With the successful construction of gravity-fed waterway extending hundreds of ris (1 ri=392.73m) to pass through vast farm fields in Hwangju and Yonthan counties of North Hwanghae Province, a major granary, progress has been made in the irrigation of agriculture and a bright prospect for developing the agricultural production in a sustained and stable way opened.

An inaugural ceremony for the waterway took place on the spot on Tuesday.

Attending it was Premier Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK.

Present there were O Su Yong, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, Ri Chol Man, department director of the C.C., WPK, Ju Chol Gyu, vice-premier of the Cabinet and chairman of the Agricultural Commission, Pak Chang Ho, chief secretary of the North Hwanghae Provincial Committee of the WPK, Kim Son Il, chairman of the provincial people's committee, Pak Myong Son, chairman of the provincial rural economy committee, commanding officers and shock brigade members of the waterway construction division and officials and working people in the province.

At the inaugural ceremony, O Su Yong conveyed a letter of thanks from the WPK Central Committee to all the builders who performed brilliant labor feats in the waterway construction project.

The premier of the Cabinet made an inaugural address.

On behalf of the Party and government, he extended warm greetings of congratulation to all the builders of the waterway construction division who turned out in the indomitable, patriotic struggle true to the call of the Party and successfully built the monumental edifice glorifying the great era of Kim Jong Un.

The completion of the large-scale waterway extending hundreds of ris through steep mountains and fields proved once again that if we accept the Party's resolutions by hearts and carry through them, it is possible for us to make a big stride of advance and prosperity and hasten the future of a thriving country by our own efforts even in hardships, the premier said.

He called upon all to more vigorously struggle for hastening the shining victory of the programme for the rural revolution in the new era and achieving the prosperity of the country and the happiness of the coming generations, saying that our country will be turned into a socialist paradise developing and prospering on an overall scale in the not too distant future as there are wise policies of the Party and the patriotic people faithful to it.

Speeches were made there.

After the ceremony the participants went round different parts of the waterway.