Sea of Apple Trees at the Foot of Chol Pass

Not far from the Military Demarcation Line that bisects the Korean peninsula into north and south there is Chol Pass.

The pass, which takes some 16 km to climb up and another 16 km to climb down, is associated with the Songun-based leadership exploits of Kim Jong Il (1942-2011), eternal chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). In the mid-1990s, when the allied imperialist forces were directing the spearhead of anti-socialist offensive at the DPRK, Kim Jong Il held higher the banner of Songun to defend socialism and crossed this pass more than ten times to inspect the units of the Korean People’s Army. In March 1996, when crossing the pass, he took the steering wheel of his car in person, saying that he should drive it in person if he were to know the road to the front. He crossed the pass again and again through snow and rain, at night and at dawn, along the slippery ice-covered road and braving gale-force winds. In these days the pass was implanted in the hearts of the Korean people as a symbol of Songun.

A large-scale fruit farm is now under construction in Kosan at the foot of this pass. The farm covering an area of 2 200 hectares is two times greater than the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm in a suburb of Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK, which won an international fame a few years ago as a “world-ranking model fruit farm.”

The panoramic view of the farm is worthy of seeing: The orchards are full of apple tree blossoms in spring and the trees are laden heavily with apples in autumn; one feels as if one is hearing the people’s laughter of happiness.

This socialist paradise is a fruition of Chairman Kim Jong Il’s plan. Whenever crossing Chol Pass in the trying days of defending socialism, he would look down at a fruit farm at the foot of the pass. In order to ensure that people were supplied with greater amounts of fruit, he initiated expanding the production capacity of the fruit farm.

Today Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of the DPRK, is putting Kim Jong Il’s plan into reality.

In June 2013, guiding the expansion project on the spot, Kim Jong Un said that when the project was finished, a new scene of the era of Songun, called a “sea of apple trees at the foot of Chol Pass,” would come into being.

Feasting his eyes with the panoramic view of the expanded orchards when he was inspecting the farm again in July 2014, he said with satisfaction that a socialist paradise for the people had been built at the foot of Chol Pass.

A sea of apple trees at the foot of Chol Pass―this is quite meaningful. When Chol Pass is symbolic of Songun, a sea of apple trees at its foot is symbolic of the benefits of socialism. In other words, a sea of apple trees at the foot of Chol Pass shows in concentrated and vivid manner the life of the people of the DPRK who will enjoy all the benefits of socialism thanks to Songun.

It is Kim Jong Un’s intention to provide his people with a rich and happy life at an earlier date while holding high the banner of Songun without letup. At the speech he made before the military parade in celebration of the centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), eternal President of the DPRK and founder of socialist Korea, he declared that it is the firm determination of the Party (Workers’ Party of Korea) to ensure that the people, who are the best in the world and who have remained faithful to the Party in the face of all manner of difficulties, do not have to tighten their belts again, but enjoy all the benefits of socialism.

His declaration is turning into reality. Witnessing the erection in various parts of the country of many modern architectural structures, like Changjon Street, Unha Scientists Street, apartment houses for the educationists at Kim Il Sung University and Kim Chaek University of Technology, Wisong Scientists Street, Rungna People’s Recreation Ground, Munsu Water Park, Okryu Children’s Hospital, Ryugyong Dental Hospital, Masikryong Ski Resort and Mirim Riding Club, the world is picturing the happy tomorrow of the people of the DPRK, when they would enjoy to their heart’s content all the benefits of socialism.

“A sea of apple trees at the foot of Chol Pass”―this testifies to the fact that when a country solidifies its defence capability it can surely provide its people with a happy life however undisguised the aggressive moves of the imperialists may be; in other words, to the justness of Songun.