calendar>>December 17. 2012 Juch 101
Inaugural Ceremony of Renovated Kumsusan Palace of Sun Held
Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The renovated Kumsusan Palace of the Sun opened with due ceremony on Monday, the first anniversary of demise of leader Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), first chairman of the National Defence Commission (NDC) of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA), arrived at the palace together with his wife Ri Sol Ju.

Representatives of KPA, workers, farmers and intellectuals cut off the tape to open the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

Kim Jong Un with his wife Ri Sol Ju entered the hall where the statues of Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il stand.

He was accompanied by senior party, state and army officials.

A floral basket was placed before the statues in the joint name of the WPK Central Committee and Central Military Commission, the NDC of the DPRK, the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the Cabinet of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Un paid high respects to the statues together with senior party, state and army officials.

Then the opening ceremony of the palace was held in solemn atmosphere.

He took the platform in the plaza of the palace.

Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Choe Ryong Hae and other senior party, state and army officials attended.

Also present were officials of the party, armed forces and power bodies, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, heroes and those who were received by President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, those who are related with their revolutionary activities, merited persons, and officers and men of the KPA and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces. Also present there were officials in the scientific, educational, literature and art, public health and media fields, members of the bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs, working people and scientists, technicians, workers and officials who contributed to the successful launch of the second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3.

Also attending it were overseas Koreans' delegations and other overseas compatriots, those related to the revolutionary activities of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and the chief of the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present there on invitation were diplomatic envoys of various countries, representatives of international organizations and members of the military attaches corps here and foreigners.

All the participants observed a moment's silence in memory of Kim Jong Il.

KPA General Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and director of the KPA General Political Bureau, made an inaugural speech.

He said that the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is the supreme temple of Juche which symbolizes the glorious revolutionary careers of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and their feats and which reflects the steady continuity given to the history of the sun.

Rooms where photos, train, car, ship and other historic relics and orders are on display at the palace with much care are symbolic of the noble lives of the great Generalissimos who dedicated their all to the prosperity of the country, the happiness of the people and the global independence throughout their revolutionary careers, he said.

The inauguration of the palace will make it possible for the army and people of the DPRK to come to the sacred temple of the sun in joy or in sorrow, have dialogues with the great Generalissimos in their minds and deepen close bonds of a harmonious whole, he stressed.

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