Christer Lundgren, chairman of the Sweden-Korea Friendship Association, said Kim Jong Il started the Songun leadership with his inspection of the Seoul Ryu Kyong Su 105 Guards Tank Division of the Korean People's Army on Aug. 25, 1960, being keenly aware that arms guarantee the nation's destiny and dignity and peace.

It was thanks to his Songun leadership that the DPRK could turn into a political, ideological and military power and reliably defend its socialism, he stressed.

Songchit Pullarp, chairman of the Organization for the Study of the Juche Idea of Thailand, said Kim Jong Il safeguarded the country, nation, socialism and world peace with his Songun politics and turned the DPRK into a military power which no formidable enemies dare provoke, adding this is the biggest exploit performed by him with patriotism.

Chanai Longoen, chairman of the Thailand-DPRK Friendship Association, praised Kim Jong Il, possessed of the love for country and the people as his gifted disposition, as the great revolutionary and peerless patriot who always led to victory the struggle for the defence of the country and its prosperity under the uplifted banner of Songun and thus put the nation's dignity and national power on the highest level.

He expressed belief that the cause of Songun would be invariably carried forward in the DPRK as there is the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, another sun of the DPRK.