Pyongyang, November 13 (KCNA) -- The European regional Juche idea seminar on "Independence, Peace and Social Development" took place in Helsinki, Finland on November 2 on the occasion of the 40th founding anniversary of the European Society for the Study of the Juche Idea.

The director general, secretary general and directors of the European Society for the Study of the Juche Idea, personages of organizations for the study of the Juche idea in Europe including Russia, Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Austria, Britain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Finland and Poland and the secretary general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea attended the seminar directly or via video-conferencing.

Matteo Carbonelli, director general of the European Society for the Study of the Juche Idea, made an opening address at the seminar.

He said that the Workers' Party of Korea could lead the DPRK people to victory and glory for 80 years as it has thoroughly embodied the principle of independence and the people-first idea in all fields of the revolution and construction, regarding the Juche idea as its firm guiding idea.

The Juche idea is a great and original idea indicating the way to be followed by the progressive people aspiring after independence and socialism, he said, adding that the Juche idea indicates a clear way for the countries and nations longing for genuine independence and sovereignty to oppose hegemony and realize independent development.

He referred to the achievements made after the founding of the society, and stressed the need for it to further intensify the study and dissemination of the Juche idea in the future, too.

A congratulatory message from the Korean Association of Social Scientists was read out at the seminar.

Then speeches were made.

A congratulatory message to the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un was adopted at the seminar.

The message said that the DPRK has advanced the revolution and construction on the basis of the Juche idea and made remarkable progress in bolstering up the defence capabilities, building economy and improving the people's living standard despite the imperialists' ceaseless sanctions and pressure. This would have been unthinkable apart from the Juche idea, the firm ideological and theoretical foundation, it added.

The message said that the Juche idea founded by President Kim Il Sung and developed and enriched by Chairman Kim Jong Il has been further developed by the respected General Secretary and gives perfect answers to more theoretical and practical issues, thus making the followers of the Juche idea hold fast to it as an invariable guideline. -0-