Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Deep yearning and reverence of all the people across the country for Chairman Kim Jong Il , the eternal leader of our Party and people and great sage of the revolution, pervade the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of Juche, on the greatest national memorial day.

The whole life of Kim Jong Il who paved an untrodden thorny path with the iron will and superhuman energy, holding aloft the red flag of Juche from the first days of his great revolutionary leadership to the last moment of his life, shines as the noble revolutionary life of the outstanding leader and peerless patriot who dedicated his all to the eternal prosperity of socialist Korea, happiness of the people and accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche.

Over the last ten years in which the holy history of the cause of perpetuating the memory of the leader has been given a steady continuity, our people have confidently advanced the socialist cause of Juche while creating epoch-making changes to be specially recorded in the 5 000-year-old national history under the guidance of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un , cherishing the august name of the sun of Kim Jong Il as the banner of invincibility and regarding his behests as the lifeline.

A national memorial service for Chairman Kim Jong Il took place solemnly at the plaza of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in a solemn atmosphere on December 17, the 10th anniversary of his demise.

Attending the service were officials of the Party and power organs, working people's organizations, ministries, national institutions and armed forces organs, service personnel of the Korean People's Army and the Public Security Forces, officials and working people in Pyongyang City.

The venue of the service where the portrait of smiling

Kim Jong Il was displayed was wrapped in the most solemn atmosphere.

Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People Republic of Korea, took the platform of honor.

Accompanying him were Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, first vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, Jo Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary for Organizational Affairs of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and premier of the Cabinet, and Pak Jong Chon, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK.

Seen on the platform were Ri Il Hwan, Jong Sang Hak, O Su Yong, Thae Hyong Chol, Kim Jae Ryong, O Il Jong, Kim Yong Chol, Jong Kyong Thaek, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Song Nam, Ho Chol Man, Pak Thae Tok, Kim Hyong Sik, Yu Jin, Pak Myong Sun, Ri Chol Man, Jon Hyon Chol, Pak Jong Gun, Yang Sung Ho, Ju Chol Gyu, Ri Son Gwon, U Sang Chol and Kim Yong Hwan who are senior officials of the Party and the government, Pak Yong Il, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, and officials and persons of distinguished services who set examples in carrying out the behests of Chairman Kim Jong Il and the tasks for the first year of the five-year plan set forth at the 8th Party Congress.

Taking the platform were also officials of the armed forces organs including Kwon Yong Jin and Ri Yong Gil.

Ri Il Hwan, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the C.C., WPK, declared the national memorial service open.

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

The "Song of General Kim Jong Il " was played there.

Choe Ryong Hae made a memorial address "The great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il will always be with our people".

The speaker said that after starting his unusual life in Mt Paektu, the sacred mountain of the revolution, Kim Jong Il set it as his lifelong cause to build a powerful and prosperous people's country on this land and devoted all his life to the struggle for realizing it.

He highly praised the immortal revolutionary feats of

Kim Jong Il who firmly defended the country, the nation and socialism of Juche with his firm faith in independence and iron pluck throughout the period of his revolutionary leadership and created epochal miracles in building a powerful country to put our country on the position of a dignified power.

Kim Jong Il is always with us, and the powerful socialist country wished for by him will surely be built as there is the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un . This is a revolutionary faith kept deep by our people through the past decade-long struggle, the speaker stressed.

The speaker called on all the Party members, other people and service personnel of the People's Army to uphold Kim Jong Il as the eternal sun of Juche and vigorously struggle for a new brilliant victory of socialism and for steady advance of the Juche revolution under the leadership of Kim Jong Un .

The memorial service ended with playing of the song "The General Is Immortal as the Sun".

A gun volley for the dead was fired in memory of

Kim Jong Il .

All the participants paid a silent tribute to the memory of

Kim Jong Il with their firm faith and will to add eternal luster to his noble revolutionary career and undying revolutionary exploits for all ages.

Only victory and glory will be in store for our people dashing forward to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche while adding eternal shine to the era of our state-first principle true to the idea and leadership of Kim Jong Un with single mind. -0-