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Sunday, December 24, 2017

H.E. Kim Jong Un Makes Closing Address at 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of WPK

Pyongyang, December 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, guided the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of WPK held from Dec. 21 to 23 amid the deep concern and expectation of all party members and other people of the country, and made a closing address.
Kim Jong Un said that the conference was successfully held thanks to the high enthusiasm of all the participants, adding that the Conference set forth proper orientation of struggle for the subsequent period before coming to a closure.
He said that the conference recalled the position held by party cells in strengthening the party and putting into practice the party's idea and intention, and the importance of duties assumed by party cell chairpersons, adding the conference clarified tasks and ways for strengthening the party cells at present.
The conference would offer an important occasion in further enhancing the function and role of the party cells as required by the prevailing situation and the developing revolution and in strengthening the leadership and militant ability of the party, he stressed.
The basic spirit of the conference is to turn all party cells into loyal cells, vanguard ranks implementing the party policies and bring about a fresh turn in the drive for strengthening the party and building a socialist power, he added.
Noting that it is heavy yet responsible work to strengthen the party cells into loyal cells and vanguard ranks of implementing party policies, he said with confidence that when all party chairpersons turn out with redoubled efforts, being conscious of the mission and duties assumed by them as primary political officials of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist party, the party cells would be strengthened, the militant power of our party would grow stronger and our revolution would make faster advance.
He stressed the need for all the cell chairpersons of the whole party to refresh determination and harden fighting spirit with the conference as momentum, to devote strength, wisdom and enthusiasm to rallying the party members and other working people close around the party, to become vanguard fighters and true educators of the popular masses who are making the breakthrough in the van whenever they are faced with difficulties and hardships and to arouse the masses into implementing the party policies.
It is the traditional fighting mode of the WPK to strengthen the party cells, militant units directly in charge of carrying out the party policies, enhance the leadership role of the party and effect a surge in the revolution and construction, he said, adding that our party will invariably carry forward this tradition in the future, too, and keep putting big efforts into prioritizing party cells and strengthening them.
He called on party organizations at all levels and party officials to cherish the party's idea and policies on prioritizing party cells and devote all efforts into strengthening all party cells into faithful cells and vanguard ranks implementing the party policies.
He said with pride that even though we may face manifold difficulties and hardships in the ways ahead, the Party Central Committee feels reassured as there are hundreds of thousands of cell chairpersons, core members loyal to the party and vanguard fighters for carrying out the party policies, and millions of party members.
What we have done is just the beginning and the Party Central Committee plans to conduct more new projects for the people, he said, noting it will to courageously carry out operations in a big and bold way for building a socialist power with trust put in party cell chairpersons.
He stressed that the participants in the conference should cherish deep once again what heavy responsibility they have assumed before the party and the revolution and at what an important post they are working.
Expressing conviction that all the party cell chairpersons will cherish the spirit of the conference and put it into their practical work to surely repay the trust and expectation of the Party Central Committee, he declared the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK closed.

5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of WPK Closes

Pyongyang, December 24 (KCNA) -- The 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea closed Saturday.
Chairman of the WPK Kim Jong Un, together with members of the Executive Policy Council of the WPK Central Committee, took the platform to guide the third- day meeting of the Conference.
Also taking the platform were leading officials of the central and provincial party committees.
The Conference continued under the guidance of the chairman of the WPK
Speakers referred to the achievements, experience and lessons drawn in the course of preparing party members and other working people to be true Kimilsungists-Kimjongilists and enhancing the function and role of party cells.
Defects and shortcomings that occurred in the work of enhancing the function and role of the party cells were criticized and substantial measures were pressed for to raise the role of party cell chairpersons in building all the party cells into faithful ranks upholding the ideology and leadership of the Party Central Committee in the van.
Evinced at the Conference were resolutions to cherish the intention of the Party Central Committee which convened the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK, raise the role of party cell chairpersons and thus make active contributions to realizing the cause of modeling the entire party and the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and give a powerful impetus to the building of a powerful socialist country.
Kim Jong Un made a historic speech at the Conference.
As his speech was over, all the participants broke into warm cheers.

He made a closing address.

Second-day Meeting of 5th Conference of WPK Cell Chairpersons Held

Pyongyang, December 23 (KCNA) -- The second-day meeting of the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) took place on Dec. 22.
Kim Jong Un, chairman of the WPK, and members of the Executive Policy Council of the Central Committee of the WPK took the platform to guide the conference.
The leading officials of the central and provincial Party committees also took the platform.
The conference continued under the guidance of the Chairman of the WPK.
The participants, who more keenly felt, through the first-day meeting, the importance of the conference in enhancing the militant might of the Party in every way, as required by the developing revolution, had in-depth discussions on the measures to make all the Party cells faithful ones and the reliable vanguard for implementing the Party policies by enhancing the role of the cell chairpersons.
At the second-day meeting, cell chairpersons of the Party committees of units at all levels, in their speeches, continued to analyze and review their achievements and experience in strengthening their cells, the lower-echelon organizations of the Party, and the shortcomings and causes in their cell work.
Speakers told about the successes and experience gained in making their Party cells faithful ones equipped with the spirit of devotedly defending the leader and the true vanguard organizations sharing their fate with our Party to the last, as intended by the Party Central Committee after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK.
They also referred to the fact that they strengthened their Party cells, prioritizing the work for preparing all the Party members to be true Kimilsungists-Kimjongilists and meticulously guiding the organizational and ideological life of Party members, and thus help them play the flagship role in the building of a powerful socialist country.
Listening to the speeches, the participants realized again that the example of party cell chairpersons is the mighty political work, and the validity and vitality of the mass work method of the Party to make cell work the one with the minds of the people.
The meeting analyzed such defects and shortcomings in party cell work of some units as failing to meet the requirements of the era and developing revolution and discussed the ways to overcome them.
It was said that some Party cells failed to properly arouse Party members and other working people to the drive for implementing the last instructions of President Kim II Sung and leader Kim Jong Il and some cell chairpersons failed to get rid of the wrong ideological viewpoints and idling working styles like defeatism, formalism, expedientialism and self-protection and the ranks of Party cell chairpersons have not been built well and meticulous work to help and teach them has not been done.
The meeting also discussed the measures to make all the Party cell chairpersons bear in mind their mission and duty in implementing the Party policies in order to bring about a fresh turn in the ideological viewpoint and working style and manner.

The conference continues.

H.E. Kim Jong Un Makes Opening Address at 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of WPK

Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, made an opening speech at the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK on Thursday.
In the speech he said that the current conference of cell chairpersons, the fifth of its kind in the history of the WPK, is under way amid the arduous yet vigorous struggle going on to bring overall prosperity on the whole front of accomplishing the socialist cause under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
He noted that President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il advanced the unique line of party building, a line of attaching importance to the basic organizations, long ago and directed primary efforts to the work for strengthening the basic party organizations including cells.
In his lifetime leader Kim Jong Il would teach that to strengthen the cell, a grass- root organization of our Party, is the most important work for ensuring the prestige of the WPK, further strengthening our Party organizationally and ideologically and enhancing its militancy, saying that the Party's organizational and ideological soundness and might, and the thoroughgoing implementation of the Party's lines and policies are guaranteed by the party cells, the Chairman added.
He stressed that the Party Central Committee convened the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK in order to further strengthen the party cells in keeping with the requirements of the developing revolution and bring about a fresh turn in the their work, true to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il's unique line of party building and idea of giving importance to the basic organizations.
In reflection of the ardent loyalty of the participants in the conference and all other cell chairpersons and party members, the Chairman of the WPK expressed the highest respects and eternal glory to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il who, with their rare wisdom and distinguished leadership ability, advanced the unique idea of party building and developed the WPK into the invincible militant general staff and an ever-victorious iron-willed party which has struck its roots deep into the popular masses.
Saying that the rapid development of the DPRK's nuclear force is now exerting big influence on the world political structure and strategic environment, the Chairman of the WPK informed of the situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula and the international political situation around the DPRK. He stressed that nobody can deny the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the U.S.
Although grave challenges that should not be overlooked face us, we neither feel disappointed nor are afraid of them but are optimistic about progress of our revolution under this situation, he said, and went on:
The prevailing situation offers a good opportunity to further strengthen our unity and make us develop with our own efforts in all fields, depending on the Juche character and self-reliance. We have to work with confidence, optimism and smile.
He noted that the Party Central Committee comprehensively analyzed the prevailing subjective and objective conditions and the future developments and convened the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the Seventh WPK Central Committee to set forth grand and tested orientation and unique strategic and tactical policies for hastening overall development of our revolution.
He said with high pride that all the people turned out in hearty response to the militant call of the Party and have been making steady progress and changes in the drive to implement the decisions of the Seventh WPK Congress.
Noting that we successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force by thoroughly implementing the revolutionary line of independence in politics, self-support in the economy and self-reliance in defense, despite short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies, he said that we have further cemented the self- reliant socialist economic foundation and the economic structure of self-sufficiency based on domestic efforts, technology and resources and developed the socialist culture in an overall way by raising the fiercer flames of the cultural revolution.
He went on:
This year, too, the number of units which completed their annual plans drastically increased in major fields of the national economy and a fresh turn was brought in grain and fruit production. We manufactured new-type trucks, tractors and farm machines with our own strength and technology. Many light industrial factories were renovated and updated to produce quality consumption goods.
It is the miracle of history that the building of a powerful socialist nation has been steadily pushed forward without a moment of stagnation despite the harsh sanctions and pressure threatening the existence of the state and its people. Our people's absolute trust in the great Party which brought about the miracle has grown deeper and the harmonious whole of the Party and the masses has been cemented as firm as rock.
The proud victories and successes of our Party and people are associated with loyalty and devoted efforts of the Party cells and their chairpersons that linked tens of millions of masses to the Party Central Committee in blood vessel and inspiringly aroused them to the implementation of the Party's policies.
The Party Central Committee sees hundreds of thousands of Party cells and their chairpersons active among the broad masses from the great people who rise up as one following only the Party and is greatly encouraged by them.
He sent warm thanks and militant greetings to all the participants in the conference and all other chairpersons of the Party cells who have devotedly worked only for the Party and the socialist motherland with their responsibility for the grass- root organizations of our Party, silently dedicating their all.
He stressed the need to launch a brave offensive for implementing the decision of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the WPK and attaining the goal of the five-year strategy for national economic development set forth at the Seventh WPK Congress to smash the escalating aggression moves of the U.S. imperialists and their sanctions and pressure and promote the radical progress of socialist construction in a more exciting and elated posture than ever before.
In order to successfully carry out the important and urgent tasks set forth by our Party at present, the Party cells, basic organizations of the Party, should be further strengthened and all the Party cell chairpersons should fulfill their responsibilities and duties, he stated.
He underscored the need for the current conference to properly make an overall review and analysis of the successes and faults in the work of the Party cells since the Fourth Conference of Secretaries of the Cells of the WPK and take practical measures for making all the Party cells into loyal ranks upholding the Party's idea and leadership in the van and enhance the roles of the Party cell chairpersons in the work.
Participating in the current conference are chairpersons of the Party cells and branch committees, leading officials of Party committees at all levels and Party officials in the fields of munitions industry, leading sectors of the national economy, light industry, agriculture and other fields and sectors and units of armed forces organs, he said.

Expressing belief that the current conference would mark another turning point in increasing the militant power of our Party in every way by strengthening the Party cells and enhancing the roles of their chairpersons, he declared the Fifth Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK open.

5th Conference of WPK Cell Chairpersons Opens

Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) -- The 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) opened with splendor here on Thursday.
The conference will analyze and review the achievements and shortcomings of the Party cells for five years after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK and discuss the practical measures for making all the party cells faithful ranks taking the lead in upholding the idea and leadership of the Party and enhancing the role of the cell chairpersons.
Attending it are party cell chairpersons and branch committee chairpersons from various fields and units of the national economy and units of the armed forces organs and officials of the central and local party committees.
Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, and members of the Executive Policy Council of the WPK Central Committee took the platform to guide the conference.
The platform was also taken by leading officials of the central and provincial party committees.
The Chairman of the WPK made an opening address.
Choe Ryong Hae, Presidium member of the Political Bureau and vice-chairman of the WPK Central Committee, made a report.
The reporter said that only when the Party cell, a center of the party life, main unit connecting the blood vessel between the Party and the masses and advancing group in implementing the Party policies, remains reliable, can the Party be firm and the revolution advance victoriously, adding it is the great truth proved by the history of Juche-based party building and accomplishing the socialist cause.
He noted that the Chairman of the WPK made a historic conclusion "Let Us Enhance the Militant Might of the Party in Every Way and Step Up the Building of a Thriving Country by Improving the Work of Party Cells" at the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK and set forth the orientation and tasks of building a basic party organization at several conferences including the First Conference of Chairpersons of the Primary Committees of the WPK, which have served as a new milestone for the strengthening of the Party cells.
The ideas and theories advanced by the Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, including the ideas of preparing all the party members to be genuine Kimilsungists- Kimjongilists, true comrades and comrades-in-arms of our Party, making the party cells blood vessel between the broad masses and the party by applying the people- first principle and intensifying the combat against abuse and bureaucratic practices, serve as very important guidelines that should be adhered to in the party cell work, he said.
The distinguished leadership and undying feats of the Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, who increased the working efficiency of the basic party organizations including the party cells in every way and thus made them gain very signal victories one after another on all fronts of building a powerful socialist country, will shine long in the history of Juche-based party building, the reporter said, and continued:
The past five years after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK were the fruitful years in which our Party had steadily advanced the socialist cause, fully demonstrating its might as the revolutionary party of Juche under the wise leadership of the Chairman of the WPK.
The ongoing campaign to implement the grand programme of building a powerful socialist nation set forth at the 7th WPK Congress requires remarkably enhancing the leadership ability of the Party. Prerequisite for this is to enhance the function and role of the Party cell, the lower-echelon organization and main working unit of the Party.
The reporter referred to the defects manifested by the Party cells in failing to fully meet the high intention of the Party and the requirements of the developing revolution.
He called for making energetic efforts for the strengthening of the Party and the final victory in building a powerful socialist country, united close behind the Party Central Committee headed by the great Comrade Kim Jong Un.
Speeches were made at the conference.
Speakers noted that the Party cells have carried out their work with main emphasis on training Party members and other working people to be true revolutionaries who deeply grasped the greatness of the Party and the leader and acquired the indomitable revolutionary spirit.
They mentioned the achievements and experience gained in their work to make the organization and guidance over the Party life of its members aimed at implementing the behests of the leader and defending the Party policies and to arouse the masses to the drive for building an economic giant through active application of the precisely-targeted method of political work.
They also said that they have definitely turned the work with the masses into the one with their minds and feelings and emotion, true to the people-first principle of the Party, so as to resolve their inmost problems.
Some Party cells' shortcomings were referred to at speeches.
The conference continues.

FM Spokesman Flails U.S. Anti-DPRK Moves over Cyber Issue

Pyongyang, December 21 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA on December 21 over the fact that the United States is pointing its finger at the DPRK with regard to the issue of cyber-attack:
The United States is now inciting the global confrontation against us by forcibly linking to
the DPRK the latest incident of cyber-attack which has given rise to a great international outcry.
The U.S., a source of all social evils and a state of global cyber-crimes, is unreasonably accusing the DPRK without any forensic evidence. This cannot be construed otherwise than an expression of its inveterate repugnance towards the DPRK.
As we have clearly stated on several occasions, we have nothing to do with cyber-attack and we do not feel a need to respond, on a case-by-case basis, to such absurd allegations of the U.S.
However, we can never tolerate the U.S. reckless move of using the issue of cyber-attack for the purpose of making direct accusation against our state.
This move is a grave political provocation by the U.S. aimed at inducing the international society into a confrontation against the DPRK by tarnishing the image of the dignified
country and demonizing it, as the U.S. is now driven into a corner as a result of the DPRK's achievement of great cause of completing the state nuclear force. The U.S. move is also a direct challenge to our system and political power.
Crystal clear is the purpose of the U.S. trying to link us to the issue of cyber-attack at this very moment when it is hell-bent on making a harshest "sanctions resolution" against us. The main ulterior intention of the U.S. is to create an atmosphere of sanctions and pressure against the DPRK by branding the latter as a "criminal state" even in cyber issue, not being content with the nuclear issue and the "human rights issue".
The Trump administration is inciting an extremely confrontational atmosphere by even concocting a plot against us at this delicate moment when the situation on the Korean peninsula is at the crossroads of nuclear war or peace. This only betrays the true colors of the U.S. as the main culprit of the aggravated situation on the Korean peninsula. We will never tolerate the U.S. reckless moves against the DPRK and make all our efforts for defending our state and system.
We would also warn those countries unreasonably following in the footsteps of the U.S. indulging in the anti-DPRK plots. 

U.S. Purpose in Pushing Forward "Biological Weapons Development Program" Disclosed

Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The Director of Press of the Institute for American Studies (IFAS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK made public the following statement on Wednesday:
Some U.S. media and experts are now groundlessly claiming that the DPRK is pushing forward with so-called "biological weapons development program" as a part of the "wild ambition for developing the WMD".
Properly speaking, it is the U.S. stereotyped method to cook up untruths as truths, stubbornly insisting that black is white and fabricating anything for satisfying their aggressive greed. And the U.S. itself is an empire of evils full of plots, fabrications, lies and deceptions.
It is the U.S. that conducts military aggressions and cruise missile attacks on sovereign states in broad daylight while faking up "possession of WMD" and "use of chemical weapons" of those countries.
It is none other than the U.S., chattering on "morality" and "civilization", the criminal state that massacred the Korean people by bacteriological weapons during the Korean War and inflict sufferings upon the innocent people by continuing even now to openly use the internationally prohibited weapons.
The barbarous bacteriological atrocities perpetrated by the U.S. imperialist beasts during the Korean War still stand in relief in our people's memories.
And they are also the American politicians and the white supremacists making conceived attempts for state terrorism and racial extinction through overt research and development of the biological weapons in the worldwide-scattered U.S. laboratories.
It is the shameless deed that these criminals are finding fault with us while turning black into white by talking nonsense of the DPRK's "biological weapons development program". This is nothing but a manifestation of heinous intention to condemn our dignified state as a "rogue one" with the purpose to internationally isolate our highly dignified state and to justify the U.S. sanctions and pressure on the DPRK. This is also the manifestation of a pursuit for excuse to provoke nuclear war on the Korean peninsula at any cost.
The DPRK, as a state party to the BWC, maintains its consistent stand to oppose development, manufacture, stockpiling and possession of biological weapons.

The more the U.S. clings to the anti-DPRK stifling move, in such a manner as a thief shouting to stop thief, by denouncing us as a state of "developing the biological weapons", the more hardened the determination of our entire military personnel and people to take revenge will be and the earlier the days of destruction of the U.S., an empire of evils will come.

"2017 Report on Human Rights Abuses in South Korea" Issued

The National Reunification Institute of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Wednesday issued the "2017 Report on Human Rights Abuses in south Korea" to reveal the hideous crimes against humanity and human rights committed in south Korea this year.
The report deals with sad lot of the south Korean people who fell victim to the U.S. colonial rule.
Military exercises are staged almost everyday in the military bases of the U.S. including a shooting range of Yongphyong and therefore the south Korean people are trembling with horror under the noise pollution and various accidents and their living places have been devastated.
South Korea suffers great economic damage owing to the U.S. policy for plunder.
Crimes against humanity such as murder, rape, violence and robbery committed by GIs present in south Korea steadily increase.
The report points to the violated democratic rights and the life of south Koreans in dire destitution.
The south Korean people of every stratum demanded the reinstatement of democratic freedom and right, strongly calling for releasing the prisoners of conscience who fell victim to the fascist misrule of traitor Park Geun Hye's group and canceling the measure to outlaw the Teachers Union of south Korea (Jongyojo) after the change of the regime.
Nevertheless, the south Korean authorities resisted the south Koreans' demand for legalizing Jongyojo reiterating the sophism of conservative forces that "there is concern over negative effect on the people" and repelled the issue of prisoners of conscience, spouting that "they can't take amnesty measure to earn fame" and "the conservatives might call for Park's release."
In the long run, a former law maker from the Unified Progressive Party, the chairman of the south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and many other prisoners of conscience are still behind bars though they were detained for no reason under Park's regime.
The report held that a fierce wind of confrontation with fellow countrymen rampant in south Korea has been accompanied with violation of human rights.
When the puppet authorities talked as if they could make a fresh change in favor of improvement of inter-Korean relations, the Family Movement for Realizing Democracy in south Korea and other progressive bodies demanded the present regime immediately send back Kim Ryon Hui and other DPRK women employees who suffered from the policy of confrontation of the puppet conservatives saying that this was a foremost task facing the regime for the sake of reconciliation and unity of the nation and to recover the downtrodden human rights and democracy.
But, the puppet Ministry of Unification hurt heart of Kim Ryon Hui who demanded repatriation by saying that it had to conduct repatriation movement worrying about her family members in the north.
Meanwhile, it openly sent a statement branding the abduction of women employees of the north as "defection from the north by their own wills" to the civic and public organizations. Not content with this, it committed thrice-cursed immoral crime by cooking up a new plot of "marriage" to detain them in south Korea.
The south Korean authorities wantonly abuse the desire and wishes of south Korean people for national reconciliation, unity and peace and reunification.
The puppet conservative group wrapped in premonition of last destruction by the great candlelight action lightening south Korea suppressed south Koreans from all walks of life who demanded for justice and improvement of the north-south relations labeling them as "pro-north left faction" and "forces following the north" on the charge of violation of the "security law" to tide over the crisis.
What is more enraging is that such fascist suppression is still going on in south Korea even after the change of the regime.
The report referred to the fact that the south Korean puppet army, colonial mercenary army of the U.S., is the exhibition of human rights abuses with the most grave problems.
Serious human losses occur one after another by the war exercises against the north and the number of officers and soldiers of the puppet army claim for discharge expressing mental diseases in fear of war and accidental death mushrooms.
American barrack culture has been deeply infiltrated into the south Korean puppet army and Yankee culture prevails and it regards brutality and atrocity as the first character of soldiers. Thereby violence serves as the basic mean and common life mode to maintain the army.
The situation of servicewomen in the puppet army is more miserable.

The human rights issue of south Korea can never be solved as long as the U.S. colonial domination and occupation exist and the puppet authorities' pro-U.S. sycophancy and policy of confrontation with the compatriots and unpopular rule continue in south Korea.

Kim Jong Un Visits Kumsusan Palace of Sun


                    H.E Respected Leader Kim Jong Un

Pyongyang,December 18 (KCNA)--Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on Dec. 17, the greatest national mourning day.
He entered the hall where the statues of President Kim II Sung and
leader Kim Jong Il stand.
Seen standing before the statues was a floral basket sent by Kim Jong Un.
He paid high homage to the statues.
He made a deep bow to Kim Jong II in the hall of immortality where he lies in state.

He made a solemn pledge to fight more unflinchingly as befits a revolutionary soldier of Kim Jong Il in order to steadily develop the Workers' Party of Korea into the dignified Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist party and to consolidate the country into the strong one, where Kim Jong Il's desires come true, and the fortress independent in politics, self-supporting in the economy and self-reliant in defence.

KIM JONG IL

BIORAPHY
CHAPTER 3. THE ARDUOUS POSTWAR YEARS

4. PIONEERING A MARCH TO REVOLUTIONARY
BATTLESITES IN THE MT. PAEKTU AREA

The Mt. Paektu area harbours a concentration of relics of the vigorous military-political activities that Kim Il Sung waged from there at the head of the main unit of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, during the darkest period of Japanese colonial rule. Until the mid-1950s, educational institutions in Korea would organize visits to scenic spots and ancient monuments, or take students on mountaineering and camping trips on a whole host of occasions, but they showed little concern about visits to revolutionary sites and battle sites.
In late May 1956, Kim Jong Il initiated a march to revolutionary battle sites in the Mt. Paektu area. He told Kim Il Sung about his intention to organize a team of student marchers to travel to the revolutionary battle sites in Ryanggang Province on the occasion of the anniversary of the victorious
Pochonbo battle.
Kim Il Sung readily supported him, saying: You would do well to go to the revolutionary battle sites along the route of the anti-Japanese guerrillas, across mountains and through forests. In those difficult days, they marched into the homeland, attacking Pochonbo and fighting a battle in the Musan area. When you get there, you must learn how they fought with faith in final victory.
Kim Jong Il answered that he would heed his advice. Kim I1 Sung continued: As the Korean saying goes, being the first to open the door at dawn brings five blessings. It is not so difficult to be the first to open the door of a house. But it is no easy task to open the door of the country before anyone else, for the sake of the country and the people, the Party and revolution, and venture out on an untrodden path.
That is a most honourable and worthwhile undertaking. The first ever march to revolutionary battle sites is such a venture, according to me. Set out on that untrodden path with firm resolve and you will make it through. Greatly inspired, Kim Jong Il started organizing the march with the firm resolve to hold aloft the banner of the revolutionary tradition.
After forming the group of student marchers, he discussed with them the programme of activities at meetings of the Korean Children's Union, and helped them make the necessary preparations.
 Prior to their departure, he emphasized the purpose of the march, namely, to study the Party's revolutionary traditions established by Kim I1 Sung. On June 5, 1956, the group from Pyongyang Middle School No.1 led by Kim Jong Il set out, under a red flag, on a historic tour of revolutionary battle sites, the first of its kind in Korea. This venture of teenagers created a great stir among the people.
On arriving at Hyesan, Kim Jong Il proposed starting with a visit to the grave of Ma Tong Hui, an anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter, saying: The high mountains and deep valleys of the Paektu Range are home to the heroic souls of a large number of fallen anti-Japanese revolutionaries.
Ma Tong Hui was an indomitable fighter who had ensured Kim Il Sung's personal safety: He had cut off his tongue with his teeth in prison for fear that he might reveal the whereabouts of Headquarters in a delirium after being subjected to heavy torture.
After observing a moment's silence in memory of the martyr, Kim Jong Il said: He laid down his young, 26-year-old life for the country and the people. During our current venture, we must assiduously study the revolutionary traditions and take the cue from the infinite loyalty of the anti-Japanese revolutionary forebears to Kim Il Sung.
The group reached the revolutionary battle site of Pochonbo on June 8. They laid floral bouquets before the bronze statue of Kim Il Sung and bowed before it, recalling how he had instilled in the people confidence in national liberation and inspired them in the anti-Japanese war 19 years ago.
They visited the poplar under which he had commanded the battle, and the sites of the destroyed Japanese police substation, fire station, sub-county office, post office and forest station. Then they posed for a photograph under a zelkova, a mute eye-witness to all the events of history.
On June 9, they left Pochonbo and travelled to the banks of Lake Samji along a narrow, dense and overgrown path through the forest- a near wilderness littered with fallen trees and covered with piles of dead leaves.
They drank water from the lake by scooping it up with their hands and drank in the scenic beauty of the clusters of pink azaleas. Kim Jong Il, surveying the thick forests around and the calm, crystal-clear water, said: The lake is so beautiful, just like a picture.
It seems like it is the very source of Korea's clear waters and crisp air. He strolled along the lakeside as he continued:
"My mother used to tell me that at the foot of Mt. Paektu I would find a convergence of three ponds called Lake Samji, a very beautiful spot. She often talked about the break they took here after marching into the homeland under the General's command to attack the Japanese imperialists. She said she had drunk the clear water of the lake and that its sweet taste was unforgettable. I have always felt an irresistible urge to come here, and now my wish has come true."
He cast his glance over to Mt. Paektu, lost in tender memories. "Mt. Paektu is my native place," he resumed, his eyes riveted on the mountain. It was here that the leader lit the torch of the revolution, he said, it will remain standing for ever as a towering eye-witness to the history of the Korean revolution.
A while later the students left the precincts of the lake and started marching down the "Kapsan-Musan Guard Road", after Kim Jong I1 had dissuaded them from boarding a bus and appealed to them to march on foot, just as the anti-Japanese guerrillas had done. They walked with spirited strides, knapsacks on their backs, singing the Guerrilla March.
Kim Il Sung had marched along this very road in broad daylight despite a tight Japanese cordon; now, as he took the same route, Kim Jong Il again marveled at his father's matchless courage, brilliant tactics and faith in ultimate victory.
That night the young marchers slept in the village of the Samjiyon Forest Station. The following day, on June 10, they had to set out on more than 24-km hike through steep and rugged mountains to Rimyongsu through Phothae-ri.
Before leaving, Kim Jong Il checked every one of the students' backpacks. "Comrades, do you feel up to making it through the 24-km journey?" he asked.
"Yes," they answered in unison.
He said encouragingly:
"Once you have determination, nothing is impossible. A man receives training in body and mind by climbing mountains and enduring hardships from childhood."
Once the column started moving, Kim Jong Il marched at its head, leading the others. When he saw one of them lagging behind, he took over his backpack and encouraged him, saying: We are visiting revolutionary battle sites instead of such scenic spots as the Kumgang and Myohyang mountains, in order to follow the example of the anti-Japanese guerrillas.
We even declined a bus drive and are now marching along on foot. If we are not able to endure even this trifling hardship, how can we ever hope to become true sons and daughters of the fatherly Marshal?
He also paid close attention to modelling the group's lifestyle on that of the anti-Japanese guerrillas. When they were taking a break, he got them to set down their backpacks in perfect order, saying: Now that we are at the sites of revolutionary battles, we must take an orderly break, just like the guerrillas. At lunchtime on the banks of the Phothae Stream, he folded up his sleeves and volunteered to cook, saying: I once lived among the guerrillas. Sol must act as a quartermaster.
Finally, the group reached Rimyongsu, having marched their way through forests of Abies nephrolepis, Picea koraiensis, white birches and ash trees.
Kim Jong Il stayed in a humble log-cabin of the village along with the other students, and had dinner with them in the dining-hall of the workers' dormitory.
He saw that the owner of the house was embarrassed at his inability to offer him better lodging, and consoled him, saying: I was born and grew up in a log-cabin like this. So I feel at home here. I'm really glad to see a log-cabin again.
Late into the night, he and the others lay wide awake, enjoying the sound of the rushing Rimyongsu Waterfall. He said: I was just thinking the guerrillas, too, would have heard this sound on their march to Pochonbo. As you know, our country is now going through trying times. In view of the nation's hardships, we must be determined to fight to the finish to complete the Korean revolution, imbibing the staunch faith the guerrillas showed in advancing along the path of revolution under the leader's command.
When the marchers had finally concluded their itinerary, he addressed them thus:
"We have now finished our journey to revolutionary battle sites like Pochonbo and Lake Samji, having marched along the paths taken by the guerrillas. We have, in the process, keenly felt the glory and greatness of our Party's revolutionary traditions established by the leader during the anti-Japanese armed struggle. We have also come to realize that all Koreans should visit the revolutionary battle sites in Ryanggang Province. This will give them better knowledge than any university of politics can."
The students vowed to cherish and develop the Party's revolutionary traditions achieved by Kim Il Sung and to train themselves to be dependable heirs to the revolutionary cause of Juche.
On his return to Pyongyang on June 14, Kim Jong Il talked to Kim I1 Sung in detail about the journey they had undertaken. He said: The revolutionary battle sites, which are permeated with the spirit of our revolutionary forebears, have not been maintained as they should be. Many of them have been neglected and even those under maintenance are not properly managed or used for education in the revolutionary traditions.