North Korea's Government
North Korea's government is officially known as a Juche government.(1) However, most people around the world commonly believe it to be a self-reliant, dictatorship(2). Their political leaders are often very nicely dressed (courtesy of all that WASTED money), and also very strict. Rarely EVER is ANYONE is allowed inside the country and no one living there can ever leave, unless they defect(3) from North Korea and go to South Korea. Also: NO recordings or pictures are allowed to be taken. If you are caught trying to leave with them, you get in BIG trouble. (As you might have figured out already) the government spends almost all the money on the military, as well as nukes and fancy suits, while hundreds of people starve (sometimes to death). Here is The New Years Speech given by North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un, and he is trying to celebrate their "successfully" growing economy, encourage better habits (and such like that), as well as better, peaceful relations with South Korea:
"Dear comrades,
Officers and men of the heroic People's Army and all the beloved fellow
countrymen,
Dear compatriots,
Having seen out the year 2012 characterized by the events that will go down
in the history of the nation, we are seeing in the new year 2013 full of high
hope and confidence in final victory.
Reflecting the unanimous reverence of all the service personnel and people
for President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and
eternal Sun of Juche, I would like first to pay the highest tribute and New Year
greetings to them.
I extend my warm greetings to the service personnel and people who are
devotedly striving for the prosperity of the country, firmly united around the
Workers' Party of Korea, and sincerely wish all the families across the country
harmony and greater happiness.
My New Year greetings also go to our compatriots in the south and abroad who
are ringing in the new year with yearning and expectations for the reunification
and prosperity of the nation and the world's progressive peoples and our foreign
friends who love justice and peace.
Last year was a historic year in which the great Generalissimos were upheld
as the eternal leaders of our revolution and a firm guarantee was provided for
brilliantly carrying forward the revolutionary cause of Juche to completion
under the leadership of the Party.
The President and the General were great leaders whom our people acclaimed
for the first time in their history spanning thousands of years; they are the
eternal images of the great Paektusan nation and banners of all victories and
glory. Last year we celebrated the centenary of the birth of the President as
the greatest national holiday, reviewed the 100-year history of Juche Korea with
pride and held up the General as the eternal leader of our Party and people,
realizing the cause of immortalizing the leader. By doing so, we have been able
to glorify the new century of the Juche era as the annals of victory and glory
for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche under the unfurled
banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Although they saw in 2012 in tears of blood after the sudden demise of the
General whom they had believed in as in heaven, our service personnel and people
determinedly rose up following the Party with firm faith that the great General
would always be with them and fully supported the leadership of the Party. With
loyalty as pure as white gem, noble sense of moral obligation and all sincerity,
they refurbished the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in the most sublime way as
befits the supreme sanctuary of Juche and erected the statues of the
Generalissimos on Mansu Hill and in several other places.
Placing deep trust in and faithfully supporting the Party, they established
the ties of blood with it, their hearts pulsating in the same beats with it, and
always shared sweets and bitters with it. Major political celebrations held amid
the deep interest of the whole nation and the days of last year bore testimony
to the single-hearted unity between the Party, the army and the people which was
further consolidated to be unbreakable ties of blood.
Last year our service personnel and people achieved historic victories which
would brilliantly shine in the history of the country by waging a general
offensive to put the intentions and instructions of the General into practice.
Our reliable scientists and technicians successfully launched the artificial
earth satellite Kwangmyongsong 3-2, carrying out the instruction of the General
with credit and fully demonstrating the high level of space science and
technology and overall national power of Juche Korea. That we successfully
manufactured and launched the scientific and technological satellite by entirely
relying on our own efforts, technology and wisdom was an event of national
jubilation that raised the dignity and honor of the Sun's nation onto the
highest level and a great event which inspired all the service personnel and
people with confidence in sure victory and courage and clearly showed that Korea
does what it is determined to do.
Through the parade held in celebration of the centenary of the birth of the
President, our revolutionary armed forces demonstrated the inexhaustible might
of the powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu steadfast in ideology and faith
and equipped with Korean-style modern military hardware capable of defeating any
formidable enemy. And they reliably safeguarded the security of the country by
resolutely smashing every war provocation and anti-DPRK smear campaign of the
enemy. The officers and men of the People's Army and the People's Internal
Security Forces made breakthroughs on all major fronts of building a thriving
country with the mettle of "At a go" and did many good things for the happiness
of the people, thereby living up to the expectations and trust of the Party and
people.
Although the situation was acute and complicated and severe natural
calamities hit the country in succession last year, our army and people made
great strides in their efforts to build a thriving socialist country and improve
the people's living standards by displaying an indomitable will and waging an
unyielding struggle.
We put the Huichon Power Station and Tanchon Port into commission, built many
Juche-oriented and modern factories and enterprises and reconstructed major
production bases in key industrial sectors on the basis of advanced science and
technology, thus further consolidating the material and technological
foundations of our economy.
Thanks to the exalted patriotic zeal of the service personnel and people,
monumental edifices including Changjon Street and Rungna People's Pleasure Park
sprang up in Pyongyang and many cultural facilities for the promotion of the
wellbeing of the people were built in different parts of the country, changing
its looks.
Last year, the superior socialist education system was further consolidated
through the adoption of the law on enforcing universal 12-year compulsory
education; our sports people achieved laudable successes in international games,
adding glory to the country; and our revolutionary artistes conducted artistic
activities in a fresh and enterprising manner, imbuing society with an animating
spirit and greatly encouraging the people in their struggle.
The brilliant successes we achieved in the revolutionary struggle and
construction work last year were ascribable to the fact that the General had
unfolded an ambitious blueprint and laid firm foundations for the building of a
thriving country. Last year's significant successes were a valuable fruit born
of the unshakeable determination and correct leadership of our Party to glorify
Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea all over the world by translating the
far-reaching plan and instructions of the General into reality and the lofty
sense of loyalty and patriotic devotion of our service personnel and people
unfailingly faithful to the Party.
I extend my warm thanks to all the service personnel and people who adorned
the first year of the new century of the Juche era with great victories in
hearty response to the Party's militant call.
Comrades,
The new year 2013 is a year of great creations and changes in which a radical
turnabout will be effected in the building of a thriving socialist country on
the road of the onward march in the new century of Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong
Il's Korea.
All the people and service personnel should dynamically turn out in the grand
onward march for building a thriving country full of pride of victors and
confidence in a rosy future. The road of Juche is the only path for our Party
and people to invariably follow and great
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is the ever-victorious banner of our revolution. We
should march forward along the road of independence, the road of Songun and the
road of socialism to the end upholding the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Our Party will triumphantly build a thriving socialist nation, the most powerful
country, on this land in our own way, the way the General did, by relying on our
people who are the best in the world.
This year we will be greeting the 65th anniversary of the founding of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, our glorious motherland, and the 60th
anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War.
The dignified and glorious present of our people and the bright prosperous
future of our country are ensured by the immortal nation-building exploits the
Generalissimos performed while founding a genuine state of the people for the
first time in the 5 000-year-long history of our nation and developing it into a
powerful socialist country that is independent, self-sufficient and self-reliant
in national defence and by the great achievements the President made while
leading the Fatherland Liberation War to brilliant victory on the strength of
his outstanding strategy and tactics and wise leadership.
In this significant year we should add brilliance to the immortal
achievements of the great Generalissimos and make persevering efforts to build a
thriving socialist country and carry out the cause of reunifying the
country.
The building of an economic giant is the most important task that comes to
the fore in the present stage of building a thriving socialist country.
We should further consolidate the successes achieved so far in economic
construction to raise the status of our country to that of an economic giant in
the new century, thus realizing the wish of the great General who devoted all
his life to making our people well off with nothing to envy in the world.
In the same manner as we demonstrated the dignity and might of Songun Korea
through the manufacture and launch of the Juche-based application satellite, the
entire Party, the whole country and all the people should wage an all-out
struggle this year to effect a turnaround in building an economic giant and
improving the people’s standard of living.
"Let us bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant with
the same spirit and mettle as were displayed in conquering space!" -- this is
the fighting slogan our Party and people should uphold this year.
All sectors and all units of the national economy should launch a vigorous
general offensive to boost production in hearty response to the Party's militant
slogan.
All economic undertakings for this year should be geared to effecting a
radical increase in productionand stabilizing and improving the people's living
standards by solidifying and making effective use of the already-built
foundations of the independent national economy.
By adopting decisive steps to shore up the vanguard sectors of the national
economy and the sectors of basic industries, we should develop coal-mining,
electric-power and metallurgical industries and rail transport on a preferential
basis and provide a firm springboard for the building of an economic giant.
We should make innovations in coal-mining and metallurgical industries in
particular so as to revitalize the overall economy of the country.
The success in economic construction should be manifested in the people's
standard of living. We should direct great efforts to bolstering up the sectors
and units that have a direct bearing on the people's livelihoods and increasing
production there, so as to give them more benefits in living.
Agriculture and light industry remain the major fronts for economic
construction this year, too. We should fulfil this year's plan for grain
production without fail by concentrating nationwide efforts on farming and
raising the efficiency of agricultural production by dint of scientific and
intensive methods.
We should take concrete measures for the supply of raw and other materials to
light-industry factories and thus increase the output of quality consumer goods.
We should decisively bolster up livestock, fish and fruit farming to provide
the people with a better, more bountiful diet. The soldiers of the People’s Army
and the shock-brigade members who volunteered to work at the reclamation site of
Sepho tableland in response to the Party's call should achieve miraculous
successes and perform heroic feats in this year's campaign to open a bright
prospect for carrying the Party's grand nature-remaking plan to completion at an
earlier date.
We should wage a dynamic struggle to boost production at the modern factories
and production bases that were built under the leadership of the General who,
going on with his super-intense forced march, made painstaking efforts to
improve the people's living standards. By doing so, we should ensure that his
ennobling affection reaches the people as it is.
All sectors and all units of the national economy should push ahead with a
socialist emulation drive to reenergize production and fulfil their quotas as
fixed in the national economic plan for this year.
We should bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant on
the strength of science and technology by fanning the flames of the industrial
revolution in the new century.
The industrial revolution in the new century is, in essence, a scientific and
technological revolution, and breaking through the cutting edge is a shortcut to
the building of an economic giant. Like the satellite scientists who conquered
outer space we should wage a dynamic campaign to push back the frontiers of
science and technology so as to develop the country's overall science and
technology to the world standards as soon as possible. All sectors of the
national economy should direct primary efforts to the development of science and
technology, bring science and technology into close combination with production
in order to boost production by relying on domestic resources and technology,
and introduce CNC technology in equipment and production lines and achieve their
full automation in the long run.
We should improve economic guidance and management as demanded by the
developing reality.
All sectors of the national economy should make scrupulous arrangements for
economic planning and guidance to boost production by tapping every possible
reserve and potentiality, and work out in a scientific way the immediate plans
and long-term strategies for stage-by-stage development and push ahead with them
in a persistent manner. We should hold fast to the socialist economic system of
our own style, steadily improve and perfect the methods of economic management
on the principle of encouraging the working masses to fulfil their
responsibility and role befitting the masters of production, and generalize on
an extensive scale the good experiences gained at several units.
We should continue to channel great efforts into consolidating our political
and military might in every way.
The single-hearted unity of the army and people around the Party is our
strongest weapon and a powerful propellant for the building of a thriving
socialist country.
We should invariably carry forward the proud tradition of single-hearted
unity, the tradition of adorning the red flag of the revolution only with
victories on the strength of the harmonious whole wherein the Party believes in
the people and the latter absolutely trust and follow the former.
All officials, Party members and other working people should become genuine
comrades united with a single heart, who share ideology and purpose, weal and
woe with our Party on the road of the Songun revolution, and make devoted
efforts for the sake of their country and people. They should orient all
undertakings towards defending and cementing the single-hearted unity, and
strengthen the political and ideological position of our revolution as solid as
a rock by grasping the people's sentiments and rallying broad sections of the
people firmly behind the Party.
The military might of a country represents its national strength; only when
it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving
country and defend the security and happiness of its people. We should put
continued stress on increasing our military might under the great banner of
Songun, reliably safeguard the security and sovereignty of the country and
render services to assuring regional stability and global peace.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the advancing of the slogan
"a-match-for-a-hundred" by the great Generalissimo Kim Il Sung. It is important
to bring about a fundamental change in strengthening our revolutionary armed
forces and perfecting their combat preparedness.
The People’s Army should set up a revolutionary command system and military
climate, establish steel-strong military discipline and perfect its regularized
features as befits an elite revolutionary force. It should make its training
more intensive, as the anti-Japanese guerrillas did on Mt. Paektu, so as to
prepare all its officers and men to be a-match-for-a-hundred combatants who have
acquired capabilities for actual warfare, and maintain full combat readiness. If
the aggressors dare launch a preemptive attack against our sacred country, the
People's Army should mercilessly annihilate them and win victory in the war for
the country's reunification.
Officers and men of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces and members
of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards should intensify combat and political training
and maintain full combat readiness with a determination to safeguard their Party
and leader, country and people, and defend their hometowns.
The sector of defence industry should develop in larger numbers sophisticated
military hardware of our own style that can contribute to implementing the
Party's military strategy, thereby fulfilling its mission as the arsenal of the
powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu.
We should spur the building of a civilized socialist nation to usher in a new
era of cultural efflorescence in the 21st century.
The thriving socialist country we are building is a civilized socialist one
where all its people are possessed of profound cultural knowledge, sturdy
physique and noble moral virtues, enjoying a socialist life to their heart's
content under the most cultured conditions and environment, and a beautiful and
sound lifestyle pervades the whole society.
All sectors in cultural construction should implement to the letter the
ideas, lines and policies set forth by the General, and develop education,
public health, literature and the arts, physical culture, public morals and all
other branches as appropriate to an advanced civilized nation.
We should develop Pyongyang into a more majestic and picturesque city as
befits the capital of Juche Korea, the centre of Songun culture, and turn all
streets and villages, mountains and rivers in provinces, cities and counties
into a socialist paradise. At the same time we should set up modern cultural and
welfare facilities, parks and pleasure grounds in larger numbers, thus making
our people enjoy a cultured life of a new era to their heart's content.
In order to effect a radical change in this year's campaign to build a
thriving socialist country, officials should make a fundamental turnabout in
their ideological viewpoint, work style and attitude.
Those who acquire the President's and the General's outlook on the people,
make tireless efforts for their good, rid themselves of the old way of thinking
and attitude and make ceaseless innovations in all work, and rouse the masses to
make breakthroughs for the advance, can be rightly claimed to be genuine
officials required by our Party at present. Officials should strive with
devotion, upholding the slogan "Everything for the people and everything by
relying on them!" They should work to the best of their abilities with a high
sense of responsibility, eagerness and an enterprising approach to work, so that
their loyalty and performance can be judged by the Party and the people.
Party organizations should further enhance their militant function and role.
As the political staff of the units concerned, they should firmly establish
policy-oriented principles in implementing the Party's policies and conduct
political and organizational work with scrupulous care. By doing so, they
should ensure that a great upsurge is brought about in their respective sectors
and units. Party organizations, out of maternal feeling, should embrace all the
people, take warm care of them and lead them forward to ensure that they share
the same destiny with the Party to the end and fulfil their tasks at their posts
in a responsible manner.
We should conduct Party work in the same way as it was done on the battleline
in the 1970s, and put a focus of the work on thoroughly applying Kim Jong Il's
patriotism in all activities.
Kim Jong Il's patriotism is the eternal soul and breath of Kim Il Sung's
nation, and a driving force for the building of a thriving country. Party
organizations should ensure that all officials, Party members and other working
people cherish Kim Jong Il's patriotism deep in their hearts and give full play
to their patriotic enthusiasm and spirit of devoted service in the ongoing
sacred struggle to achieve prosperity of their socialist country.
Working people's organizations should conduct effective education among their
members to suit their specific features, thus inspiring them to an all-out
offensive for this year. Youth league organizations should educate young people
to dynamically advance straight forward along the road indicated by the Party
and become youth heroes who glorify the present era of great upsurge with their
creative activities and feats.
The reunification of the country is the greatest national task that brooks no
further delay and was the lifelong desire and instructions of the great
Generalissimos.
Deeply grieving over the national division, President Kim Il Sung and General
Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and lodestars of national reunification,
worked heart and soul throughout their life to hand down a reunified country to
their fellow countrymen, laying firm foundations for the independent
reunification, peace and prosperity of the nation.
We should staunchly safeguard and add brilliance to the undying exploits the
great Generalissimos performed for the sacred cause of national reunification,
and accomplish the historic cause of the country's reunification, a
long-cherished desire of our nation, true to the lofty intention of the
peerlessly great persons.
This year the entire Korean nation should turn out in a nationwide patriotic
struggle for reunification in unity so as to usher in a new phase in the
reunification movement.
An important issue in putting an end to the division of the country and
achieving its reunification is to remove confrontation between the north and the
south.
The past records of inter-Korean relations show that confrontation between
fellow countrymen leads to nothing but war. Anti-reunification forces of south
Korea should abandon their hostile policy against their fellow countrymen, but
take the road of national reconciliation, unity and reunification.
Respecting and thoroughly implementing the north-south joint declarations is
a basic prerequisite to promoting the inter-Korean relations and hastening the
country’s reunification.
All the compatriots in the north, south and abroad should launch a dynamic
struggle to carry out to the letter the June 15 Joint Declaration and the
October 4 Declaration, great reunification programmes common to the nation in
the new century and milestones for peace and prosperity.
The reunification issue should be solved by the concerted efforts of our
nation in an independent manner.
The driving force of the reunification movement is the entire Korean nation,
and nothing is impossible if it achieves firm unity. All the members of the
Korean nation in the north, south and abroad should subordinate and orientate
everything to the great national cause of reunifying the country from the
standpoint of giving priority and attaching importance to the nation and
achieving its unity. The entire nation should vehemently reject any moves for
domination, intervention, aggression and war by outside forces, and never
tolerate any acts hindering the country's reunification.
Whatever trials and difficulties lie in the way of national reunification, we
will build a reunified thriving country without fail on this three-thousand-ri
land by the concerted efforts of the whole nation.
In the present international arena, the moves of the imperialists to
interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign states and their acts of
military aggression pose a serious threat to peace and security of mankind. The
Asia-Pacific region, the Korean Peninsula in particular, has become the hottest
spot in the world in which constant tension persists.
The aspiration and desire of mankind to lead an independent life free from
all sorts of domination and subjugation is growing stronger, and no force can
stem the trend of history towards independence and justice.
The present international situation demands that our Republic continue to
advance along the road of independence under the unfurled banner of Songun.
By holding fast to the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, we will,
in the future, too, strive to develop relations of friendship and cooperation
with the countries that are friendly to our country out of their respect for its
sovereignty, and safeguard regional peace and stability and make the whole world
independent.
A brighter and broader vista is open for us in the new year, and only victory
and glory are in store for our people on their onward march.
Let us vigorously strive to achieve the prosperity of our country, our
motherland, firmly rallied behind the Party under the banner of
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism."
(1)Juche Government: "The political thesis formed by Kim Il-sung that states that the Korean masses are
the masters of the country's development. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Kim and
other party theorists such as Hwang Jang-yop elaborated the Juche Idea into a
set of principles that the government uses to justify its policy decisions.
Among these are a strong military posture and reliance on Korean national
resources." (Wikipedia)
(2)Dictatorship: 1; Government by a dictator. 2; A country governed by a dictator.
(3)Defect: Abandon one's country or cause in favor of an opposing one
North Korea's government is officially known as a Juche government.(1) However, most people around the world commonly believe it to be a self-reliant, dictatorship(2). Their political leaders are often very nicely dressed (courtesy of all that WASTED money), and also very strict. Rarely EVER is ANYONE is allowed inside the country and no one living there can ever leave, unless they defect(3) from North Korea and go to South Korea. Also: NO recordings or pictures are allowed to be taken. If you are caught trying to leave with them, you get in BIG trouble. (As you might have figured out already) the government spends almost all the money on the military, as well as nukes and fancy suits, while hundreds of people starve (sometimes to death). Here is The New Years Speech given by North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un, and he is trying to celebrate their "successfully" growing economy, encourage better habits (and such like that), as well as better, peaceful relations with South Korea:
"Dear comrades,
Officers and men of the heroic People's Army and all the beloved fellow
countrymen,
Dear compatriots,
Having seen out the year 2012 characterized by the events that will go down
in the history of the nation, we are seeing in the new year 2013 full of high
hope and confidence in final victory.
Reflecting the unanimous reverence of all the service personnel and people
for President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and
eternal Sun of Juche, I would like first to pay the highest tribute and New Year
greetings to them.
I extend my warm greetings to the service personnel and people who are
devotedly striving for the prosperity of the country, firmly united around the
Workers' Party of Korea, and sincerely wish all the families across the country
harmony and greater happiness.
My New Year greetings also go to our compatriots in the south and abroad who
are ringing in the new year with yearning and expectations for the reunification
and prosperity of the nation and the world's progressive peoples and our foreign
friends who love justice and peace.
Last year was a historic year in which the great Generalissimos were upheld
as the eternal leaders of our revolution and a firm guarantee was provided for
brilliantly carrying forward the revolutionary cause of Juche to completion
under the leadership of the Party.
The President and the General were great leaders whom our people acclaimed
for the first time in their history spanning thousands of years; they are the
eternal images of the great Paektusan nation and banners of all victories and
glory. Last year we celebrated the centenary of the birth of the President as
the greatest national holiday, reviewed the 100-year history of Juche Korea with
pride and held up the General as the eternal leader of our Party and people,
realizing the cause of immortalizing the leader. By doing so, we have been able
to glorify the new century of the Juche era as the annals of victory and glory
for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche under the unfurled
banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Although they saw in 2012 in tears of blood after the sudden demise of the
General whom they had believed in as in heaven, our service personnel and people
determinedly rose up following the Party with firm faith that the great General
would always be with them and fully supported the leadership of the Party. With
loyalty as pure as white gem, noble sense of moral obligation and all sincerity,
they refurbished the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in the most sublime way as
befits the supreme sanctuary of Juche and erected the statues of the
Generalissimos on Mansu Hill and in several other places.
Placing deep trust in and faithfully supporting the Party, they established
the ties of blood with it, their hearts pulsating in the same beats with it, and
always shared sweets and bitters with it. Major political celebrations held amid
the deep interest of the whole nation and the days of last year bore testimony
to the single-hearted unity between the Party, the army and the people which was
further consolidated to be unbreakable ties of blood.
Last year our service personnel and people achieved historic victories which
would brilliantly shine in the history of the country by waging a general
offensive to put the intentions and instructions of the General into practice.
Our reliable scientists and technicians successfully launched the artificial
earth satellite Kwangmyongsong 3-2, carrying out the instruction of the General
with credit and fully demonstrating the high level of space science and
technology and overall national power of Juche Korea. That we successfully
manufactured and launched the scientific and technological satellite by entirely
relying on our own efforts, technology and wisdom was an event of national
jubilation that raised the dignity and honor of the Sun's nation onto the
highest level and a great event which inspired all the service personnel and
people with confidence in sure victory and courage and clearly showed that Korea
does what it is determined to do.
Through the parade held in celebration of the centenary of the birth of the
President, our revolutionary armed forces demonstrated the inexhaustible might
of the powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu steadfast in ideology and faith
and equipped with Korean-style modern military hardware capable of defeating any
formidable enemy. And they reliably safeguarded the security of the country by
resolutely smashing every war provocation and anti-DPRK smear campaign of the
enemy. The officers and men of the People's Army and the People's Internal
Security Forces made breakthroughs on all major fronts of building a thriving
country with the mettle of "At a go" and did many good things for the happiness
of the people, thereby living up to the expectations and trust of the Party and
people.
Although the situation was acute and complicated and severe natural
calamities hit the country in succession last year, our army and people made
great strides in their efforts to build a thriving socialist country and improve
the people's living standards by displaying an indomitable will and waging an
unyielding struggle.
We put the Huichon Power Station and Tanchon Port into commission, built many
Juche-oriented and modern factories and enterprises and reconstructed major
production bases in key industrial sectors on the basis of advanced science and
technology, thus further consolidating the material and technological
foundations of our economy.
Thanks to the exalted patriotic zeal of the service personnel and people,
monumental edifices including Changjon Street and Rungna People's Pleasure Park
sprang up in Pyongyang and many cultural facilities for the promotion of the
wellbeing of the people were built in different parts of the country, changing
its looks.
Last year, the superior socialist education system was further consolidated
through the adoption of the law on enforcing universal 12-year compulsory
education; our sports people achieved laudable successes in international games,
adding glory to the country; and our revolutionary artistes conducted artistic
activities in a fresh and enterprising manner, imbuing society with an animating
spirit and greatly encouraging the people in their struggle.
The brilliant successes we achieved in the revolutionary struggle and
construction work last year were ascribable to the fact that the General had
unfolded an ambitious blueprint and laid firm foundations for the building of a
thriving country. Last year's significant successes were a valuable fruit born
of the unshakeable determination and correct leadership of our Party to glorify
Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea all over the world by translating the
far-reaching plan and instructions of the General into reality and the lofty
sense of loyalty and patriotic devotion of our service personnel and people
unfailingly faithful to the Party.
I extend my warm thanks to all the service personnel and people who adorned
the first year of the new century of the Juche era with great victories in
hearty response to the Party's militant call.
Comrades,
The new year 2013 is a year of great creations and changes in which a radical
turnabout will be effected in the building of a thriving socialist country on
the road of the onward march in the new century of Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong
Il's Korea.
All the people and service personnel should dynamically turn out in the grand
onward march for building a thriving country full of pride of victors and
confidence in a rosy future. The road of Juche is the only path for our Party
and people to invariably follow and great
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is the ever-victorious banner of our revolution. We
should march forward along the road of independence, the road of Songun and the
road of socialism to the end upholding the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Our Party will triumphantly build a thriving socialist nation, the most powerful
country, on this land in our own way, the way the General did, by relying on our
people who are the best in the world.
This year we will be greeting the 65th anniversary of the founding of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, our glorious motherland, and the 60th
anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War.
The dignified and glorious present of our people and the bright prosperous
future of our country are ensured by the immortal nation-building exploits the
Generalissimos performed while founding a genuine state of the people for the
first time in the 5 000-year-long history of our nation and developing it into a
powerful socialist country that is independent, self-sufficient and self-reliant
in national defence and by the great achievements the President made while
leading the Fatherland Liberation War to brilliant victory on the strength of
his outstanding strategy and tactics and wise leadership.
In this significant year we should add brilliance to the immortal
achievements of the great Generalissimos and make persevering efforts to build a
thriving socialist country and carry out the cause of reunifying the
country.
The building of an economic giant is the most important task that comes to
the fore in the present stage of building a thriving socialist country.
We should further consolidate the successes achieved so far in economic
construction to raise the status of our country to that of an economic giant in
the new century, thus realizing the wish of the great General who devoted all
his life to making our people well off with nothing to envy in the world.
In the same manner as we demonstrated the dignity and might of Songun Korea
through the manufacture and launch of the Juche-based application satellite, the
entire Party, the whole country and all the people should wage an all-out
struggle this year to effect a turnaround in building an economic giant and
improving the people’s standard of living.
"Let us bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant with
the same spirit and mettle as were displayed in conquering space!" -- this is
the fighting slogan our Party and people should uphold this year.
All sectors and all units of the national economy should launch a vigorous
general offensive to boost production in hearty response to the Party's militant
slogan.
All economic undertakings for this year should be geared to effecting a
radical increase in productionand stabilizing and improving the people's living
standards by solidifying and making effective use of the already-built
foundations of the independent national economy.
By adopting decisive steps to shore up the vanguard sectors of the national
economy and the sectors of basic industries, we should develop coal-mining,
electric-power and metallurgical industries and rail transport on a preferential
basis and provide a firm springboard for the building of an economic giant.
We should make innovations in coal-mining and metallurgical industries in
particular so as to revitalize the overall economy of the country.
The success in economic construction should be manifested in the people's
standard of living. We should direct great efforts to bolstering up the sectors
and units that have a direct bearing on the people's livelihoods and increasing
production there, so as to give them more benefits in living.
Agriculture and light industry remain the major fronts for economic
construction this year, too. We should fulfil this year's plan for grain
production without fail by concentrating nationwide efforts on farming and
raising the efficiency of agricultural production by dint of scientific and
intensive methods.
We should take concrete measures for the supply of raw and other materials to
light-industry factories and thus increase the output of quality consumer goods.
We should decisively bolster up livestock, fish and fruit farming to provide
the people with a better, more bountiful diet. The soldiers of the People’s Army
and the shock-brigade members who volunteered to work at the reclamation site of
Sepho tableland in response to the Party's call should achieve miraculous
successes and perform heroic feats in this year's campaign to open a bright
prospect for carrying the Party's grand nature-remaking plan to completion at an
earlier date.
We should wage a dynamic struggle to boost production at the modern factories
and production bases that were built under the leadership of the General who,
going on with his super-intense forced march, made painstaking efforts to
improve the people's living standards. By doing so, we should ensure that his
ennobling affection reaches the people as it is.
All sectors and all units of the national economy should push ahead with a
socialist emulation drive to reenergize production and fulfil their quotas as
fixed in the national economic plan for this year.
We should bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant on
the strength of science and technology by fanning the flames of the industrial
revolution in the new century.
The industrial revolution in the new century is, in essence, a scientific and
technological revolution, and breaking through the cutting edge is a shortcut to
the building of an economic giant. Like the satellite scientists who conquered
outer space we should wage a dynamic campaign to push back the frontiers of
science and technology so as to develop the country's overall science and
technology to the world standards as soon as possible. All sectors of the
national economy should direct primary efforts to the development of science and
technology, bring science and technology into close combination with production
in order to boost production by relying on domestic resources and technology,
and introduce CNC technology in equipment and production lines and achieve their
full automation in the long run.
We should improve economic guidance and management as demanded by the
developing reality.
All sectors of the national economy should make scrupulous arrangements for
economic planning and guidance to boost production by tapping every possible
reserve and potentiality, and work out in a scientific way the immediate plans
and long-term strategies for stage-by-stage development and push ahead with them
in a persistent manner. We should hold fast to the socialist economic system of
our own style, steadily improve and perfect the methods of economic management
on the principle of encouraging the working masses to fulfil their
responsibility and role befitting the masters of production, and generalize on
an extensive scale the good experiences gained at several units.
We should continue to channel great efforts into consolidating our political
and military might in every way.
The single-hearted unity of the army and people around the Party is our
strongest weapon and a powerful propellant for the building of a thriving
socialist country.
We should invariably carry forward the proud tradition of single-hearted
unity, the tradition of adorning the red flag of the revolution only with
victories on the strength of the harmonious whole wherein the Party believes in
the people and the latter absolutely trust and follow the former.
All officials, Party members and other working people should become genuine
comrades united with a single heart, who share ideology and purpose, weal and
woe with our Party on the road of the Songun revolution, and make devoted
efforts for the sake of their country and people. They should orient all
undertakings towards defending and cementing the single-hearted unity, and
strengthen the political and ideological position of our revolution as solid as
a rock by grasping the people's sentiments and rallying broad sections of the
people firmly behind the Party.
The military might of a country represents its national strength; only when
it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving
country and defend the security and happiness of its people. We should put
continued stress on increasing our military might under the great banner of
Songun, reliably safeguard the security and sovereignty of the country and
render services to assuring regional stability and global peace.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the advancing of the slogan
"a-match-for-a-hundred" by the great Generalissimo Kim Il Sung. It is important
to bring about a fundamental change in strengthening our revolutionary armed
forces and perfecting their combat preparedness.
The People’s Army should set up a revolutionary command system and military
climate, establish steel-strong military discipline and perfect its regularized
features as befits an elite revolutionary force. It should make its training
more intensive, as the anti-Japanese guerrillas did on Mt. Paektu, so as to
prepare all its officers and men to be a-match-for-a-hundred combatants who have
acquired capabilities for actual warfare, and maintain full combat readiness. If
the aggressors dare launch a preemptive attack against our sacred country, the
People's Army should mercilessly annihilate them and win victory in the war for
the country's reunification.
Officers and men of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces and members
of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards should intensify combat and political training
and maintain full combat readiness with a determination to safeguard their Party
and leader, country and people, and defend their hometowns.
The sector of defence industry should develop in larger numbers sophisticated
military hardware of our own style that can contribute to implementing the
Party's military strategy, thereby fulfilling its mission as the arsenal of the
powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu.
We should spur the building of a civilized socialist nation to usher in a new
era of cultural efflorescence in the 21st century.
The thriving socialist country we are building is a civilized socialist one
where all its people are possessed of profound cultural knowledge, sturdy
physique and noble moral virtues, enjoying a socialist life to their heart's
content under the most cultured conditions and environment, and a beautiful and
sound lifestyle pervades the whole society.
All sectors in cultural construction should implement to the letter the
ideas, lines and policies set forth by the General, and develop education,
public health, literature and the arts, physical culture, public morals and all
other branches as appropriate to an advanced civilized nation.
We should develop Pyongyang into a more majestic and picturesque city as
befits the capital of Juche Korea, the centre of Songun culture, and turn all
streets and villages, mountains and rivers in provinces, cities and counties
into a socialist paradise. At the same time we should set up modern cultural and
welfare facilities, parks and pleasure grounds in larger numbers, thus making
our people enjoy a cultured life of a new era to their heart's content.
In order to effect a radical change in this year's campaign to build a
thriving socialist country, officials should make a fundamental turnabout in
their ideological viewpoint, work style and attitude.
Those who acquire the President's and the General's outlook on the people,
make tireless efforts for their good, rid themselves of the old way of thinking
and attitude and make ceaseless innovations in all work, and rouse the masses to
make breakthroughs for the advance, can be rightly claimed to be genuine
officials required by our Party at present. Officials should strive with
devotion, upholding the slogan "Everything for the people and everything by
relying on them!" They should work to the best of their abilities with a high
sense of responsibility, eagerness and an enterprising approach to work, so that
their loyalty and performance can be judged by the Party and the people.
Party organizations should further enhance their militant function and role.
As the political staff of the units concerned, they should firmly establish
policy-oriented principles in implementing the Party's policies and conduct
political and organizational work with scrupulous care. By doing so, they
should ensure that a great upsurge is brought about in their respective sectors
and units. Party organizations, out of maternal feeling, should embrace all the
people, take warm care of them and lead them forward to ensure that they share
the same destiny with the Party to the end and fulfil their tasks at their posts
in a responsible manner.
We should conduct Party work in the same way as it was done on the battleline
in the 1970s, and put a focus of the work on thoroughly applying Kim Jong Il's
patriotism in all activities.
Kim Jong Il's patriotism is the eternal soul and breath of Kim Il Sung's
nation, and a driving force for the building of a thriving country. Party
organizations should ensure that all officials, Party members and other working
people cherish Kim Jong Il's patriotism deep in their hearts and give full play
to their patriotic enthusiasm and spirit of devoted service in the ongoing
sacred struggle to achieve prosperity of their socialist country.
Working people's organizations should conduct effective education among their
members to suit their specific features, thus inspiring them to an all-out
offensive for this year. Youth league organizations should educate young people
to dynamically advance straight forward along the road indicated by the Party
and become youth heroes who glorify the present era of great upsurge with their
creative activities and feats.
The reunification of the country is the greatest national task that brooks no
further delay and was the lifelong desire and instructions of the great
Generalissimos.
Deeply grieving over the national division, President Kim Il Sung and General
Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and lodestars of national reunification,
worked heart and soul throughout their life to hand down a reunified country to
their fellow countrymen, laying firm foundations for the independent
reunification, peace and prosperity of the nation.
We should staunchly safeguard and add brilliance to the undying exploits the
great Generalissimos performed for the sacred cause of national reunification,
and accomplish the historic cause of the country's reunification, a
long-cherished desire of our nation, true to the lofty intention of the
peerlessly great persons.
This year the entire Korean nation should turn out in a nationwide patriotic
struggle for reunification in unity so as to usher in a new phase in the
reunification movement.
An important issue in putting an end to the division of the country and
achieving its reunification is to remove confrontation between the north and the
south.
The past records of inter-Korean relations show that confrontation between
fellow countrymen leads to nothing but war. Anti-reunification forces of south
Korea should abandon their hostile policy against their fellow countrymen, but
take the road of national reconciliation, unity and reunification.
Respecting and thoroughly implementing the north-south joint declarations is
a basic prerequisite to promoting the inter-Korean relations and hastening the
country’s reunification.
All the compatriots in the north, south and abroad should launch a dynamic
struggle to carry out to the letter the June 15 Joint Declaration and the
October 4 Declaration, great reunification programmes common to the nation in
the new century and milestones for peace and prosperity.
The reunification issue should be solved by the concerted efforts of our
nation in an independent manner.
The driving force of the reunification movement is the entire Korean nation,
and nothing is impossible if it achieves firm unity. All the members of the
Korean nation in the north, south and abroad should subordinate and orientate
everything to the great national cause of reunifying the country from the
standpoint of giving priority and attaching importance to the nation and
achieving its unity. The entire nation should vehemently reject any moves for
domination, intervention, aggression and war by outside forces, and never
tolerate any acts hindering the country's reunification.
Whatever trials and difficulties lie in the way of national reunification, we
will build a reunified thriving country without fail on this three-thousand-ri
land by the concerted efforts of the whole nation.
In the present international arena, the moves of the imperialists to
interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign states and their acts of
military aggression pose a serious threat to peace and security of mankind. The
Asia-Pacific region, the Korean Peninsula in particular, has become the hottest
spot in the world in which constant tension persists.
The aspiration and desire of mankind to lead an independent life free from
all sorts of domination and subjugation is growing stronger, and no force can
stem the trend of history towards independence and justice.
The present international situation demands that our Republic continue to
advance along the road of independence under the unfurled banner of Songun.
By holding fast to the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, we will,
in the future, too, strive to develop relations of friendship and cooperation
with the countries that are friendly to our country out of their respect for its
sovereignty, and safeguard regional peace and stability and make the whole world
independent.
A brighter and broader vista is open for us in the new year, and only victory
and glory are in store for our people on their onward march.
Let us vigorously strive to achieve the prosperity of our country, our
motherland, firmly rallied behind the Party under the banner of
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism."
(1)Juche Government: "The political thesis formed by Kim Il-sung that states that the Korean masses are
the masters of the country's development. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Kim and
other party theorists such as Hwang Jang-yop elaborated the Juche Idea into a
set of principles that the government uses to justify its policy decisions.
Among these are a strong military posture and reliance on Korean national
resources." (Wikipedia)
(2)Dictatorship: 1; Government by a dictator. 2; A country governed by a dictator.
(3)Defect: Abandon one's country or cause in favor of an opposing one