The powerful independent national economy, a symbol of an independent and sovereign state, is a precious inheritance left by President Kim Il Sung who devoted his life to it.

The economy of Korea after the national liberation was very lopsided due to the harsh colonial depredatory policy of the Japanese imperialists.

The President, with a far-sighted wisdom, said that in order to achieve the complete independence and sovereignty of the country and its development, it was imperative to attain the economic independence, and attached priority to the work of laying the foundation for building an independent national economy.

The President saw to it that the Law on the Nationalization of Major Industries was promulgated on August 10, Juche 35 (1946) so as to make the important means of production serve for the prosperity of the country and the improvement of the people's wellbeing.

He put forth the basic line of socialist economic construction in the postwar days, which gives priority to the growth of heavy industry while simultaneously developing light industry and agriculture, and led energetically the effort for its implementation.

He frustrated thoroughly the moves of anti-party, counter-revolutionary elements and revisionists slandering the Workers' Party of Korea's policy of building the heavy industry and advanced the slogan "Iron and machine are king of industry!" and held higher the banner of independence. He visited the then Kangson Steel Works, Hwanghae Iron Works and other iron and steel production bases of the country to inspire the workers there to the increased steel production.

Having instructed officials that the expansion project of the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex should be carried out at an early date, the President went to the project site and solved the bottleneck problems on the spot. His wise guidance resulted in bringing about a proud change in the leading metallurgical base in the northern area of Korea.

He aroused colliers to the efforts for increased coal production, saying that "Coal is food of industry" and led the efforts for pushing ahead with the construction of the thermal power plants in Pyongyang and Pukchang in parallel with the construction of large-size hydro-power stations so as to overcome the lopsidedness of the electric power industry which had relied only on hydro-power and the efforts for successfully completing the electrification of several hundred-kilometer-long railway lines during the First Seven-Year Plan period. His devoted efforts were immeasurable for the creation of solid raw material, fuel and power bases and the development of railway transportation.

Indeed, thanks to the potentiality of the Juche-oriented industry for which the President made his every effort till the last moments of his life, the DPRK could bridge over the economic difficulties during the "Arduous March" and the forced march unprecedented in history.

The solid foundation of the socialist independent national economy provided under the leadership of the President is being consolidated further under the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il who has worked out a grand plan to build a rich and powerful country of self-reliance.