New Year editorial calls for stepping up general onward movement of Korean socialism
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun, Joson Inmingun and Chongyon Joni, the newspapers of the party, the army and the youth, issue a joint ‚mew Year editorial today, calling on the whole party, the entire army and all the people to step up the general onward movement of Korean socialism this year.
The editorial entitled "Let us make our country and motherland evermore prosperous under great party's leadership" says among other things:
This year's general onward movement is a final campaign to finish the "arduous march" victoriously.
"Let us all become victors in this year's'arduous march' " is a revolutionary slogan we must put up this year.
We must take it as the general task to speed up the forced march of socialism, consolidate the political, economic and military positions of the Korean revolution into impregnable ones and improve the people's standard of living as much as possible.
In stepping up the general onward movement this year, it is important to imbue the whole of society with our party's idea of the red flag.
This idea is, in essence, absolute worship for the leader of the revolution and the spirit of defending him even at the cost of life and sharing weal and woe with him to the last.
The party members, people's army soldiers and all other people must fight full of confidence in victory and revolutionary optimism, always under the motto "victory of socialism is in sight ".
The central task of socialist economic construction this year is to tap and utilize the economic potentials to the maximum, decisively solve the food problem, radically improve the people's standard of living, promote land administration and lay a solid foundation for the prosperity of the country under the slogan of self-reliance.
This year, too, we must strictly implement the policy of giving primary importance to agriculture, light industry and foreign trade, as demanded by the party's revolutionary economic strategy.
If we are to promote this year's general onward movement victoriously, we must increase the defence capabilities of the country as much as possible.
Today our people's army is exceptionally powerful and there are no bounds to its strength. Once determined, it fights and wins without fail. It charges at the enemies like an angry lion and annihilates them at one stroke. Our revolutionary army will never pardon any provocateur wherever he may be. In case the enemies unleash war, our army will strike and wipe out the U.S. aggression forces before anyone else and uproot the source of war on the Korean Peninsula.
There is no change in the consistent position of our party and the DPRK government to reunify the country through confederacy based on one nation, one state, two systems and two governments on the principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity.
The international situation is still complex, but our party's foreign policy remains unchanged.
Come what may, our party and people will invariably hold fast to the position of anti-imperialism and independence and defend the banner of socialism to the last.
New Year editorial
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun, Joson Inmingun and Chongnyon Jonwi, the newspapers of the party, the army and the youth, issue a joint New Year editorial entitled "Let us make our country and motherland evermore prosperous under great party's leadership" today.
The editorial says among other things:
1996 was a year of rigorous trials, worthwhile efforts and successes when the whole party, the entire army and all the people courageously made an "arduous march" closely rallied behind the party and the leader.
Last year, the imperialists and reactionaries continued with vicious activities to stifle Korean socialism, and great difficulties and obstacles cropped up in the way of our socialist construction. No challenge and trial, however, could check our onward movement.
Through last year's difficult yet worthwhile efforts, the three positions of Korean socialism were consolidated.
In the course of the "arduous march" our people were trained further on revolutionary lines and the singlehearted unity of the leader, the party and the masses was cemented more than before.
Through their courageous efforts in the spirit of the "arduous march" our people made enormous achievements in socialist economic construction, too.
Last year witnessed a brilliant chapter recorded in the history of army building. Under the energetic leadership of General Kim Jong Il, a great heyday was brought about in the building of our revolutionary armed forces and the defence capabilities of the country were increased remarkably.
The victories won in the course of the "arduous march" under the leadership of the party are worthy of great pride as they were gained in the most difficult and complex struggle and the most fierce confrontation with the enemies.
They powerfully demonstrate the invincibility of our socialist cause.
The decisive factor of the great victory in last year's general socialist onward movement was the wise leadership of General Kim Jong Il.
From the beginning to the end of last year, he incessantly visited many units of the People's Army and other places on guidance mission and led all the people to overcome difficulties and step up socialist construction in the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.
His energetic, tireless leadership made its way to every nook and corner of the country.
1997 is a year of new prosperity and a hopeful year of victory when our people will bring about a radical phase in the Korean revolution with redoubled vigor full of confidence in victory and in the indomitable fighting spirit.
General Kim Jong Il said:
"We must safeguard the people-centred socialism of our own style, established by President Kim Il Sung, bring honour to it and complete the socialist cause of Juche."
This year marks the third anniversary of the death of President Kim Il Sung.
This year we must make our country and motherland evermore prosperous and exalt our socialism in a more proud, dignified and lofty way, as wished by President Kim Il Sung.
Pointing out that the task facing the Workers' Party and people of Korea is to speed up the general onward movement of Korean socialism, the editorial says this year's general onward movement is the final campaign to finish the "arduous march" victoriously. The editorial continues:
"Let us all become victors in this year's 'arduous march' " is a revolutionary slogan we must put up this year.
We must take it as the general task to speed up the forced march of socialism, consolidate the political, economic and military positions of the Korean revolution into impregnable ones and improve the people's standard of living as much as possible.
In stepping up the general onward movement this year, it is important to imbue the whole of society with our party's idea of the red flag.
This idea is, in essence, absolute worship for the leader of the revolution and the spirit of defending him even at the cost of life and sharing weal and woe with him to the last.
The party members, people's army soldiers and all other people must fight full of confidence in victory and revolutionary optimism, always under the motto "victory of socialism is in sight " The central task of socialist economic construction this year is to tap and utilize the economic potentials to the maximum, decisively solve the food problem, radically improve the people's standard of living, promote land administration and lay a solid foundation for the prosperity of the country under the slogan of self-reliance.
This year we must effect a great revolutionary upswing in socialist economic construction by displaying the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.
This year, too, we must strictly implement the policy of giving primary importance to agriculture, light industry and foreign trade, as demanded by the party's revolutionary economic strategy.
Calling for increasing the nation's defence capabilities, the editorial says:
All the servicemen must prepare themselves to devotedly defend the Supreme Commander.
Today our people's army is exceptionally powerful and there are no bounds to its strength. Once determined, it fights and wins without fail. It charges at the enemies like an angry lion and annihilates them at one stroke. Our revolutionary army will never pardon any provocateur wherever he may be. In case the enemies unleash war, our army will strike and wipe out the U.S. aggression forces before anyone else and uproot the source of war on the Korean Peninsula.
An important task facing the Korean nation is to invigorate the nationwide movement for fulfilling President Kim Il Sung's behests for national reunification.
The three principles of national reunification, the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo and the Ten-Point Programme of the Great Unity of the Whole Nation, which were put forward by him, are the three mainstays and three charters the Korean nation should invariably maintain for the country's reunification.
There is no change in the consistent position of our party and the DPRK government to reunify the country through confederacy based on one nation, one state, two systems and two governments on the principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity.
The question of Korea's reunification is a problem of the nation that should be solved by the Korean people themselves and, at the same time, it is an international issue that the countries concerned feel their responsibility for and actively cooperate in.
The United States should abandon its anachronistic policy of stifling Korea and show an affirmative response to our just proposal for the establishment of a new peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula. Japan should put an immediate end to the policy hostile towards our republic and refrain from obstructing the reunification of Korea.
The international situation is still complex, but our party's foreign policy remains unchanged.
Come what may, our party and people will invariably hold fast to the position of anti-imperialism and independence and defend the banner of socialism to the last.
They will as ever consistently implement the foreign policy of independence, peace and friendship, further strengthen unity and solidarity with the world's progressive people under the banner of anti-imperialism and independence and make active contributions to accelerating global independence and the victory of the socialist cause.