The 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, which resolved to further glorify the noble honour of patriotic youth in the struggle of a new phase of transformation under the leadership of the great Party, was held splendidly in the capital Pyongyang from April 28 to 30.

This congress was held at a time when the patriotic enthusiasm of the youth is unprecedentedly soaring in the struggle to open a new phase of high transformation as a vigorous upsurge of the Juche revolution unfolds along the path indicated by the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. It served as an important occasion in strengthening the youth league into a reliable reserve of the Party and as an important process in transforming the youth league into an organization of patriotic youth loyal to the Workers' Party of Korea in keeping with the demands of the Party and the revolution that expect the progressive and active role of millions of youth.

The congress was attended by delegates elected from youth league organizations at all levels, and officials of the Party, armed forces organs, ministries, central agencies and youth education sectors were present as observers.

Seated on the platform were Comrade Kim Jae Ryong and Comrade Ri Il Hwan, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea; Comrade Ju Chang Il, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Party Central Committee; Comrade Kim Song Gi, member of the Political Bureau and Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army; executive members of the Central Committee of the youth league; chairpersons of provincial youth league committees; exemplary youth league officials and members; youth affairs officials of the military sector; and service personnel.

When the congress was declared open, the national anthem of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was played, and the congress elected an executive board and a secretariat.

The agendas tabled for discussion were as follows:

1. Summary of the work of the Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League

2. On the amendment of the rules of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League

3. Election of the central leadership body of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League.

Comrade Kim Jae Ryong conveyed the congratulatory message of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea addressed to the participants in the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League and the youth across the country. The message pointed out that the past five years have been a rewarding and glorious period that witnessed an unprecedented heyday in the history of the youth league which marked its 80th founding anniversary, and expressed the warm thanks of the Party Central Committee to the congress participants and the youth across the country who devote their hearts and passions to the Party, the country and the people, as well as the great expectation for the youth and youth league organizations embarking on a new struggle.

The message stressed that the important guarantee for ensuring the uninterrupted succession of the Party and the spiritual inheritance of the state even when generations change lies in the ideological and spiritual upsurge and vigorous activity of the youth ranks who are fully aware of the solemn sense of mission. It clarified the basic tasks facing the youth league and the practical ways for making the next five years a period of more dynamic revitalization of the Korean youth movement in the historic march to link the new turn of national development to higher-stage fruition. All the delegates responded with thunderous applause to the congratulatory message brimming with great trust and expectation.

A report on the first agenda was made by Comrade Mun Chol, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League. The reporter mentioned that our youth have grown into heroes of creation and feats and vanguard fighters of the revolution in the struggle to open a new era of comprehensive national rejuvenation, flying high the sacred league flag.

The reporter stressed that during the period under review, the youth league has always fought bravely, upholding the cause of the Party at every crucial juncture of the arduous struggle in accordance with the new milestone of the Korean youth movement set forth by the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, and has written a succession of leaps and prosperity. The Marshal's original ideas, lines and policies serve as powerful guidelines that have enabled the youth league to remarkably strengthen its militant might and fully discharge its mission and role as an ideological education body.

The reporter mentioned that countless young people are glorifying their youth as patriots and innovators in the embrace of the great father who entrusted them with gigantic creation fronts entirely and put them forward as the Party Central Committee's guard detachment and special unit, and even visited young builders on New Year's Day to bestow warm blessings. The reporter said that the honoured care of the Marshal, who personally attended the youth league founding anniversary congress and awarded the glorious Kim Jong Il Order to the flag of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, is the most sacred trust that our youth should uphold.

The reporter referred to the valuable successes achieved by focusing all league work on turning all youth into patriotic youth who resolutely defend socialism and devote themselves to the struggle for socialist construction, and stressed the wise leadership of the fatherly Marshal who put forward the preparation of our youth as a reliable main force of socialist construction as a crucial issue for the vigorous development of the cause and guided it energetically.

The reporter said that the youth who cherish infinite loyalty to the Party and fervent love for the country and work faithfully at their assigned posts have emerged as socialist patriotic youth pioneers, and the trait peculiar to the youth league—the zeal to offer oneself—is a powerful eruption of the new-generation youth's unshakable conviction in socialism and ardent aspiration.

The reporter stressed the heroic feats of the young soldiers who, over the past five years at the forefronts of defending the country, the revolution and the people and on every major front of socialist construction, performed great exploits with blood, lives and sweat, upholding the Party's orders and instructions. In particular, the reporter said that the combatants of the overseas operation units who even at this moment rushed to the battlefields far away in a foreign land, faithful to the Party's orders, are displaying to the world the heroism and bravery of the Korean youth in the great Kim Jong Un era with the victorious battle records written in blood, offering their youth generously for the honour of the country, and are true paragons of great patriotic youth who clearly show the world what genuine patriotism is and what kind of life is worthy of a Korean youth.

The report summarized the fact that the patriotic enthusiasm of the youth was unprecedentedly high on all fronts of socialist construction during the period under review, and reviewed the successes achieved in the ideological education of the youth and the enhancement of the activities of the league organizations. The reporter pointed out that only when the successes and experiences are further consolidated and the shortcomings and deviations are thoroughly overcome in keeping with the demands of the times will the league organizations be able to achieve ceaseless growth and development, and comprehensively analyzed and summed up the defects revealed in the league work during the period under review, their causes and ways to overcome them based on the actual data of the league organizations at all levels.

The reporter ardently called upon all to redouble their firm conviction and will and advance bravely for the endless dignity and glory of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the brilliant hope of youth and a bright future, as befitting the youth vanguard in the great Kim Jong Un era.

Discussions on the first agenda took place at the congress. More than 20 persons including Ri Chol Min, representative of the South Phyongan Province youth league organization; Ri Tong Song, representative of the Kwangbuk Province youth league organization; O Chung Hyon, representative of the North Hamgyong Province youth league organization; Pak Yong Jin, representative of the Pyongyang City youth league organization; Kim Hyok, representative of the South Hamgyong Province youth league organization; Mun Yong Hyok, representative of the youth league organization of the Korean People's Army; Kim Kyong Byol, representative of the youth league organization of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade; and Tae Hyok, representative of the Pyongannam Province youth league organization, made discussions and introductory speeches. The discussions introduced excellent experiences in training the youth as the Party's reliable revolutionary soldiers and young core members by adhering to the ideas and leadership of the Party Central Committee as the lifeline, and in educating them as glorious pioneers of socialist construction and young people who know how to practice patriotism by closely combining the organization and guidance of the ideological life of the league organizations with the execution of the revolutionary tasks. The speakers strictly analyzed the shortcomings and their causes in the league work during the period under review and expressed their determination to bring about a new innovation in the youth league work.

Listening to the speeches, the participants hardened their will to uphold the spirit of the 9th Congress of the Party, conduct the league building and activities in line with the Party's ideas and intentions, and fulfill the mission and duty as the heroes of the era and the reserve of the revolution on the fronts for building up the new strength of the country and creating a new appearance and new life.

The second agenda “On the amendment of the rules of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League” was discussed at the congress. In the report on the amendment of the youth league rules, the reporter outlined the contents of the rules to be revised and supplemented in keeping with the new struggle tasks facing the youth league and the principles of the youth league building, and said that the revised rules reflect practical demands for streamlining the appearance as the Party's militant reserve and enhancing the organizational strength, unity and activities, and submitted it to the deliberation of the congress. The decision on the amendment of the youth league rules was adopted with unanimous approval.

The third agenda, the election of the central leadership body of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, was discussed. First, the election of the Central Committee of the youth league was held, and all the recommended candidates for members and alternate members of the youth league Central Committee were elected as members and alternate members of the youth league Central Committee with the unanimous approval of the delegates.

The 1st Plenary Meeting of the 11th Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League was held, and Comrade Ju Chang Il, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, announced the decisions of the 1st Plenary Meeting of the 11th Central Committee. The Executive Committee of the youth league Central Committee was elected. Comrade Paek Un Chol was elected as Chairman of the youth league Central Committee; Comrades Kim Ju Hyok, Pak Myong Jin, Wang Chol U, Kim Song Il, Ri Myong Hyok and Kim Song Il were elected as Vice-Chairmen. The Organizational Committee of the youth league Central Committee was formed; the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and members of the Central Inspection Commission of the youth league were elected; and the department directors of the youth league Central Committee were appointed.

The congress elected the Drafting Committee of the congress resolution with the newly elected members of the 11th central leadership body. The committee deliberated the creative and constructive opinions raised by the delegates and reflected them supplementarily in the draft resolution. The resolution of the 11th Congress of the youth league was adopted with the unanimous approval of the delegates.

The oath addressed to the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un was adopted amid the wholehearted loyalty of all the delegates, and the congress hall surged powerfully with the shouts of oath of the successors who will carry forward the sacred struggle course of glorifying the great Kim Jong Un era with matchless youthful heroic mettle.

The congress concluded with the chorus “We Will Defend Comrade Kim Jong Un at the Cost of Our Lives”.

The 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League will be etched forever in the history of the youth movement as a meaningful occasion that solemnly declared the pledge of faith of the youth vanguard who will be infinitely faithful to the ideas and cause of the Workers' Party of Korea and display heroism and bravery more audaciously in the great cause of national prosperity and military strength, and injected vitality into the brave march of all-Korean patriotism.

Meanwhile, the evening gala and torchlight procession of youth and students “Following the Party Central Committee for Ten Thousand Ri” to mark the congress were held splendidly at Kim Il Sung Square on the evening of April 30.

Seated on the invitation and spectators' stands were Comrade Kim Jae Ryong and Comrade Ri Il Hwan, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea; Comrade Ju Chang Il, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Party Central Committee; Comrade Kim Song Gi, member of the Political Bureau and Director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army; officials of the youth league Central Committee; exemplary youth league officials and members; congress participants; youth and students in Pyongyang; the congratulatory group of the Korean Youth League in Japan; the congratulatory group of the Korean Youth Association in China; and members of the homeland visit group of graduating students of Chongryon Korean University.

Amid the melodious tune of “O Party, It Is Thanks to You” and the beautiful colouring of the night sky of the square by spectacular fireworks, a sea of joyful dance significantly celebrating the grand gathering of youth unfolded. The evening gala became more colourful with various grand formation changes, diverse folk dances and rhythmic gymnastic dances, and the atmosphere grew higher with successive fireworks.

When the all-people song “Friendly Father” resounded, the square heated up with the boundless adoration for the respected father Marshal Kim Jong Un who trains the youth as the heroes of the era, and all the participants, overflowing with great honour and happiness of glorifying their youth in the embrace of the great father, fervently sang the all-people song and continued their dancing rhythm.

The melody of the song “We Are Koreans” shook the square and magnificent fireworks soared up, beautifully decorating the finale of the evening gala, and then the torchlight procession began. When the stately tune of the revolutionary song “Song of General Kim Jong Un” resounded across the square, where the national flag-shaped figure symbolizing the dignity and glory of our people and the letters “Successor” were depicted and blazed, the torchlight ranks bearing the respected name of the father Marshal entered the square imposingly, led by the fiery ranks inscribed with the letters “Youth Vanguard”.

The loud shouts of slogans of the torchlight procession participants, who pledged to become a thousand-fold shield in death-defying defence of the respected father Marshal Kim Jong Un, carrying forward the proud history and tradition of the youth movement, shook the night sky of the capital.

The letter ranks of “Supreme Death-Defying Corps” marched powerfully across the square, harbouring the strong spirit of the youth of the great Kim Jong Un era who will surge forward at the vanguard of the sacred struggle for the prosperity and development of the dignified republic, holding high loyalty and patriotism for the Party and revolution as the tokens of faith and the banner of creation and feats.

The Workers' Party of Korea emblem and the letters “Youth League” and “Following the Party Central Committee for Ten Thousand Ri” depicted on the square fully showed the iron-clad faith and will of the youth vanguard to raise the torch of the revolution higher and go along the single path of the Juche cause to the end, following the leadership of the great Party which takes full responsibility for the destiny and future of all the youth of the country and glorifies them.

Fireworks soared high into the sky above the square, where the pledges of all participants to become youth vanguard infinitely loyal to the respected father Marshal Kim Jong Un echoed with loud shouts of slogans, scattering beautiful lights and cascading like petals of fire.

The evening gala and torchlight procession of youth and students to mark the 11th Congress of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League became a meaningful occasion that powerfully demonstrated the faith and will of the successors to faithfully uphold the ideas and leadership of the respected father Marshal Kim Jong Un with wholehearted loyalty and to fulfill the honourable mission and duty as the Party's reserve, rearguard and advance group in the struggle to achieve the new prospects and goals set forth by the 9th Congress of the Party.