Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- A national meeting for celebrating the 71st birth anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il took place at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium Friday.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Choe Yong Rim, Choe Ryong Hae and other senior party, state and army officials, service personnel of the Korean People's Army and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, people in Pyongyang, delegations of overseas compatriots, Koreans from overseas, the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, and others.

Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, made a report.

The birth of Kim Jong Il in Mt. Paektu, the holy mountain of revolution, was a great fortune for the nation and an event of world historic significance, the reporter said, went on:

He was an outstanding leader and peerless patriot who successfully concluded the 20th century with the victory of the cause of anti-imperialist independence and socialist cause and opened up a broad prospect for the 21st century.

He formulated the revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung as Kimilsungism and made it shine as the guiding idea of the era of independence.

He put forth an original philosophy of arms and the principle of Songun, profoundly enunciated the Songun revolutionary idea and the theory of Songun politics and clarified the theory of building a thriving socialist nation.

He built tremendous military capability under the uplifted banner of Songun, leading the battle for devotedly defending the country to one victory after another.

Under his wise leadership, the flames of the industrial revolution in the new century and the flames of Hamnam (South Hamgyong Province) flared up and eye-opening events took place one after another on all fronts for building an economic power and improving the people's living standards.

He did everything he could for the people till the last moments of his life and opened up a bright prospect for bringing an era of great prosperity in which the people enjoy wealth under socialism to this land.

He formulated the three charters for national reunification and provided the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and the October 4 declaration, opening up a turning phase of the country's reunification at which the nation advances in the idea of "By our nation itself".

He put the human cause of independence and the friendly and cooperative relations with various countries on a high stage and made an immortal contribution to preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia and other parts of the world.

His revolutionary life and immortal feats are being steadfastly carried forward by the dear respected Kim Jong Un.

The service persons and people will advance straight along the road of independence, Songun and socialism to the last under the uplifted banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and build a thriving socialist nation on this land without fail.

As already clarified by the DPRK, its army and people will intensify the all-out actions to defend the sovereignty of the country, deal merciless retaliatory blows at those who dare stand against the just cause of the gigantic struggle, achieve the historic cause of national reunification at any cost and take the lead in the struggle to accomplish the cause of global independence.

Similar meetings took place in each province, city and county and industrial complexes of the DPRK on the same day.