He concluded his speech with remarks "Forward to the final victory!", causing a storm of cheers across the square.

The remarks inspired the people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea with courage in their efforts to follow the Songun (military-first) politics, guided by the Workers' Party of Korea.

In June he made a congratulatory speech at the joint national meeting of the Korean Children's Union organizations held in celebration of the Union's 66th birthday. He said in his speech that the features of thriving Korea in the future would be drawn on report cards of the KCU members. The speech hardened their determination to study harder to make tangible contributions to building a thriving nation.

He also delivered a speech at a banquet arranged in August, 52 years after leader Kim Jong Il began his Songun leadership. If another war breaks out on this land due to the U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces' intolerable actions, though the DPRK does not want it, the war will bring a shameless doom to them and our great nation will greet a new bright day of national reunification, he said in the speech. His speech implanted into the minds of men and officers of the Korean People's Army and other local people the will of annihilating the provokers and conviction in victory in a possible war.

In October he visited Kim Il Sung Military University on its 60th anniversary and made a congratulatory speech there. He said the university could greet the heyday of its development, thanks to the wise guidance of Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

In a speech he delivered at a banquet hosted in honor of the scientists, technicians, workers and officials who made contributions to the successful lift-off of satellite Kwangmyongsong 3-2, he called on them to develop and launch more working satellites of various kinds, including communications satellites, and powerful carrier rockets in the future.

Encouraged by his speeches, the Korean people have made innovations one after another in the effort to build a thriving nation.