The Eighth National Conference of War Veterans took place in Pyongyang on July 26 as noble respect and congratulations are offered to the veterans by all the people across the country.

The platform was taken by Premier Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and vice-president of the DPRK State Affairs Commission, Jo Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary for Organizational Affairs of the WPK Central Committee, Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, first vice-president of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, Pak Jong Chon, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, and Ri Pyong Chol, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee.

Also present there were senior Party and government officials, leading officials of the armed forces organs, participants in the Fatherland Liberation War, lecturers in the field of revolutionary history of war victory, students of revolutionary schools, service personnel of the DPRK armed forces, working people, youths and students.

When the war veterans entered the venue, successors to the great war victory greeted them with applause.

Jo Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary for Organizational Affairs of the WPK Central Committee, read out a congratulatory message from the WPK Central Committee to the war veterans throughout the country greeting the great war victory day.

In the congratulatory message the WPK Central Committee offered warm congratulations to the war veterans throughout the country who honourably defended the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK by displaying matchless bravery in the hard-fought Fatherland Liberation War under the outstanding leadership of President Kim Il Sung and created the heroic fighting spirit and traditions of victory to be glorified generation after generation.

The congratulatory message referred to the historic significance of the great war victory that etched in history the philosophy that the power of the single-hearted unity, in which the leader believes in the people and the latter follow the former, is more powerful than anything else, proved through a heroic legend that a rifle fully charged with idea is stronger than any other modern weaponry and developed the spirit of self-existence and self-development dating back to the period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle into the all-people ideology and will.

The defenders of the country in the 1950s, the resolute and faithful fighters who went through thick and thin in hearty response to the Party’s call, the core of the Workers’ Party of Korea whose strong faith was verified in the stern tempest of history and typical genuine patriots who dedicated themselves to the good of the country, will always be remembered as the excellent mentors in the van of our revolutionary ranks in the future, too, the message stressed.

The WPK Central Committee extended glory to the heroic generation of war victors who defended our great country, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, wishing all the war veterans across the country good health, longevity and happiness of their families and expressing the belief that all the people and service personnel of the People’s Army would boldly overcome difficulties and usher in a period of the greatest-ever upswing in socialist construction by cherishing the revolutionary spirit of the great defenders of the country as a treasured sword for victory.

Sin Jong Min, a Fatherland Liberation War veteran, expressed in his speech his profound gratitude to the Party Central Committee for calling war veterans to the grand and meaningful conference again and bestowing highest glory and happiness upon them.

Saying that war veterans have nothing to wish for as they are convinced that the baton of revolution was successfully handed down to the robust and reliable descendants who will uphold the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, he earnestly requested the younger generations to firmly defend the country and benevolent social system, which the forerunners protected throughout their lives, true to his leadership.

Then speeches were made.

The speakers warmly congratulated the war veterans, the admirable heroes of the nation and true patriots who defended the country at the cost of their lives.

They said that the noble spirit and heroic life of the victorious wartime generation are, indeed, the textbook of the worthy life and examples of genuine patriots.

They expressed their resolve to strikingly demonstrate the spirit and mettle of the descendants of the heroic generation in the ongoing general advance for fully displaying the might of great Kim Jong Un’s Korea, holding aloft the baton of victory handed down by the generation of war victors.