Pyongyang, August 22 (KCNA) -- The outstanding fighting spirit and bravery of the Korean People's Army reliably guaranteeing the ever-victorious tradition of the Juche revolution with invincible arms are writing the legendary biography of heroes unprecedented in history, bringing the mightiness and sacred prestige of our state to the top of the world.

The combatants of the armed forces of the Republic who took part in overseas military operations in hearty response to the order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea demonstrated to the whole world the transparent and outstanding ideological and spiritual superiority and fighting spirit of the KPA which no army in the world can match and the indomitable mettle of Koreans by weathering heavy gunfire in bloody life-and-death battles.

A ceremony of awarding state commendations to the commanding officers and combatants of the overseas operation unit of the KPA was held at the headquarters building of the Central Committee of the WPK.

Officials of the WPK Central Committee warmly greeted the brave soldiers who participated in the war, entering the yard of the Party Central Committee after traveling tens of thousands of miles in response to the ardent desire and sincere call of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un to glorify the life of the great successors and representatives, who firmly carried forward the tradition of victory peculiar to our state in the new century, with the honour of gold star.

Secretaries and other senior officials of the WPK Central Committee warmly congratulated the proud sons of the country putting garlands around their necks and giving bouquets.

The venue of the ceremony was full of respect for the brave soldiers who participated in the war with boundless loyalty to the order of the country.

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, attended the ceremony.

Present at the ceremony were commanding officers and combatants who performed distinguished feats in overseas military operations, and bereaved families of martyrs.

Present there were members of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, leading commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence and military and political officers of the large combined units of the KPA.

The DPRK national anthem was played solemnly.

The solemn melody of the national anthem, which redoubled pride of being the sons of the powerful country and the ardent patriotic desire in every moment of their life in the days of the decisive battles and inspired them to be in the van of the charge and to win immortal victories, made the hearts of the brave soldiers full of strong emotion.

Kim Jong Un made a significant speech.

Expressing his deep emotion of seeing again the admirable sons, heroes of the country who are the greatest pride of our state and waited by all the people at such a significant place and of awarding the title of DPRK Hero and high-level state commendations to them, he extended deep gratitude and warmest militant respect on behalf of the Party and the government to the commanding officers and combatants of the overseas operation unit who returned home with great honour and brilliant feats after bravely fighting as befitting the "Koreans" and the "Korean People's Army" despite the hail of bullets and bombs of the life-and-death war in the foreign country.

The WPK Central Committee organized a ceremony of awarding state commendations with splendor at the headquarters building of the WPK Central Committee out of the mind to hold up the admirable heroes, who performed feats in the battlefield to defend the sacred prestige and dignity of the state, before the country and the people and make them respected and praised by the whole country, he said, adding that this is a special and valuable commendation given by the country and the people to the honourable victors who performed great exploits that cannot be achieved without bloody struggle.

He said that holding the first awarding ceremony today, he misses even at this moment the images of the combatants who would be devoting themselves to carrying out their duties true to the order of the country and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives and that he could not repress his regret at failing to bring them all together to this glorious place, and courteously proposed to pay silent tribute to the immortality of the martyrs who devoted their precious lives in the overseas military operations.

At the proposal of Kim Jong Un, all the participants observed a moment's silence in memory of the martyrs who ensured the great victory with their indomitable fighting spirit and noble sacrifice.

Saying that all the participants in the overseas operations who performed great feats to be recorded in the history of the country for its eternal prosperity and mightiness are all great men, great heroes and great patriots, Kim Jong Un said with pride that the victory won by the brave soldiers who participated in the war is a great feat that firmly defended the great honour of the KPA, which should never be undermined, and provided a sure guarantee for the existence and development of our state and a victory to be recorded as a miracle in the history of our army building and the anti-imperialist revolutionary struggle and, at the same time, an event in the history of world wars that redefined the logic of the strong which has been handed down for thousands of years.

The combat activities of the overseas operation units, representing the armed forces of the DPRK, in the battlefield which became the focus of the world have fully proved the might of the heroic KPA which emerges victorious with the sure superiority in ideology, spirit and Juche-oriented strategy and tactics, he said, adding that what the Party Central Committee attaches importance to and appreciates most is that the reputation of the ever-victorious KPA has been most rigorously verified in its 70-odd-year history and the actual condition of the KPA fully prepared for the war has been clearly confirmed.

And he warmly said that today's awarding ceremony is an expression of gratitude and valuable appreciation of our Party, state and people for the historic deed of perfectly implementing the political decision made by the Party and government for the destiny and future of the country and of defending the great honour safeguarded by all generations of the DPRK for decades.

Referring to the outstanding valour and noble self-sacrificing spirit displayed by our service personnel in the operational area where bullets and shells showered, Kim Jong Un said that they should be called the best heroes and the overseas operation unit the heroic unit and stressed that the key to the event of the victorious conclusion of overseas military operations lies not in the merits of some distinguished military men or heroes but in the popular character of heroism from A to Z and in the fact that the noble and beautiful mental and moral traits firmly dominated as the ideological feelings of all officers and men.

Saying that all the participants in the overseas operations were thoroughgoing in executing orders, the original nature of the soldiers, and their love and devotion for the country and comrades-in-arms were at the same high level and they all had good moral quality of remaining loyal to their duties and making a choice according to conscience even at the last moment of their lives, he noted that with such extraordinary mental qualities, they let the world know what fundamental factor made our army strong and surely win in any battle, and this is an event that clearly marked the concept of the strong army and the law of victory on the times and history.

He stressed that it is the pride and honour of the WPK and the DPRK government to have such an army as the pioneer and defender of their revolutionary cause and that the country defended by the heroic army is strong forever and the cause advancing with the heroic army in the vanguard is invincible.

Referring to the important measures to be carried out as a national undertaking to hand down forever the feats of the great war participants, he affirmed that the glorious course pioneered by the brave soldiers' bloody struggle and the noble lives of the martyrs would never end and the records of the bloody battles bearing their names would shine forever as the most precious pages in the history of the country.

Saying that our state will remain dignified, powerful and strong forever thanks to such great heroes as them and our army will carry forward the trend of the great history of war victory for all ages with their peculiar loyalty and heroic stamina, he wished the heroic officers and men of the overseas operation unit, who recorded the highest and brilliant climax in the long history of victory of our people and the absolute prestige of the revolutionary armed forces, immortal glory.

The speech of Kim Jong Un, full of ardent love and true heart of the great father, stirred up the hearts of all the participants.

All the participants expressed their greatest respect and boundless gratitude to Kim Jong Un, who clarified the clear strategy for victory in the battle with his outstanding military idea and extraordinary strategic and tactical wisdom, instilled the might and courage of annihilation into them with warm parental enthusiasm and affection and now puts them forward as great heroes and great patriots at the peak of the honour.

A decree of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on conferring the title of DPRK Hero, order and medal on commanding officers and combatants who performed feats in overseas military operations was conveyed.

Kim Jong Un personally awarded the title of DPRK Hero to the skilled military commanding officers who led the combat units of the armed forces of the Republic to victory and to the soldiers who performed distinguished feats.

He personally fixed the DPRK Hero Medal beside the portraits of the martyrs, recollecting with reverence the noble images of the martyrs, who sacrificed their youth and lives warming their hearts with one faith and one will to thoroughly carry out the order of the country, and their last moments.

At the venue of the ceremony, the "Song of Comradeship", reflecting the sacred history of the Korean revolution pioneered, advanced and emerged victorious with comradeship, resounded. And the touching picture to be immortal in the history of the country was seen conveying the warm blood ties between the leader and the soldiers.

Kim Jong Un laid a flower before the memorial wall and paid silent tribute, wishing that the noble life of the martyrs who participated in the war to defend the dignity and honour of the great state with their precious lives would shine forever as a star of eternal feats in the memory of the country and the people.

Members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence, military and political officers of the large combined units of the KPA and the bereaved families of the martyrs laid flowers before the memorial wall.

Kim Jong Un met the bereaved families of the martyrs and consoled them, sharing with them the pain of loss.

Army Col. General Kim Yong Bok, commander of the special operation unit, made a resolution speech on behalf of all the officers and men of the overseas operation unit.

Expressing the impression of having the greatest honour of receiving the highest commendation of the DPRK at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee, the general staff of the Korean revolution, he said that the officers and men of the overseas operation unit more keenly felt the good fortune of soldiers of being led by the great brilliant commander in the foreign battlefield and kept it as their faith the iron truth that they would surely win if they fought only as taught by Kim Jong Un.

All the commanding officers and combatants of the overseas operation unit, faithful soldiers of Kim Jong Un, guardsmen of the Republic and sons of the heroic DPRK people, will devotedly defend the authority of the Party Central Committee and firmly safeguard the honour of the country, honour of the KPA and honour of the DPRK people till the day of returning home, he said, solemnly pledging to remain faithful to the mission and duty as the army of the Party, the people and the Supreme Commander, cherishing today's valuable commendations as absolute trust.

Kim Jong Un once again extended sincere thanks and noble tribute to all the officers and men of the overseas operation unit who defended the trust of the Party and the country in the KPA and fully displayed the great honour of the KPA, weathering the fierce battle fire with the glorious national flag kept in their hearts, and to the heroic martyrs who laid the foundation of sure victory of our state and army with great feats and biographies to be handed down to generations to come.

The indomitable fighting spirit, mass heroism and immortal feats displayed by the combatants of the overseas operation unit of the armed forces of the DPRK will shine forever in the history of building a rich country with a strong army as an example of the absolute loyalty to the Party and the revolution peculiar to the KPA and a symbol of the eternal victory of our great state and our cause. -0-