S. Harrison, the then senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote: I think it is highly respectable that President Kim Il Sung defended the national sovereignty and independence from foreign domination and added brilliance to it.
When Kim Il Sung (1912-1994) was born, his country was under the Japanese military occupation (1905-1945).
He embarked on the road of revolution at the tender age of 14 with a determination to win back his country. He founded the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army in April 1932 and staged an anti-Japanese struggle for more than ten years, even without state backing or support from a regular army. Under his leadership the Korean people waged an all-people resistance combined with the general offensive of the KPRA, liberating their country in August 1945.
In June 1950 a war broke out in Korea by the US in an attempt to realize its ambition for world supremacy. The US enlisted huge armed forces, including its 15 satellite countries, ROK troops and the remnants of the former Japanese army, into the Korean front to crush the nascent country. However, the US ended up kneeling down before the Korean people who turned out as one in the resistance to the aggressors, rallied around Kim Il Sung, not to be reduced again to the slaves of the imperialists.
Kim Il Sung also firmly safeguarded the sovereignty and dignity of his country and people in the fierce military confrontation with the US including the incidents of the armed spy ship Pueblo and the large spy plane EC-121.
For his part the concept of independence was not confined to the territorial defence from foreign invasion.
After the country’s liberation he indicated the independent and original road of progressive democracy, built a country where the people are its masters and solved all problems from an independent standpoint. He never tolerated any foreign intervention in the slightest in formulating and implementing the lines of the state. And he consistently adhered to the line of building an independent economy with a firm belief that economic independence leads to political independence.
"Once Kim Il Sung said that although there may be large and small countries, and advanced and underdeveloped nations in the world, there can be no senior and junior countries, nor can there be a people that dominates or is dominated, and that all countries and peoples are fully on an equal footing and independent."
This precious aphorism of lasting value is for the world people.Once former US President Jimmy Carter confessed, after he met President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994) of the DPRK, that he was completely fascinated by the Korean leader and that from the moment he saw him, he felt that he was a peace-loving, reasonable, intelligent, efficient and popular leader.
During a visit to the DPRK in 1994 Carter met President Kim Il Sung.
The two were having a talk on a cruise ship sailing along the lower reaches of the Taedong River. Suddenly, Kim Il Sung asked to slow down the ship. As Carter looked puzzled, Kim Il Sung pointed his finger at the riverside where some were angling, saying that if their ship disturbed the water, it might bother them and that they should sail a bit slower for the anglers’ convenience.
This anecdote is just an example showing how respectful Kim Il Sung was to the people.
In the mid-1930s, Pak In Jin, a patriarch of the Chondoist religion, asked Kim Il Sung if he had anything to worship, like they believed in “Heaven.” Then Kim Il Sung replied: Of course there is something I believe in like God: the people. I have been worshipping the people as Heaven, and respecting them as if they were God. My God is none other than the people. Only the masses are omniscient and omnipotent and almighty on earth. Therefore, my lifetime motto is “The people are my God.”
Every year in the run-up to the birthday of Kim Il Sung (April 15), there take place photo exhibitions on his exploits on the Internet. Almost all of the photos on display are of him among the people. Some of them show him sitting knee to knee with the farmers on a simple straw mat to teach them how to improve their living, and tasting boiled rice at the dining hall of the workers’ hostel on his visit to a factory.
His policies were all oriented to the people. He found solutions to any difficulties by going among the people and solved all problems by enlisting their strength. And he saw to it that the state enforced policies to educate children across the country and provide houses built at its expense to the people free of charge and take full responsibility of their life. That’s why the Korean people called him “Fatherly leader.”
"Reverend Billy Graham, an American evangelist who had been to the DPRK, said in admiration for the country’s reality where President Kim Il Sung’s politics of believing in the people as in Heaven was administered that even Jesus would find nothing to do in the DPRK even if he descends there from Heaven."
President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), the founding father of socialist Korea, remains alive in the hearts of mankind for his extraordinary ideological and revolutionary legacy.
For the first time in human history of thought, he created the Juche idea, the idea of independence that illuminates the position and role of man and the way for him to carve out his destiny, and built a genuine people’s society and indicated the path of struggle for the world people aspiring to independence against imperialism.
The Juche idea is an idea that the masses of the people are masters of the revolution and construction and they are also the motive force of them. In other words, they are the masters of their own destiny and they have the power to shape their own destiny.
On the basis of the idea, Kim Il Sung, by organizing and mobilizing the masses of the people, led the 20-year-long anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory, liberated his country from the Japanese military occupation and built a socialist system whose masters are the people.
He gave active support and encouragement and unsparing assistance to the struggle of those countries aspiring to independence against imperialism. That’s why the world progressives highly praised him as a paragon of genuine internationalism.
It is evidenced by the fact that different establishments, organizations, streets, libraries and educational institutions in all parts of the world have been named after him.
Soon after Korea’s liberation on August 15, 1945, workers belonging to a political party in Costa Rica formed a cell named after Kim Il Sung with deep reverence for him as he was demonstrating an outstanding and seasoned leadership in building a new society where the people are its masters.
In November 1950, the Chinese party and government ensured that Kim Il Sung class was established at Middle School No. 5 in Beijing, and a few years later, a memorial room dedicated to Kim Il Sung’s reading was set up at Yuwen Middle School in Jilin, which is associated with his early revolutionary activities.
By the 1970s, a large number of organizations bearing his name mushroomed around the world, for instance committee for the study of his works, groups for the study of his works and revolutionary activities, groups for the study of the Juche idea, societies for reading his works and societies for the study of his works.
In April 1993, prominent figures in the political, social and academic circles of the world gathered in New Delhi, India, to form the International Kim Il Sung Prize Council.
The desire of the world progressives to hand down his exploits forever remained unabated even after his demise.
A ceremony of naming a street after Generalissimo Kim Il Sung was held with splendour in a country, and Kim Il Sung Library and Kim Il Sung Class and others came into existence in various other countries.
"According to data available, more than 480 streets, institutions and organizations in over 100 countries were named after Kim Il Sung from immediately after Korea’s liberation to the late 1990s."
President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), the founder of socialist Korea, was probably awarded the largest number of honours in the world.
He received over 370 orders, medals and honorary titles from governments, political parties, organizations, institutions and businesses of scores of countries, as well as regional and international organizations.
Among them are the Order of Red Flag and the Order of Gold Star awarded in recognition of the distinguished feats he performed by defeating the US and Japanese imperialists in his generation, and the Order of Karl Marx, the Order of Lenin and the Order of Victory of Socialism that honour his undying exploits for the cause of global socialism and the cause of independence against imperialism.
There are also the National Grand Cross Order, the Grand Cross Order of Independence and the National Grand Cross Order of Merit, bestowed out of boundless reverence for and trust in the President who set a world example in building a socialist state and rendered material and moral support to the peoples of different countries in their struggle for building a new society. And medals, diplomas of honour, and the titles of honorary leader, honorary citizen, honorary professor and honorary doctorate were conferred on him in praise of the exploits he performed for global peace, friendship and solidarity, and the progress and prosperity of mankind.
Great King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, when he visited the DPRK for the first time in October 1965, said at the ceremony of conferring the Grand Order of Independence and the Order of the Royal Court on President Kim Il Sung that he deemed it the greatest honour to confer the highest orders of his country on the President, and that he was sorry that his country had no higher orders.
"After the demise of Kim Il Sung in 1994, the Socialist Progressive Party of Lebanon, noting that the demise of the President was a great loss to the progress of mankind and its cause of independence, conferred the Supreme Order of the Socialist Progressive Party, dedicated to the fighters who made extraordinary contributions to the struggle for social progress of mankind, on him before anyone else."
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Elected as General Secretary of WPK.
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) — A decision of the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea “On Election of the General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea” was adopted on Feb. 22.
The decision is as follows:
Today our revolutionary course for the comprehensive socialist construction is making a dynamic advance, achieving unprecedented miracles at an extraordinary speed under the experienced and seasoned leadership of the ever-victorious Workers’ Party of Korea.
At the Ninth Congress of the WPK held in the annals of the stirring struggle for making great and epochal changes, unprecedented in the history of the DPRK’s growth and development while braving all challenges and difficulties of history, all the Party members and people are to make an important decision on electing the head of the WPK, the center of leadership and unity who embodies the organizational will of the whole Party.
To elect the head of the WPK who assumes the heavy responsibility for guiding the state and the people to the victory of the socialist cause is of genuine significance in the work of the Party Congress, the supreme leadership body of the Party, as it is an important affair decisive of the Party’s, leadership ability and the future destiny of the country and the people.
The attention of millions of Party members and all the people is now focused on this decision.
The current Congress fully supported and approved the polite proposal for re-electing Comrade Kim Jong Un as the top leader of the WPK.
This is the historical appraisal of the past five-year struggle, in which epochal changes had been made with the august name of Comrade Kim Jong Un as the banner of invincibility, and its great human and expression of the responsible and solemn stand reflecting the choice and will of all the people.
At a turning point in which the noble ideology and ideal our Party has adhered to in its protracted and sacred history are being translated into gigantic reality and the new era of building a strong and prosperous state is being ushered in on the path of the Juche revolution, all the Party members and other people of the country and all servicepersons of the armed forces of the Republic are making a pledge of loyalty to invariably hold in high esteem Comrade Kim Jong Un as the center of unity and leadership, cherishing the immutable truth that the greatness of Kim Jong Un is the guiding power of our Party, the might of our state and the glory of socialism.
Kim Jong Un is the most prominent statesman who has performed great exploits before the country and the revolution and on behalf of all the times and history by leading our Party and people only to victory with his rare ideotheoretical wisdom, distinguished leadership ability and noble popular traits, and the only person who can represent the mightiness and invincibility of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, our great state.
Holding fast to great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism as the guiding idea of our Party and bringing about a radical turn in the Party building and activities, he has thoroughly maintained the revolutionary character of the WPK as the powerful political staff which established the systems of ideology and leadership and as an invincible party which has served the people and become a harmonious whole with the popular masses.
He set forth the five-point Party building line in the new era and has energetically led the struggle for its implementation and thus developed the WPK into a party, politically mature, organizationally strong, ideologically pure, strict in discipline and sound in work style. This is an immortal exploit that provided a decisive guarantee for building up the political force which powerfully guides the Korean revolution and socialist construction to upturn and carrying forward the leadership ability of our Party for all ages.
His claims:
"Chairman Kim Jong Il (1942-2011) of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, was an outstanding leader of the era of independence who, with his profound ideas and theories and uncommon leadership, made undying contributions to the cause of socialism and global independence."
Kim Jong Il was an outstanding thinker and theoretician who illuminated the path for mankind to follow and enriched the treasure house of human ideology through his unique ideotheoretical activities.
As he carried on and developed in depth the revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), he authored the world-famous masterpiece "On the Juche Idea".
Those who have read the work unanimously say that the Juche idea is the idea that all should follow, no matter who they are, and it is the idea representative of mankind and the world, and that the idea is a great philosophy, a great idea and a great outlook on the world inspiring the masses of the people in the struggle for global independence and the liberation of mankind.
When socialism collapsed one after another in several countries at the end of the last century, the DPRK remained unperturbed thanks to the staunch independent line of Chairman Kim Jong Il based on the Juche idea. When the imperialist allied forces trumpeted the "end of socialism," he made public several works, including "The Historical Lesson in Building Socialism and the General Line of Our Party", "Abuses of Socialism Are Intolerable" and "Socialism Is a Science".
His works proved the scientific accuracy and truth of socialism and inevitability of its victory and dealt a telling blow to the imperialists and reactionaries.
His ideas and theories are still a compass for those aspiring to justice and progress.
Songun politics was an advantageous mode of politics established by Chairman Kim Jong Il to defend the sovereignty of the country and people from the imperialists' moves for aggression.
Since the mid-1990s, the US-led imperialist allied forces intensified their military pressure on socialist Korea to stifle it. They openly let out belligerent remarks, such as, "preemptive nuclear strike" to the country.
At this juncture, Kim Jong Il fully established the political mode of giving precedence to military affairs above anything else on the principle of attaching importance to arms, the principle of prioritizing military affairs, of strengthening the motive force of the revolution with the Korean People's Army as the core and main force, and of advancing the socialist cause victoriously by relying on it. In order to defend the sovereignty of the country from the imperialist allied forces' threat of war, he gave ceaseless field guidance to the front-line posts, thereby consolidating the might of the KPA in every way. He also saw to it that the service personnel were dispatched to major sectors of socialist construction to make a breakthrough for economic development.
Thanks to his Songun politics, the DPRK became one of the world's few satellite manufacturers and launchers, and nuclear states, in the hardest period for it, and opened up a broad avenue for building a powerful socialist country and laid a solid foundation for it.
Later, the reality in which several countries and nations had their sovereignty trampled underfoot by foreign aggressive forces and were driven into a vortex of upheavals clearly proved that the Songun politics of the DPRK is a model of independent politics.
"Still the world progressives highly praise the exploits of Kim Jong Il who defended peace and security on the Korean peninsula, prevented a new world war and laid a foundation for the prosperity of his country with his Songun politics."
Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, has been in the media spotlight around the world since he was appointed supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK on December 30, 2011.
What is noteworthy is that he has further strengthened the Korean People’s Army into an army strong in ideology and faith.
Each time he inspects army units, he looks round the soldiers' halls and other ideological and cultural bases before acquainting himself with their combat readiness. This tells how much he is concerned about the service personnel's political and ideological preparedness.
The ideological and spiritual state of the KPA servicepersons was exemplified by those of its serious operation units who participated in the military operations to liberate Kursk Region of the Russian Federation. They blocked the enemy's gun muzzles with their chests, chose to blow themselves up without hesitation, and shielded their superior officers with their bodies to protect them from enemy's bullets. And they shouted "Long live the DPRK" at the last moments of their lives.
Many are unanimous in their opinion that such a mindset is shared by all the other service personnel of the KPA.
Of particular note in his military leadership is the exploits he has made in bolstering up the DPRK's war deterrence.
In recent years, the country has made an array of world-startling achievements in its bid to boost its self-defense military capability. Among them are the ICBMs of Hwasongpho-series that showed off the most powerful war deterrence, various kinds of strategic and tactical missiles, 600mm MLRS, an unprecedented and advanced weapon system, tactical nuclear strike submarine, a new generation of multi-mission attack destroyers, and different unmanned military hardware including strategic and tactical reconnaissance drones. These are all cutting-edge hardware pieces that are capable of coping with the changing style of modern warfare in an active and effective way and can be adopted in the future war.
"The military parade held on October 10 this year in celebration of the 85th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea unveiled the country's most powerful strategic nuclear weapons and other modern armaments, serving as a good occasion in demonstrating its war deterrence."
Commanding officers of the combined air units at all levels of the Air Force, pilots, commanding officers of arms and missile soldiers raised stormy cheers of hurrah, looking up to the Supreme Commander.
Kim Jong Un warmly congratulated them on the auspicious holiday of the people’s Air Force as he warmly waved back to them.
Leading officials of the Party and the military attended the ceremony of welcoming him. Then he went up to the observation platform and watched the demonstration flight of the Air Force marking the Day of Airmen.
Aircraft of heroic pilots of the DPRK took off one after another with deafening sound to significantly celebrate their holiday. He warmly encouraged the admirable girl pilots An Ok Gyong and Son Ju Hyang, watching their demonstration flight in two-plane formation.
The pilots of the Air Force, who were making a demonstration flight in the presence of Kim Jong Un on the significant founding anniversary, displayed their skilful flying technique to the full, giving off beautiful tricolour vapour trails and setting off fireworks in the clear and blue sky of the country.
Kim Jong Un encouraged and gave warm salute to the pilots whenever they displayed different aerial combat manoeuvres with flexible control. The pilots flew at low altitude over the observation platform to express their absolute loyalty to and most ardent trust in Kim Jong Un.
Kim Jong Un met the pilots after their demonstration flight and shook hands with every one of them, praising them for demonstrating a high level of aviation capable of perfectly carrying out any combat mission.
Highly appreciating the aviation displayed by the girl pilots, he said that they are admirable comrades representing the women of the country and hoped that they would remain faithful to their duties with the honour of the Air Force and the dignity of the women of this country.
The confrontation in the sky, which inevitably ends in one side’s victory or defeat and survival or death, is a showdown in ideology and faith before being a clash between military hardware pieces and the victory in the battle is decided not by the ultra-modern fighters but by pilots armed with an indomitable spirit, he said, adding that it is the source of great strength and pride of the WPK, the DPRK and its people to have an elite air force with the overwhelming political and ideological might which is beyond compare with that of any armies of other countries. And he had a photo taken with the pilots.
Then he had a photo session with the service personnel of the KPA Air Force greeting its 80th founding anniversary.
Every honourable flight path of the people’s Air Force which has made the long journey of sacred defence for the past 80 years since it was founded as the flying corps of a new Korea under the leadership of the Party was a world-startling legend, he said, adding that the legends of the invincible Air Force recorded in the high and clear sky are shining brilliantly in the history of the country as a symbol of great ideological and spiritual strength, indomitable fighting spirit and heroism of the KPA.
He affirmed that the blue sky of the country would always be peaceful and the mightiness of the Air Force would be immortal as there are the reliable service personnel of the Air Force who perform feats during their flights of loyalty, dedicating their lives without hesitation both in grim moments or peaceful days.
When the photo session was over, the sky of November reverberated with thunderous shouts of the service personnel of the Air Force chanting the slogan of death-defying defence in reflection of their immutable pledge to devote their youth and lives to Kim Jong Un, the sun of eternal life and the heaven of destiny, and for the future of the beloved motherland.
A commemorative meeting was held with splendour to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the KPA Air Force in the presence of Kim Jong Un.
Present there were Jo Yong Won, Pak Jong Chon and Jo Chun Ryong, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, No Kwang Chol, minister of National Defence of the DPRK, and other leading officials of the WPK Central Committee and the Ministry of National Defence, commanding officers, pilots and other service personnel of the KPA Air Force and discharged air force veterans.
Kim Jong Un met the discharged generals who were specially invited to the celebrations of the Day of Airmen and highly appreciated the life of devotion and feats of the veteran generals of the Air Force who devoted their whole life to increasing the defence capability of the country’s airspace.
Air Chief Marshal Kim Kwang Hyok, commander of the KPA Air Force, made a commemorative report.
The reporter referred to the pride in the 80-year history of the air force which has grown along with the sacred history of the Party as the first service founded under the care of the great WPK and waged an honourable struggle for the country, the revolution and the people, and to the militant course of the Air Force which has developed into a core service of the KPA under the leadership of the Party.
In the great Kim Jong Un’s era, our Air Force is in its greatest heyday of invincibleness and development as an ever-victorious heroic service, he said, noting that thanks to the great ambition and energetic leadership of the respected Supreme Commander who puts forward the strengthening of the Air Force as a crucial requirement in building a powerful army, a new era of developing the Air Force into an elite force is being ushered in and the politico ideological might of the Air Force and its full combat capability are being fully demonstrated.
He stressed that it is the greatest happiness of the service personnel of the Air Force to hold in high esteem the great brilliant commander, the great father who instils in them the revolutionary faith that is unshakable in any adversity and strong will to defend the country unto death, a courage and pluck to pierce through the clouds in countless layers and endless shower of bullets without hesitation and the wisdom and bravery for sure victory and meticulously leads them.
Saying that the most powerful group of revolutionary soldiers demonstrating their might as a strong army devotedly defending the Party Central Committee, an elite armed force— this is a valuable appellation the country and the people gave to the Air Force which has always flown along the route of loyalty for 80 years and a great honour to be preserved forever by all the officers and men of the Air Force, the reporter ardently called upon all of them to more courageously fight on for the eternal prosperity of the country and the security of the people and for the immortal prestige and glory of the KPA Air Force, true to the ideas and leadership of Kim Jong Un.
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a significant speech on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the KPA Air Force.
Saying that he is pleased to attend the celebrations to recollect the proud history of the Air Force and pay tribute to its great 80-year-long journey, he extended warm congratulations to the valiant pilots significantly greeting the founding anniversary of the Air Force of the DPRK and all other service personnel of the Air Force who are now struggling for the defence of the airspace and the wellbeing of the people.
He said that he is proud of the founding year of the Air Force which coincides with that of the Workers’ Party of Korea as the numbers etched on the colours of the Air Force tell, and its reputation as the first-born service of the KPA and moreover, he cannot but feel reverence for its honourable militant flights of 80 years. He noted that no rhetoric can represent the long and glorious history in which the Air Force has covered its course since it was founded and everything of it noble and heroic.
He said: The Air Force should be counted first when we talk about a witness to the victories in the sacred campaign to defend the country in the two centuries. Among the three services of the KPA it has experienced more actual battles than other services in peacetime, not in wartime, and produced more than 130 heroes, including two double heroes, and dozens of hero units and sub-units since the first pilot hero of the KPA emerged. This fact alone clearly shows that the Air Force has always stood at the forefront of the struggle to protect the national sovereignty and interests, and that its distinguished military feats hold the most brilliant place in the course of the development of the KPA.
He expressed his deep affection for the Air Force which has always stood by him at the crucial moments that decided the destiny and future of the state and the people and guaranteed reliably security through the absolute execution without any error or mistake. He said that the missions of all the services and arms of the KPA to defend sovereignty were all heavy and they received orders with the same voice, but no other military group was a match for the Air Force in terms of the unconditional and perfect implementation of the orders. He noted that its appellation of the first-born service and the eldest service of the KPA is the proud honour it gained not only as it was founded first in the history of building the regular armed forces of the country, but also as its service personnel performed distinguished feats by always carrying out on time without fail the duty which is more important than the ones of the other services and arms.
He said: Once ordered, our pilots never thought of their lives and their dogfight skills and the legendary tales about their air battles were the outcome of the bravery and heroism of the invulnerable pilots. Whether in the face of overwhelming military threats or in the face of the irresistible natural disasters, they have steadily performed unprecedented miracles and feats by placing the unconditional execution of orders above their one and only lives. This is the immortal characteristic of the Air Force that has been transmitted genetically.
Saying that the operating sphere of the Air Force includes the inviolable airspace, territory and waters and also the combat zones for great changes, he noted that the appellation of the Air Force will as ever shine in the vanguard of the whole army in the worthwhile struggle calling for the feats of the revolutionary army.
Noting that the Air Force will be given new strategic military assets and entrusted with a new important duty, he said that the expectations of the Party and the country for the Air Force which will play a role in the exercise of the nuclear war deterrent are very great, and that the Air Force should resolutely repulse and control all sorts of espionage acts and possible military provocations of the enemies trying to encroach upon the sovereign airspace of the DPRK with the overwhelming spiritual strength and offensive spirit.
Saying that he firmly believes that the sky of the country will always be blue and the country will be in peace thanks to the pilots and that he extends thanks to their spirit of service of always remaining faithful to the country, he wished the heroic Air Force military feats and the pilots good health.
He announced that the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK adopted a decree on awarding the honourable Order of Kim Jong Il to the Air Force marking its 80th founding anniversary at the proposal of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK and said that he would convey a joint congratulatory message of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK.
All the participants raised enthusiastic cheers of "Hurrah!", looking up to the respected Supreme Commander who has repeatedly shown deep love for and trust in the Air Force, glorifying its 80-year history at the zenith of dignity and honour.
He conveyed the joint congratulatory message of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK to the KPA Air Force marking its 80th founding anniversary and conferred on it Order of Kim Jong Il, the highest order of the DPRK. He awarded the certificate of the Order of Kim Jong Il to the commander of the Air Force and fixed the order on the colours of the KPA Air Force.
All the participants witnessed with deep emotion and joy the historic moment to be specially recorded in the history of the development of the Juche-oriented air force.
Warmly congratulating the enthusiastically cheering service personnel of the Air Force, Kim Jong Un expressed belief that all the pilots, commanding officers and other service personnel of the brave air force would glorify the proud 80-year history etched in the glorious colours with legends of continuous victory and firmly defend the dignity of the DPRK and the happiness of its people.
Then an art performance was given at the Myongsasimni Theatre to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the KPA Air Force. Kim Jong Un enjoyed the performance together with officers and men of the Air Force. Put on the stage were numbers praising the feats performed by the heroic people’s Air Force which has demonstrated its honour as the ranks of elite soldiers firmly armed with the ideas and will of the WPK, the ranks of strong soldiers that always win victory in every battle and the ranks of point men who make a breakthrough in socialist construction.
The audience were deeply moved by the stirring revolutionary army songs reflecting the firm will of the service personnel of the Air Force to glorify the immortal appellation of the great Kim Jong Un’s Air Force and its ever-victorious history forever by setting the eternal coordinates of their life on the flight path of defending the Party Central Committee unto death.
The performance was acclaimed by the audience as it impressively represented through excellent artistic depiction the high ideological and spiritual world of the service personnel of the KPA Air Force and their devoted service for the country and the people.
"That evening the Ministry of National Defence of the DPRK hosted a banquet to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the KPA Air Force. The commanding officers and pilots of the Air Force expressed thanks to Kim Jong Un who showed all kinds of loving care and accorded all privileges to the service personnel of the Air Force, spending the whole day together with them. They vowed to become the most brilliant star that defends the country and the revolution."
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a speech at the 13th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on September 21. The full text is as follows:
Dear comrade Deputies,
Esteemed Chairman of the Standing Committee and Deputy Speakers of the Supreme People's Assembly,
Dear observers,
The 13th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is successfully conducting its work on the basis of the mission and authority granted to it by the Constitution of the Republic and thanks to the active participation and discussion by all the Deputies.
I feel satisfied that our supreme power organ is pushing forward in a responsible and purposeful way with the important state affairs to provide a legal and institutional guarantee for solving urgent problems of great practical significance in further promoting the consolidation and development of the socialist system and the comprehensive prosperity of the state.
Expressing encouragement to the Deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly, who, as representatives of our people's independent rights and general will, are infinitely faithful to their duties in their fields of socialist construction and are playing a major role in the legislative activities for the perfection of state policy and government work, and availing myself of this opportunity, when numerous officials of the Party, government and leading organs in national defence and security and socio-economic sectors are present as observers, I would like to emphasize the successes achieved so far this year and a series of important tasks arising in state building and activities in the future.
Comrades, In 2025, when our Party and the government of the Republic have to round off their work at the present stage, great and important undertakings, which were planned scientifically and more actively for the comprehensive development of the state, have been pushed forward in a powerful and balanced way and meaningful successes achieved so far.
The 13th Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the Party to be convened this December will make a general review, but if I have to make a preliminary review at this meeting, I think that the five-year plan, including this year's plan, will be successfully fulfilled, and I do not doubt that this will be reported to the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The political enthusiasm of the citizens to glorify the 80th anniversary of the Party with great labour achievements has been fervent since the beginning of the year and has led to an uninterrupted advance and courageous struggle in the second half of the year as well, following the first half.
This convinces us that the five-year plan, set by the Eighth Central Committee of the Party, is sure to be carried out in 2025, an important year that marks the 80th anniversary of our Party, in the run-up to its historic Ninth Congress. The achievements made in the nine months of this year are great, and the overall mettle and atmosphere are inspiring.
Following last year, the agricultural sector has grown promising crops this year, and it expects to hit the national target of grain production. The fact that the production and procurement plans of early-ripening crops for this year have been overfulfilled thanks to the devoted efforts of the officials and working people in this sector is something that is unprecedented and has proved in reality the validity and vitality of our Party's new policy of encouraging wheat farming.
It is the construction sector that most clearly and undeniably demonstrates the nation's progress. As for industrial construction first, the projects for building bases with a high level of modernization and enormous production capacities in the key industries and light industry sector have been pushed forward through strenuous efforts, and major projects including the first stage of the Tanchon Power Station and the renovation of the Ryongsong Machine Complex expect the day of completion.
On the shore of the Amnok River, which witnessed the removal of flood damage last year and a transformation in the northwestern border area, a large-scale greenhouse farm is presenting its vivid appearance thanks to the vigorous creative struggle of soldier-builders and other young people.
With the gigantic project of building 50 000 flats in the capital city within the five-year plan period being pushed forward more extensively than the original plan, the fourth-stage construction in the Hwasong area is well underway according to the planned procedure, and construction of hundreds of houses in the Komdok area and tens of thousands of houses in different rural communities across the country will be completed within this year.
The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area was built in a perfect way and people from different parts of the country started enjoying themselves there; the construction of the Samjiyon tourist area has been dynamically pushed forward; the Pyongyang General Hospital is nearing inauguration; and many other structures, which are symbolic of our style of new civilization and showcase our state's rapid advance, are springing up. These, too, constitute a remarkable success.
With the regional development policy in the new era being pursued in an expansive way, the regional-industry factories, more developed than those built in the first year of enforcement of the policy, are under construction in 20 cities and counties, and another tremendous undertaking for setting up public health facilities and comprehensive cultural service bases, essential for radically improving the quality of life of the regional people, is also going on successfully at a trial stage.
Our Party and government are also making a steady leap forward in strengthening the defence capabilities of the state. In accordance with the Party's line of strengthening the naval forces, we have successfully built destroyers capable of carrying out various naval military missions, thus creating a solid strategic axis for defending our maritime sovereignty and taking a crucial first step in building a marine power. Recently we have set clear targets, ranging from ceaseless strengthening of the strategic forces and the expansion of their capabilities to improvement of the combat performance of conventional military hardware.
To lay the foundations for achieving prosperity by dint of self-reliance had been included in the long-term plan at the First Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly held six years previously; now these foundations have been built up definitely in all realms, and the comprehensive development of socialist construction, which had been regarded as an ideal in those days, has already entered a solid phase.
The Cabinet should steadily enhance its organizing and mobilizing role. As it has under its authority the executive institutions and forces capable of performing the mission of government organs and can exercise the relevant authority, the Cabinet should give proper guidance and control over all its affiliated organs so that they can perform their functions with credit.
The key, crucial variable in continuing the historic course for the comprehensive development of our country is how we defend the security of our state amid the volatile political trends of the world and the changing conditions of the times. Today, at this meeting, I am going to make clear the status quo of the relations with the United States and the Republic of Korea and their compatibility, which have a decisive impact on the security of our state and the situation in the region, as well as the principled stand which we should maintain in the external activities.
