National Memorial Service Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Demise of Kim Il Sung

A national memorial service took place solemnly at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium Tuesday, the 20th anniversary of demise of President Kim Il Sung.

Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, first chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army, was present.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Pak Pong Ju, Hwang Pyong So and senior party, state and army officials, the chairperson of a friendly party, officials of the party, armed forces and power bodies, public organizations, ministries and national institutions, service personnel of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, officials in the fields of science, education, literature and arts, public health and media, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs and working people in Pyongyang.

Also present were delegations of overseas Koreans and other compatriots, those related to the revolutionary activities of the President, the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations and staff members of the military attaches corps here and foreign guests.

All the participants paid silent tribute to Kim Il Sung in the humblest reverence.

A memorial address was made there by Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK.

The life of Kim Il Sung was one of the most outstanding leader for the people and the peerless great man who devoted his all to the country and its people, times and humankind, the speaker said, and went on:

“From the very day he embarked on the revolutionary struggle, Kim Il Sung clarified the iron truth that independence is the lifeline of the popular masses and is what keeps the country and the nation alive, founded the Juche idea centered on the popular masses and solved all issues in Korean way in the interests of the Korean people and to suit the specific conditions of the country in the whole period of leading the revolution.

In the bloody anti-Japanese revolutionary war, he defeated the gangster-like Japanese imperialists and realized the cherished desire of national liberation. He also shattered the myth of “mightiness” of the U.S. imperialists with his gifted military ideas, strategies and tactics, thus winning a historic victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.

With his far-reaching plan for building a prosperous country, he traversed the untrodden path of building a country and battled his way against the ordeals of rehabilitation and construction, thus successfully carrying out the social revolutions of two stages. He also saw to it that socialist industrialization was realized through the great surge of Chollima, thus laying a firm foundation for building self-supporting national economy.

He devoted his all to the victory of the revolution, always thinking about the country and its people while undergoing all sorrows and hardships a man and a revolutionary could suffer for a long period since he embarked on the road of the revolution.

He was the father of the nation who embraced all Koreans loving the country and the nation with his broad magnanimity and great tolerance. He was the sun of all people whom not only leaders of political parties and heads of state and personages of many countries around the world but also those with differing ideologies and political views ardently revered and worshiped, being attracted by his noble charisma.

The President successfully accomplished the cause of building the Juche-oriented party, state and army, thus providing a powerful political and military foundation for carrying to completion the Juche revolution.

He turned the whole country into a large family with his benevolent politics and all-embracing politics, thus creating a huge flower garden of single-minded unity and harmonious whole.

He built Korean-style socialism centered on the popular masses, thus providing an eternal groundwork for the prosperity of all generations to come.

He gave a perfect solution to the issue of the successor to the leader, the key factor in carrying forward the revolutionary cause, thus making sure that the revolutionary traditions are carried forward just as they are. He also directed big efforts to bringing up new generations to be the successors to the revolution.

He set forth the three charters for national reunification, thus clearly indicating the way of realizing the nation’s desire for reunification. He put his last signature on a historic document related to Korea’s reunification, a clear indication of his lifelong dedication to the reunification of the country.

Through his energetic external activities he remarkably enhanced the international position and authority of the DPRK and performed gigantic feats for strengthening the socialist movement and winning the victory of the cause of independence against imperialism.

The achievements the President made by performing great feats unprecedented in the history of the nation spanning thousands of years with his profound ideas and theories, distinguished leadership ability and gigantic revolutionary practice to open up a rosy future of Juche Korea will be conveyed to posterity.

Thanks to the undying feats performed by the President, the army and people of the DPRK could overcome the unprecedented Arduous March and usher in the new era of building a thriving socialist nation and demonstrate the dignity and might of Songun Korea all over the world under the guidance of leader Kim Jong Il.

The revolutionary cause of Juche started and led to victory by Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il is being given steady continuity by the WPK today.

As there is the leadership of the great party, all lifetime plans and desires of the President will come true and Kim Il Sung’s nation and Kim Jong Il’s Korea will prosper forever.”

Memorial services and meetings also took place in provinces, cities (districts), counties and industrial complexes to commemorate the anniversary on the same day.