In Celebration of Day of Shining Star
IIJI Secretary General and His Party, and
Members of International Kim Jong Il Prize Council Visit DPRK


   Visiting the DPRK around February 16, 2017 that falls on the 75th birth anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il were Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI and his party; Mr. Mukesh Sharma, secretary general of the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council and his party; Mr. Henry Masiko, commissioner of the National Secretariat for Patriotism Clubs, President’s Office of Uganda, who is member of the Council, and Mr. Alexander Prokhanov, editor-in-chief of a Russia's newspaper “Zavtra”, who is also member of the Council, and his party.
   Pyongyang was charged with the festive mood, while taking place a series of events such as a national meeting to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, a Kimjongilia festival and fireworks.
   Visiting the statue of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il on the Mansu Hill, they offered baskets of flowers there.
   Also, visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, in its storerooms they inspected the car, electric-powered vehicle, ship and train used by General Secretary Kim Jong Il on his spot-guidance and trips to foreign countries in his later years, along with decorations and orders he was awarded to.
   Similarly, they visited Mangyongdae where there is the birth place of President Kim Il Sung to see some historic relics. They also paid a visit to the 21st Kimjongilia Festival venue along with the Sci-Tech Complex.

International Kim Jong Il Prize Conferred
on IIJI Secretary General Ogami Ken-ichi

Persons from the world to join an awarding ceremony of
the International Kim Jong Il Prize

   On the occasion of the 75th birth anniversary of Secretary General Kim Jong Il the International Kim Jong Il Prize was conferred on Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, according to the decision of the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council.
   The International Kim Jong Il Prize is a prestigious international prize that was instituted out of the sincerity of the world progressive humanity in an effort to convey to the world public the exploits made of General Secretary Kim Jong Il who contributed greatly to the victorious advance of socialism and the realization of the cause of global independence with his extraordinary ideo-theoretical wisdom.
   The last award was conferred on Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, for his contribution to the realization of global independence and peace by conducting the study and dissemination of the Juche idea energetically for a long time.
   It was for the first time in the world that the award was conferred on a Juche idea researcher.
   On February 15, 2017, an awarding ceremony took place in Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang.
   Attending there were President Kim Yong Nam of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, President Thae Hyong Chol of the Korean Association of Social Scientists (KASS) who is also president of Kim Il Sung University along with minister of Higher Education; Mr. Ju Chang Il, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and others.
   In the awarding ceremony, on behalf of the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council, its Secretary General Mukesh Sharma made a celebratory address as follows:
   “We are delighted to extend our congratulations on Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, for being conferred on the International Kim Jong Il Prize here in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK which is the homeland of Juche, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
   “Mr. Secretary General, being fascinated by the Juche idea, the human-centred guiding idea, has devoted his all to the study and dissemination of this idea and conducted his work energetically, and thus contributing to the grand promotion in making his own country Japan independent as well as cultivating peace, friendship and solidarity among nations.
   “His being awarded the International Kim Jong Il Prize is the pride and joy not only to himself but also to other Juche idea researchers in the world at large.”
   In the ceremony, after the decision of the council was read aloud, and in accordance with its proposal, a diploma, gold medal and cup were handed over to Secretary General Ogami Ken-ichi through President Kim Yong Nam of the Presidium of the DPRK SPA.
   Amid the joy of being conferred the prize, the Secretary General expressed his determination to intensify his effort to contribute to the study and dissemination of the Juche idea onwards in the future in the followings:
   “This year is already the seventh year from the demise of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
   “Similarly, five years have passed since His Excellency Mr. Kim Jong Un takes office as the supreme leader of the Party and the revolution.
   “Tears shed by the world people for the loss of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il have now turned into their firm resolution to work hard loyal to His Excellency Mr. Kim Jong Un on the one and same path.
   “Nowadays, it is His Excellency Mr. Kim Jong Un who has been leading the struggles to accomplish the cause of socialism, the Korea’s reunification and global independence, uplifting aloft the banner of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism. And the justness and vitality of this ideology is affecting the world as days go by.
   “I firmly pledge myself to be true to His Excellency Mr. Kim Jong Un to the end and do my possible best to live and fight on his side, with the same aspiration I vowed to President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il.”
   A reception was hosted by the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council on February 16.
   Present there were Vice-Chairman Kim Ki Nam of the Central Committee of the WPK, President Thae Hyong Chol of the KASS, Secretary General Ogami Ken-ichi of the IIJI and his party, members of the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council and others.
   They shared views and opinions that the International Kim Jong Il Prize is an international one to be conferred on distinguished persons in different circles of political, social, academic and economic all over the world who have made their excellent contributions to the cause of independence to be accomplished by countries and nations, global independence and peace, and the development of culture in human history.