View of the platform of a central report meeting at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on February 15, 2018 marking the Day of the Shining Start, the birth anniversary of late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Exterior shot of the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium, the venue of a central report meeting marking the birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il (Photo: Korean Central Television).
View of Kimjongilia flags and the Pot’ong Gate in central Pyongyang (Photo: Korean Central Television).
A central report meeting commemorating the birth anniversary of the late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il), the Day of the Shining Star, was held on the afternoon of February 15 (Thursday) at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium in central Pyongyang. Similar report meetings were held in provincial capitals, cities, county seats and at large industrial factories throughout the country.
View of VIP Mercedes Benz cars and limousines ferrying members of the DPRK leadership to the central report meeting (Photo: Korean Central Television).
WPK Political Bureau Presidium Member and SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam arriving for the central report meeting on February 15, 2018 (Photo: Korean Central Television).
Choe Ryong Hae, Member of the WPK Political Bureau Presidium, State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman and WPK Organization Guidance Department Director, arriving for the central report meeting (Photo: Korean Central Television).
Pak Pong Ju, WPK Political Bureau Presidium Member, DPRK Premier and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman, arriving for the central report meeting. Pak was the only Presidium member who was not shown being dropped off in a luxury car (Photo: Korean Central Television).
Overview of the venue and participants at a February 15, 2018 central report meeting marking the birth anniversary of late leader Kim Jong Il (Photo: KCNA/Rodong Sinmun).
Among those who sat on the platform for the meeting were Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam [Kim Yo’ng-nam], Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Vice Chairman and State Affairs Commission [SAC] Vice Chairman Choe Ryong Hae [Ch’oe Ryong-hae], DPRK Premier and SAC Vice Chairman Pak Pong Ju [Pak Pong-chu], Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department Director VMar Kim Jong Gak [Kim Cho’ng-kak], Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Gen. Pak Yong Sik [Pak Yo’ng-sik], WPK Vice Chairman for Propaganda and Agitation Pak Kwang Ho [Pak Kwang-ho], SPA Presidium Vice Present Yang Hyong Sop [Yang Hyo’ng-sop], SPA Presidium Vice President and Korea Social Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Kim Yong Dae [Kim Yo’ng-tae], WPK Vice Chairman for International Affiars Ri Su Yong [Ri Su-yo’ng], WPK Vice Chairman for Cadres’ Affairs Kim Phyong Hae [Kim P’yo’ng-hae], WPK Vice Chairman for Economic Affairs O Su Yong [O Su-yo’ng], DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho [Ri Yo’ng-ho], Minister of State Security (Director of the State Security Department) Jong Kyong Thaek [Cho’ng Kyo’ng-t’aek], Minister of People’s Security Gen. Choe Pu Il [Ch’oe Pu-il], WPK Vice Chairman for Munitions Industry Thae Jong Su [T’ae Cho’ng-su], WPK Vice Chairman for Light Industry An Jong Su [An Cho’ng-su], WPK Vice Chairman for the United Front/South Korean Affairs Kim Yong Chol [Kim Yo’ng-ch’o’l], State Planning Commission Chairman and DPRK Vice Premier Ro Tu Chol [Ro Tu-ch’o’l], WPK Vice Chairman for Policy Inspection Pak Thae Dok [Pak T’ae-dok], WPK Vice Chairman for Workers’ and Social Organizations Choe Hwi [Ch’oe Hwi], WPK Organization Guidance Department Senior Deputy Director Jo Yon Jun [Cho Yo’n-chun], WPK Organization Guidance Department Senior Deputy Director Ri Man Gon [Ri Man-ko’n], Pyongyang WPK City Committee Chairman Kim Su Gil [Kim Su-kil], Song Chun Sop [So’ng Ch’un-so’p], SAC Department Director Kim Ung Chol [Kim U’ng-ch’o’l], DPRK Vice Premier and Minister of Agriculture Ko In Ho [Ko In-ho], DPRK Vice Premier Jon Kang Ho [Chon Kwang-ho], Minister of Machine Building Industry Ri Jong Guk [Ri Cho’ng-kuk], Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Colonel-General Yun Tong Hyong [Yun To’ng-hyo’n], Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff Gen. O Kum Chol [O Kum-ch’o’l], Vice Chief of the KPA General Staff and Artillery Command Director Colonel-General Pak Jong Chon [Pak Cho’ng-cho’n], State Academy of Sciences President Jang Chol [Chang Ch’o’l], Korean Democratic Women’s Union Central Committee First Secretary Jang Chun Sil [Chang Ch’un-sil], General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea Central Committee Fist Secretary Ju Yong Gil [Chu Yo’ng-kil] and other senior officials of the WPK, KPA and DPRK Government.
Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Colonel-General Yun Tong Hyon (second row, right) on the platform of the central report meeting. In front of him are Kim Yong Nam (L) and Pak Pong Ju (R) (Photo: Korean Central Television).
View of the platform at a February 15, 2018 meeting commemorating KJI’s birth (Photo: Korean Central Television).
Sitting in the front row of the galleries were WPK Central Committee Department Directors and Deputy Directors including WPK Party History Institute Director Kim Jong Im [Kim Cho’ng-im], immediate past KPA General Political Department Director Hwang Pyong So [Hwang Pyo’ng-so’], WPK Munitions Industry Department Deputy Director Hong Sung Mu [Hong Su’ng-mu], WPK Finance and Accounting Department Senior Deputy Director Jon Il Chun [Cho’n Il-chun], WPK Munitions Industry Department Deputy Director Hong Yong Chil [Hong Yo’ng-ch’il], WPK Munitions Industry Department Deputy Director Yu Jin [Yu Chin] and other senior functionaries of the Central Committee. In attendance were service members and officers of the KPA and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, faculty and students of the Mangyo’ngdae and Kang Pan Sok Revolutionary Schools, managers of national institutions and industrial plants, folks who met KJI and Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng), various Korean delegations from abroad and other people. Also in attendance were diplomats and defense attaches stationed in Pyongyang, country representatives of nongovernmental organizations in the DPRK and other foreigners.
WPK Vice Chairman and WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department Director Pak Kwang Ho presides over the central report meeting (Photo: Korean Central Television).
View of participants at the central report meeting (Photo: Korean Central Television).
WPK Vice Chairman and WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department Director Pak Kwang Ho [Pak Kwang-ho] presided over the meeting.
Choe Ryong Hae delivers the report at a February 15, 2018 central meeting commemorating KJI’s birth (Photo: KCTV).
Historical photograph of Kim Jong Il with the KPA high command which was part of a slideshow during Choe Ryong Hae’s report during KCTV’s broadcast of the central report meeting
Choe Ryong Hae, who is also a member of the WPK Political Bureau Presidium and Director of the WPK Organization Guidance Department, read out the report. He said that the “revolutionary career of Kim Jong Il was an ardent life of a peerless patriot who laid a solid foundation for the building of a socialist power through total dedication with his plan and desire to glorify the country of Chuch’e all over the world” and that KJI was “a gifted thinker and theoretician who provided the undying ideological and theoretical treasure for the prosperity of Chuch’e Korea with his distinguished wisdom and unusual pursuit.”
Choe Ryong Hae reads out a report during a February 15, 2018 meeting at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium marking KJI’s birth anniversary (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Photo of Kim Jong Un and Kim Jong Il from March 2009 (Photo: Korean Central Television).
Choe also said, in part, in his report:
He is an outstanding statesman who provided the powerful political force for carrying forward the cause of building a powerful socialist country and a peerlessly illustrious commander who provided the powerful military guarantee for victoriously advancing the building of a thriving country.
He is the genius of creation and construction as he laid a strong springboard from which to make our country leap toward an economic power and a highly civilized country.
He advanced the patriotic line and policies for independent reunification and paved a wide avenue for building a reunified country, dignified and prosperous, and made great contributions to strengthening the world socialist movement and realizing the cause of independence against imperialism through his outstanding diplomatic savvy and energetic external activities.
With his noble responsibilities for the future of the country and the revolution, he gave a perfect solution to the issue of succession to the leadership. This is the greatest patriotic feat that provided a sure guarantee for the eternal future of Chuch’e Korea and its ever-lasting victory.
The noble revolutionary career and feats of Kim Jong Il, who laid an eternal cornerstone for guaranteeing the prosperity of the country and the happiness of posterity and opened up the bright prospect of Chuch’e Korea, will shine long for all ages.
