Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) gave a banquet at the Mokran House on Thursday in honor of scientists, technicians, workers, soldier-builders and officials who made contributions to the successful third underground nuclear test.

Senior officials of the party and state including Kim Yong Nam and Choe Yong Rim were present there.

Invited at the banquet were scientists, technicians, workers, soldier-builders and officials who contributed to the successful 3rd underground nuclear test.

Senior officials of the party and state warmly welcomed them.

Before the banquet they enjoyed a performance presented by Wangjaesan Art Troup in congratulation of success in the underground nuclear test.

Kim Ki Nam, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, made an address at the banquet.

He warmly congratulated them on successfully conducting the third underground nuclear test and thereby fully demonstrating the self-defense capability of Songun Korea upon the authorization of Marshal Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, first chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.

He went on:

This great victory of Songun is the shining fruition of the wise leadership of Kim Jong Un who has glorified the immortal feats great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il performed by providing national power strong enough to reliably defend the nation's dignity and sovereignty and firmly defended the country bequeathed by Kim Jong Il.

The speaker noted that by achieving great success in the recent nuclear test the nuclear weapon makers rendered distinguished services for confidently putting the DPRK, political and ideological power which boasts of single-minded unity and a tremendous military power, on the status of a full-fledged nuclear weapons state and ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

He highly praised them as the best comrades-in-arms of Kim Jong Un and his best comrades and first-line fighters for defending the country as they glorified the immortal feats of the WPK, which bolstered up the country's self-defence capability in every way under the banner of Songun and exercised the sovereignty of the DPRK through practical actions, not in words.

He called upon them to conduct the drive for dynamically pushing back the frontiers of latest science and technology with the firm pluck and spirit with which they would surpass the world standard in the field of nuclear technology and thus steadily reinforce the Korean-style powerful nuclear strike capacity which no enemies can predict and resolutely shatter the moves of the U.S. and all hues of hostile forces.