An inauguration ceremony of oxygen heat blast furnace and oxygen separators took place on December 20.

Present there 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.

Also, attending it were O Su Yong, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Yang Sung Ho, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Kim Chol Sam, chief secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, An Kum Chol, minister of Metallurgical Industry, officials and employees of the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex, the Chongjin Metal Construction Complex and the Equipment Assembly Complex, officials of commissions, ministries, national institutions and the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK who contributed to the construction, members of the February 17 Shock Brigade of Scientists and Technicians, scientists, technicians, researchers and officials concerned.

O Su Yong conveyed a message of thanks from the WPK Central Committee to the workers, technicians and officials who performed distinguished feats in building a new-type Juche-based iron-making process at the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex.

The WPK Central Committee in its message highly appreciated the feats and exploits of all the builders and helpers who contributed to providing precious wealth further vitalizing the advance of the country in the most difficult period.

The premier of the Cabinet made an inauguration address.

Upon authorization of the Party Central Committee and the government of the Republic, the premier extended warm congratulations and respects to all the builders, scientists and technicians including the working class of the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex who made a great contribution to the development of the country's metallurgical industry.

He said that the proud edifice is associated with the detailed guidance of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who personally examined a map showing the bird's eye view of the new floating preheating-style oxygen heat blast furnace and its layout and made sure that the most efficient design was found and gave infinite wisdom and courage to successfully complete the project at one go by scrutinizing every process.

The completion of the new blast furnace is a clear demonstration of the revolutionary spirit of the Korean workers who have firmly built the pillar of the self-supporting economy with the faith of self-reliance and the indomitable struggle, staking their life on the implementation of the Party's resolutions, he stressed.

He underlined the need for the metallurgical industrial sector to intensify the work for expanding the successes and experience gained in the project so as to further consolidate the foundation of the country's Juche-based iron production and definitely put the metallurgical industry of the country on a stage of steady development.

The premier called upon all to further strive to attain the steel production goal of the five-year plan without fail in the same spirit as was displayed to victoriously implement the Party's resolutions.

Then followed speeches.

At the end of the ceremony the participants looked round the new-type Juche-based iron making process.