President Kim Il Sung, in his reminiscences "With the Century", reviews its origin, noting he judged that, in view of the growing number of youth organization and the expansion of their ranks, the publication of a newspaper providing ideological nourishment to the young people and broad sections of the masses was imperative.

In the latter half of the 1920s he formed the Down-with-Imperialism Union with young revolutionaries and quite a few mass organizations involving people of various social strata.

Under the circumstances something was necessary for guiding all the members of the organizations on the basis of the same idea and in a coordinated way.

Having realized that it would be a newspaper, he immediately started preparations for its publication.

After naming it Saenal (New Day), he gave detailed instructions as to the publication of the paper from preparations of mimeograph, paper and ink to circulation.

He wrote the founding address and manuscripts himself through nights and revised contributions by members of the Saenal Children's Union.

The Saenal newspaper saw the light in January 15, Juche 17 (1928) under the energetic leadership of the President.

The newspaper served as a powerful ideological weapon for educating broad sections of people in patriotism and rousing them to the anti-Japanese struggle and as material and means for mass education in the revolutionary organizations such as the Saenal Children's Union, the Anti-Imperialist Youth League and the Young Communist League of Korea.