Il made a great contribution to the overall development of the DPRK, adding under his leadership the Korean people invariably advanced along the road of socialist construction, achieved excellent successes in the fields of science, industry and culture and put the defence capacities of the country on a new level.

It noted that he is a genuine patriot who devoted his whole life to the prosperity of the DPRK.

It stated that under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea the working people of the DPRK are confidently advancing along the road of building a prosperous society by putting into practice the behests of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il.

The message wished the Korean people great success in the cause of socialist construction.