The respected Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, had a photo session with the officials, scientists, technicians and workers in the field of national defence industry who made a contribution to the successful test-firing of the new-type intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasongpho-17".

Present on the occasion were Kim Jong Sik and Jang Chang Ha.

When Kim Jong Un arrived at the venue of the photo session, the entire participants paid the greatest respects to him.

Kim Jong Un gave militant acknowledgement of warm congratulations to the dependable national defence soldiers who rendered services to consolidating more perfect and powerful war deterrent to reliably defend the security and future of the country and people.

He warmly said: But for the trust and ardent patriotism of the entire people who have given the unconditional and absolute support and encouragement to the sacred cause indispensable to consolidating the nuclear war deterrent of the country, it is impossible to think of the miraculous development of the Juche-oriented national defence. I extend warm congratulations and all the glory to our great people who have built with their own efforts and got hold of the absolute strength, the genuine strength of self-defence that cannot be bartered for anything or be got for anything, without the slightest vacillation despite the harsh difficulties and trials.

We should become strong. We should be strong by all means to defend peace and speed up the socialist construction, not affected by any threat, and be responsible for the security of the rising generations.

Kim Jong Un expressed the Party's will of building a powerful defence capability once again to defend the security and future of the country and people with the absolute strength, the strategic strength which has got firmer and more perfect and powerful.

He continued: Genuine defence capability is just a powerful offensive ability. When we have a shocking offensive power and overwhelming military power nobody can arrest, it is possible to prevent a war, ensure the security of the state and contain and control the threat and blackmail of all the imperialists. We will continue to attain our goal of defence upbuilding and develop a greater number of powerful offensive means to equip our army with them.

The defence scientists and technicians and workers in the field of munitions industry are supporting the original idea of the Party on the self-reliant defence strategy with death-defying practice. Their indomitable revolutionary spirit and extraordinary patriotism are the inexhaustible strength of our Party.

Kim Jong Un expressed the expectation and belief that they would, in the future, too, make strenuous efforts for the development and security of our great state and for the victorious advance of our revolutionary cause and thus more rapidly perfect the nuclear war deterrent of the country.

The Central Committee of the WPK gave a reception in honour of the officials, scientists, technicians and workers in the field of national defence industry who made a contribution to the successful test-firing of the new-type intercontinental ballistic missile "Hwasongpho-17".