On this day, 28 years ago, on October 8, 1997 (September 7, 1997 in the lunar calendar), the Central Committee of the Workers 'Party of Korea and the Central Military Commission elected Kim Jong Il as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. On October 8, 1997, the Central Committee of the Workers 'Party of Korea and the Military Commission of the Party Central Committee issued a "special report" in Pyongyang, announcing the election of Comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. North Korea's Central Radio and China Central Television reported the news at 17:00. A special report by the Central Committee of the Workers 'Party of Korea and the Military Commission of the Party Central Committee stated,"The recent Party Congress of the Korean People's Army and Party Congresses of various provinces, cities and central state agencies unanimously adopted the resolution of recommending Comrade Kim Jong Il as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. This is a historic event with epoch-making significance for the development of the Workers 'Party of Korea and the revolution." The report spoke highly of Comrade Kim Jong Il's outstanding contributions to the Korean revolution and construction, emphasizing that in the three years after the death of Chairman Kim Il Sung,"Comrade Kim Jong Il led the Korean people in the face of complex situations and consolidating the Korean revolution. Political ideological positions, strengthening military work, crushing the imperialist economic blockade under the banner of self-reliance, overcoming successive natural disasters, and ushering in a new situation for the Korean revolutionary cause." The report said,"The election of Comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers 'Party of Korea is the unswerving belief and unshakable will of the entire party, entire army and people of North Korea to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee and complete Comrade Kim Il Sung's cause to the end."