Supreme Leader Kim
Jong Un's Policy Speech
April. 12, Juche 108
(2019)
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un made the policy speech
"On Socialist Construction and the Internal and External Policies of the
Government of the Republic at the Present Stage" at the First Session of
the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
on April 12.
Its full text is as follows:
Dear Deputies,
The First Session of the 14th Supreme People's
Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is convened at a time
when the prestige and strength of our Republic advancing along the road of
independence are being demonstrated to the full and its socialist construction
has entered a very important period.
As the election to the 14th Supreme People's Assembly
was held successfully amid the high political enthusiasm of all the people and
with their active participation and the government of the Republic was
reorganized, our State power has been further consolidated and the
revolutionary advance of our people, who, united with one mind and will around
the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Republic, are marching
confidently towards a higher goal of socialism, will be further accelerated.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the Deputies for
having placed, on behalf of all the people, great trust in me so that I would
continue to lead the overall work of the State as Chairman of the State Affairs
Commission of our glorious country, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea;
and I pledge myself to work with devotion for the development and prosperity of
the Republic and the happiness of our people.
Comrades,
Accomplishing the socialist cause under the unfurled
banner of modelling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is a great
and historic task facing the government of the Republic.
Modelling the whole society on
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is the highest programme of our Party and the
government of our Republic and the general direction and general goal of the
construction of a socialist State.
It is only when we thoroughly apply
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism to State building and activities that we can develop
our Republic into the State of the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il
forever and creditably satisfy our people's demands for and ideals of
independence true to the will and wishes of the great leaders.
The government of our Republic will achieve decisive
victory in implementing the socialist cause by conducting more vigorously the
struggle for modelling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
1
Comrades,
The major fighting task facing us in our efforts for
modelling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is to accomplish the
cause of building a powerful socialist country.
Building a powerful socialist country is a historic
stage in the struggle for achieving the final victory of socialism, and this
can be accomplished with credit only by applying the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist
ideas of State building in a thoroughgoing way.
The Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist ideas of State building
contain in a concentrated way the ideas of, and exploits in, State building of
the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, who developed our Republic into
the most prestigious and strong socialist State in its history; these ideas
also indicate clearly the ways and means for accomplishing the socialist cause
with the State government as a political weapon.
With the great Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist ideas of
State building as the immutable guiding principle, the government of the
Republic should raise the country's strategic position and national strength
onto a new high and bring about a fundamental turn in accomplishing the
Juche-oriented socialist cause.
The revolutionary line of independence should be
carried out in State building and activities.
Independence is the political philosophy of our
Republic, and it constitutes the core of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist ideas of
State building. A socialist State can defend the country's prestige and
people's destiny and build and perfect socialism as suited to its situation and
by its own efforts, only when it maintains the principle of independence and
the Juche-oriented stand definitely in all its activities. The great Comrades
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il raised independence as the life of the Korean
revolution and the fundamental cornerstone for State building and advanced the
revolution and construction in our own way while categorically rejecting
worship of big countries, dogmatism and the high-handedness and pressure by
outside forces. Under their wise leadership our Republic has been built and
developed to be a socialist State, independent in politics, self-supporting in
the economy and self-reliant in national defence, and it is still demonstrating
to the world its prestige and might as a powerful independent country. Its
strategic position and influence is being raised day by day as it recently
achieved the historic cause of developing the two fronts simultaneously amid a
do-or-die confrontation with the imperialists and is leading the trend of situation
towards peace. Today the imperialists' wilful violation of the sovereignty of
other countries is growing more undisguised than ever before, and not a few
countries are being forced into a miserable plight as they have no strength
with which to defend themselves; in this world it is hard to find a country
like our Republic that is steadfast in the principle of independence and
assures the security of the State and the happiness of the people by its own
efforts.
Holding fast to the revolutionary line of independence
in State building and activities is a consistent and immutable stand of our
Republic.
Geographically, Korea is sandwiched between big
countries and its territory remains divided. Our Republic is conducting
socialist construction as the hostile forces are resorting to more vicious
schemes in trying to contain, undermine and stifle it. On the other hand, the
contradictions and confrontations among great powers in their pursuit of
hegemony are worsening on a regional and worldwide scale.
Given the special circumstances of our revolution and
the complexity of the present world situation, our Republic should build up its
own strength from the firm standpoint of independence and seek independent
development to defend its sovereignty and dignity and achieve true prosperity.
In the past, too, when the world socialist camp existed and the countries
concerned maintained cooperative relations to varying degrees, our Republic
adhered to self-determination and independence in carrying on the revolution and
construction, and promoted socialist construction on the principle of
self-reliance. Building socialism by its own efforts according to the
revolutionary line of independence is the basic principle our Republic must
invariably maintain in State building.
Whatever wind may blow and whatever challenges and
difficulties may lie ahead, our Republic will, in the future, too, make no
concession or compromise over the issues concerning the fundamental interests
of our State and people. It will resolve everything on the strength of
self-reliance and self-development, stepping up the building of a powerful
socialist country in our own way and by our own efforts.
A crucial factor in applying the revolutionary line of
independence to the building and activities of our State is to strengthen the
motive force of our revolution and develop all fields of social life in our own
way. We should consolidate the country's politico-ideological position
rock-solid by fully equipping the people with the great Juche idea and the spirit
of national independence and rallying them firmly behind the Party and the
government of our Republic. The government will develop all realms of the
economy, defence and culture from the steadfast Juche-oriented stand and in our
own way, and it will never tolerate others' way, others' fashion, in the
slightest.
Our Republic has a bright, promising future ahead, as
it is steadily developing on the strong basis of independence, self-sufficiency
and self-reliant defence, with the Party and the people achieving solid unity
to form the powerful motive force of the revolution.
It is important to apply the people-first principle to
the letter in all aspects of State activities and social life.
This principle is a political ideal of regarding the
masses of the people as masters of the revolution and construction, relying on
them and making selfless, devoted efforts for their interests. It embodies the
Juche-oriented revolutionary philosophy that the people are the most precious
and powerful beings in the world; it reflects the unwavering commitment of our
Party and the government of our Republic to love the people dearly and satisfy
their demands and interests.
The people are the roots of our socialist State and
its foundation; they are responsible for developing it. All the activities of
Party and government organs should be thoroughly oriented and subordinated to
safeguarding and realizing the people's demands and interests and faithfully
serving them-this is just the way to promote the revolution and construction
with success and bring the viability and advantages of socialism into full
play.
Maintaining the viewpoint and attitude of prioritizing
the people in the activities of the State presents itself as an important
matter, in view of the fact that abuses of power, bureaucratism and other
violations of their interests may appear among officials in the course of
socialist construction. The impertinent practices of lording it over the people
and abusing the authority vested by them will impair the prestige of socialism
and its people-oriented character, and weaken the people's support for and
trust in the Party and the State. They may end up threatening the very
existence of our socialist system.
With a view to carrying forward and holding up the
ennobling ideas and intentions of the great leaders, who believed in the people
as in heaven and devoted their lives to their interests, our Party defined the
essence of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, the guiding ideology of our revolution,
as the people-first principle and set it as the greatest priority to apply the
Juche-oriented view on the people, a people-oriented philosophy, in the
activities of the Party and the State.
The slogan "Everything for the people and
everything by relying on them!" encapsulates the people-first principle
maintained by our Party and the government of our Republic. In all spheres of
State and social life we have given top and absolute priority to what are
oriented to the people and popular among them, unsparingly investing everything
for their wellbeing. Over recent years our State has implemented gigantic
construction projects in a bold manner. This is not because there is a surplus
of funds in the country's coffers; those projects are aimed at providing our
people, who are the best in the world, with better conditions for a happy,
cultured life.
Our Party and the government of our Republic have
resolutely declared a war against abuses of power, bureaucratism and
corruption, which are infringing upon the people's interests, and waged an
intensive struggle against such practices, taking it as a matter with a vital
bearing on the existence of our State.
In the course of the endeavour to apply the
people-first principle in all the activities of the Party and the State and in
all fields of social life, the Party, the State and the people have formed a
community in which they share the same destiny with one another; our Republic
has advanced dynamically along the orbit of its development, never flinching in
the face of unprecedented trials and difficulties.
As socialist construction is progressing, we should
direct closer attention to applying the people-first principle. Then we can
double the dynamic for the advancement of our revolution and continue to
demonstrate the advantages peculiar to our style of socialism, those which
other countries cannot imitate.
The Party and the State make selfless, devoted efforts
for the good of the people, and the people support their Party and State
whole-heartedly, entrusting their destiny and future entirely to the latter-these
are the genuine features of our State embodying the people-first principle.
The government of the Republic will invariably hold
fast to the people-first principle as the core of its mainstay, and strive to
hasten the bright future of socialism aspired after by the people by relying on
their strength.
Party leadership over the overall affairs of the State
should be provided in every way possible.
Party leadership is the intrinsic requirement of the
building of a socialist State and lifeline of its activities. Only under the
leadership of a party, the incarnation of the demands and interests of the
masses, can the socialist State perform its mission as their servant with
credit and properly organize and undertake unified guidance over all realms of
social life and all regions and the overall socialist construction. A socialist
government, not led by a revolutionary party, will lose its intrinsic nature
and fall prey to the reactionaries and plotters, with the result that its
people cannot escape the pitiful plight of a political orphan.
Our Party is the veteran and seasoned General Staff of
the revolution, which has gained rich experience and outstanding leadership
skills and abilities in the course of leading the several stages of social
revolution and socialist construction. What instils boundless dignity and
confidence in sure victory in our people is the leadership of our Party, which
is bringing about world-startling, miraculous achievements one after another
while leading the gigantic campaign of creation for building a powerful
socialist country amid acute confrontation with the hostile forces.
Party leadership over State activities should be
consistently based on political guidance, policy-oriented guidance. The Party
is the guiding force that provides guidelines to be followed by the socialist
government and guides all State activities so that they are properly conducted;
the State is the executor and performer of the Party's lines and policies.
Proceeding from these interrelations between the Party and the government, our
Party has shown close concern over encouraging its organizations to exercise
unified control over the affairs of their sectors and units and give political
and policy-oriented guidance over them in the efforts to materialize its
leadership over State activities. If the Party, a political leadership body, is
involved in the administrative work and resorts to technical methods, it will
not only deviate from its main principle but paralyse the functions of
administrative organs and impair its authority, ending up making a mess of the
revolution and construction.
At present, the government of our Republic is
satisfactorily effecting unified leadership over the State and society by
relying on the revolutionary guiding ideology and scientific strategy and
tactics advanced by the Workers' Party of Korea. In the future, too, it should
remain faithful to the Party's ideas and leadership, so as to perform its
missions of representing the rights of the masses of the people to independence,
organizing their creative abilities and activities, taking care of their lives
and protecting their interests.
When it strictly adheres to the ideas and principles
of building a socialist State elucidated by Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, our
Republic will be built more splendidly as an independent powerful State that no
one can dare provoke, a people's State in which the people's ideals are fully
realized and a great State that leads the world by giving full scope to its
unlimited potential for development, and the victory of the socialist cause
will be brought closer.
2
Comrades,
The central task facing our Republic at the present
stage of the struggle to build a powerful socialist country is to solidify the
material foundations of socialism by concentrating all national resources on
economic construction.
Economic self-sufficiency is a material guarantee and
prerequisite for building an independent State. Only by relying on independent
and strong economic capability, it is possible to defend the dignity of a State
and increase its political and military might on a steady basis.
The present political situation demands that our State
hold higher the banner of self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
Recently, the United States has grown fearful of the
threats posed by our rapidly-developing nuclear armed force to the security of
its mainland. At the negotiating table, it has made much ado about improved
relations and peace; on the other hand, it is resorting to all conceivable
schemes in trying to prolong the economic sanctions, with the aim of preventing
us from following the path of our own choice and disarming us first to create
conditions for realizing its ambition of overthrowing our social system. Now
that it is raising demands that run counter to the fundamental interests of our
State, as a prerequisite for lifting the above sanctions, the confrontation
between our country and the United States is bound to be drawn out and the
hostile forces' sanctions will persist. We have built socialism in the face of
their constant sanctions, but we must neither become accustomed to this nor
slacken the speed of advance of our revolution. To the forces who cannot thwart
us by force, sanctions are a last resort. However, these are an intolerable
challenge to us; we must never connive at or remain indifferent to them, but
act resolutely to frustrate them. As we put an end to the prolonged nuclear
threat by dint of nukes, we must frustrate the hostile forces' sanctions on the
strength of self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
We have the capabilities and foundations for
independent development to revitalize the national economy and raise it to the
advanced international level in the shortest possible period. The foundations
of our self-supporting economy that have been laid for several decades, able
scientific and technical personnel, and the creative strength of the heroic
people who have made self-reliance part of their mental qualities and are
brimming with patriotic enthusiasm-these constitute our valuable strategic
resources. By making the most of these enormous and unlimited potentialities,
we must create another legendary tale of world-startling, miraculous successes
and go ahead of others by making a greater leap forward.
When we adhere to the line of building an independent
national economy and give full play to the revolutionary spirit of
self-reliance, we can achieve remarkable development with a strength that
others can neither fathom nor imagine.
The strategic policy pursued by our Party and the
government of our Republic in promoting socialist economic construction is to
make the national economy Juche-oriented, modern, IT-based and scientific.
The independence and Juche character of the national
economy should be consolidated in every way possible.
We must strive hard to achieve self-sufficiency in
power, fuel and raw materials, which constitute the basic guarantee for
independent economic development.
The electric-power industry should maintain and
strengthen the existing bases to maximize the production of electricity, put
power supply on a scientific and rational basis, and actively develop the
hydraulic, tidal, atomic and other promising sources of energy so as to create
greater generating capacity.
Coal and other mines, which are in charge of the
primary front for economic development, should give precedence to prospecting
and tunnelling, and concentrate their efforts on realizing mechanization of
extracting and transport, thus extensively increasing the production of coal,
the food of industry, and minerals.
The metallurgical industry should establish a new
modern yet large-scale iron production system that suits our actual situation
by solving the scientific and technological problems arising at the
Juche-oriented iron production bases and operating them properly. The chemical
industry should turn itself into a Juche-oriented, energy- and labour-saving
industry that totally relies on locally available raw and other materials. By
doing so, it should meet the domestic demands for fertilizer, chemical fibre,
synthetic plastics and various other chemical goods.
The problems of food and consumer goods, which are of
decisive importance in the improvement of the people's living, should be solved
in the earliest period.
The agricultural sector should pay special attention
to solving the problems of seed, fertilizer and water and securing the land
under cultivation, introduce scientific farming methods and raise the rate of
mechanization of farm work, and thus attain without fail the grain production
target set by the Party. The stockbreeding bases such as chicken and pig farms
should be modernly built or renovated, domestic animals be raised in a
scientific way, and a mass movement be launched to raise grass-eating animals
perseveringly. Also, a turn should be made in the production and processing of
seafood by consolidating the material and technical foundations of the fishing
industry.
The light industry establishments should hold fast to
recycling as one of their strategies, along with the strategy of relying on
locally-available raw and other materials, step up modernization of their
production lines and invest great efforts in developing new products. In this
way, it should ensure that larger amounts and various kinds of quality consumer
goods are supplied to the people.
We should carry on grand construction projects more
vigorously to provide the people with more affluent and cultured living
conditions. The construction sector should make innovations in architectural
designing and construction method and improve the level of technical equipment
of construction units to build world-class architectural structures in a larger
number. The building-materials industry should build up the capacity of cement
production and decisively raise the proportion of domestically-produced finishing
materials.
The transport sector should adopt revolutionary
measures for improving rail and water transport in conformity with the actual
conditions in our country and resolve the problem of passenger transport in the
capital city and provincial seats in our own way.
We should improve the structure of the national
economy still further, develop all its branches in a harmonious way and secure
the international competitive edge in the magnesia and graphite industries and
other promising economic sectors.
We should make proactive efforts to put the national
economy on a modern and IT footing so as to transform the country's economy
definitely into one that is knowledge-based.
We should work out strategies and targets for
developing hi-tech industries including the machine-building, electronics,
information, nanotechnology and biological industries, and concentrate
investment on them. Every sector should build a parent, standard factory in
which science and technology are integrated with production and all production
lines are made remote-controlled, intelligent and fully automated and
generalize its experiences, so as to raise the overall economy to the advanced
level of the world.
We should develop the local economy and reenergize the
external economic work.
Provinces, cities and counties should build and
develop the economy with their own distinctiveness by giving full scope to
their natural and geographical advantages and properly sustaining their
economic, technical and traditional characteristics. The State should empower
the local authorities to stand on their own feet and develop by themselves, and
adopt relevant practical measures.
The external economic sector should conduct external
economic cooperation, technical exchanges and trading activities in a multifarious,
proactive and tactical way on the principle of strictly abiding by the line of
building an independent national economy and in the direction of reinforcing
the fields and links essential in strengthening the country's economic
foundations.
In order to give full play to the potentials of the
self-supporting socialist economy, comprehensive measures should be taken to
enlist all the human and material resources and potentialities of the country
in a coordinated way and utilize the new elements and driving force for
economic development.
The economic work of the country should be conducted
under the State's unified control and supervision, and in accordance with its
strategic plan and command.
We should adopt a scientific and practical strategy
and phased plans for the economic development of the State and execute them
without fail. The structural and work system should be adjusted so that
enterprises can arrange and conduct production and management activities
smoothly while fully satisfying the needs of the State's unified guidance over
and strategic management of the economic work.
The State's institutional and legal conditions and
environment concerning economic affairs should be improved and an iron
discipline be established so that the economic organs and enterprises give
priority to the national interests and the promotion of the people's wellbeing
and observe the law and order strictly.
We should further improve planning in compliance with
the essential requirements of the socialist economy and deal with pricing,
monetary and financial matters-the important links in the whole chain of
economic management-in accordance with the economic principles and laws and in
such a way as to reap profit in reality. By so doing we can encourage the
enterprises and producers to work with great interest and high enthusiasm.
Measures should be taken to conduct the economic management on the basis of
scientific calculation so that optimum results can be obtained. Raw and other
materials, funds and manpower should be economized as much as possible and the
expenditure be made cost-effective so that all the resources of the country may
contribute to the development of the State to the maximum.
The main force that propels a self-supporting economy
is the talented personnel and science and technology.
We should make it part of the national social
practices to attach importance to the talented personnel and science and
technology, identify and appoint the talented personnel to the appropriate
posts so that they may lead production and the development of technology; and
we should steadily increase State investment in the field of science and
technology.
We should make proper decisions on major scientific
and technological tasks and projects, strategic, pivotal, profitable and
economically important, and concentrate our forces and funds on them to ensure
that science and technology may render decisive services to reenergizing the
overall economy and developing the hi-tech industry.
We should build up the political and military might of
our Republic.
Our political and ideological might is based on the
advantages and stability of the political system of our socialist State. We
should substantially provide all the people with genuine political rights and
dignity and give full play to the political and ideological advantages of our
system, in which the whole country, united in ideology, purpose and moral
obligation, makes uninterrupted progress.
The government of the Republic should regard the
people's interests as the absolute standard and give the first consideration to
their will and desire in formulating and carrying out its policies; in this
way, we can encourage the broad sections of the working masses including
workers, farmers and intellectuals to take active part in the management of the
State and society as befits the genuine masters of State administration.
The government should give definite precedence to the
political and ideological work as required by the intrinsic nature of the
socialist society, so as to train all members of society as true advocates of
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and further consolidate the political and ideological
unity and cohesion of our State.
The government of the Republic should perfect the
legal system of the State and intensify the role of law in State and social
life.
The laws of the Republic are powerful weapons for
defending the gains of the revolution, consolidating and developing the
socialist system and championing and guaranteeing the people's rights and
interests. In keeping with the intensification of the revolution and
construction, the laws and regulations should be subdivided and specified on
the basis of the requirements of the Party's policies and in reflection of the
prevailing realities so as to legislate and perfect them in a scientific way;
they should be modified and supplemented in good time, so that they can
reliably guarantee the administration of the people-oriented politics of the
socialist State. It is necessary to thoroughly establish a habit of observing
the socialist laws throughout society so that all the people respect the State
laws with a noble sense of law observance and abide by them on a voluntary and
obligatory basis; law-enforcement organs should enhance their role, never allow
double standards of discipline in enforcing laws and strictly adhere to
scientific accuracy, objectivity, impartiality and prudence in applying laws;
in this way, we should turn ours into the most advantageous socialist
law-governed State in which laws safeguard the people and the latter observe
the former.
The self-reliant defence capability is a powerful and
valuable weapon for defending the sovereignty of our Republic.
The peace-oriented atmosphere that has begun to be
created on the Korean peninsula is not stable, and the hostile forces have not
given up their attempt to invade our Republic. Always keeping in mind the iron
truth that peace can be guaranteed only by powerful military strength, we
should hold fast to the principle of self-reliant defence and keep building up
the country's defence capability.
The government of the Republic will provide, on a
preferential basis and in full, the human and material resources necessary for
strengthening the People's Army, arming all the people and fortifying the whole
country, and steadily raise the national defence capability by putting the
defence industry on a highly Juche-oriented and modern footing.
Socialist culture should be developed in our own way.
It is important to create a climate of giving top
priority to education throughout the country and bring about a radical
improvement in education in our own way so as to overtake the developed
countries in the educational level. The educational sector should strengthen
the ranks of teachers, improve the quality of education as demanded by the trend
of developing modern education, and thus train larger numbers of talented
personnel who will shoulder the scientific and technological development of the
country and socialist construction.
Upholding the slogan of making all the people well
versed in science and technology, we should enrol all the working people in the
study-while-you-work system and prepare them as intelligent workers.
The government of the Republic should give special
attention to the socialist health service. It should further improve medical
service, raise medical science and technology to the cutting-edge standard and
consolidate the material and technical foundations of the health service
sector, thereby bringing greater benefits of our country's socialist healthcare
system to the people.
The sector of culture and arts should create larger
numbers of masterpieces that represent the demands of the times and aspirations
of the people, and the sector of cinematic art, in particular, should kindle
the flames of effecting an upsurge in film-making in the new century, thus
playing the role of pacesetter in opening up a new heyday of the development of
socialist culture.
Sports play a very important role in consolidating a
nation's strength and exalting its resourcefulness and prestige. A nationwide
effort should be directed to developing sports science and specialized sporting
techniques and organizing the mass-based sports activities on a wide scale. At
the same time, sports facilities should be increased in number and the existing
ones renovated with an eye to satisfactorily hosting even international games.
Establishing a socialist way of life and moral
discipline is a severe political struggle and an acute class struggle to
safeguard and add lustre to our ideology and system.
We should encourage all the members of society, with a
high sense of pride and self-confidence that our culture, our way of life and
our morality are the best, to give full play to the collectivist way of life
and moral traits and actively create and fully enjoy the revolutionary and
optimistic cultured way of life of our style as suited to the aesthetic
sensibilities of today that aspire after cultural development. We should firmly
defend the ideological and cultural position of our State by strictly guarding
against any slightest expression of immoral and alien phenomena that poison the
people spiritually and degenerate and debase society, improving ideological
education and struggle and intensifying legal sanctions against them.
In order to successfully carry out the enormous
revolutionary tasks facing the government of the Republic, people's government
organs should enhance their functions and roles.
They should further intensify their unified guidance
over the whole society as required by the developing revolution.
They should consolidate and develop the socialist
political system and carry on the work of accelerating economic and cultural
construction. In particular, they should give precedence to economic work and
concentrate their efforts on improving the people's living standards. They
should put every realm of social life and every region under their supervision
and provide unified guidance over them while giving free rein to the creativity
of individual sectors and units.
People's government organs should establish the trait
of making selfless, devoted efforts for the good of the people as appropriate
to their basic duty.
They should always pay heed to the people's opinions,
plan and organize their work in reflection of their demands, find what can be
done for them and carry it through to completion, and enlist them in carrying
out the Party's lines and policies. They should give top priority to the
people's interests and comfort and take responsible care of their living.
They should properly enforce the advantageous
people-oriented policies including free compulsory education and free medical
care, which General Kim Jong Il pursued invariably even in the most trying
days, so that the people can feel keenly the gratefulness of the socialist
country in their daily life and turn out in the efforts for achieving its
prosperity.
People's government organs should maintain it as the
iron rule to work only under the Party's leadership.
They should organize and carry on all work with the
Party's ideas and policies as the yardstick, proactively defend the Party's
policies and implement with credit the revolutionary tasks advanced by the
Party, thereby giving full play to the validity of our Party's policies. Party
organizations at all levels should intensify collective guidance over the
activities of government organs in conformity with the demands of the
developing revolution and actively encourage all their officials to perform
their responsibilities and basic duties for the revolution.
Officials of people's government organs at all levels
should enhance their sense of responsibility and roles.
The present stirring realities urgently demand that
our officials take the lead in the general offensive and wage a vigorous
struggle in order to discharge their duties as befits the leading personnel of
the revolution.
Officials of people's government organs should possess
a high degree of Party spirit and revolutionary principle and conduct their
work in a daring and active manner with the attitude that they are fully
responsible for it. Courage and activeness arise out of trust in the Party,
whereas timidity and acts of basing their actions on how people look at them
result from lack of trust in the Party. Officials of people's government organs
should definitely root out passive approaches of expediting their work only
when the Party throws its full weight behind them, and cherish an unyielding
revolutionary work style of carrying through the task set by the Party even
though their bodies are torn to pieces. They should constantly cultivate
abilities for conceiving, organizing, supervising, guiding and developing their
work to become versatile workers who are capable of implementing any tasks with
credit. They should acquire our Party's methods of mass work, set personal
examples in all undertakings and make tireless efforts for the good of the
people. Cherishing deep in their hearts the true meaning of our Party's
affection for the people, they should be infinitely courteous to them and
become their faithful servants, always sharing weal and woe with them and
working with devotion for them.
3
Comrades,
At present, our historic struggle for national
reunification, a long-cherished desire of the nation, has entered a new phase.
We have taken momentous measures in succession to
improve inter-Korean relations and ensure peace on the Korean peninsula with a
firm resolve to achieve without fail the cause of national reunification, into
which the great Comrades
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il put their heart and soul
all their life.
Last year we held three rounds of historic north-south
summit meetings and talks and adopted inter-Korean declarations to bring about
a dramatic turn in the relationship. They were events of great significance
which turned around the grave situation that was teetering on the brink of war
every moment and which heralded the start of a new journey to national
reunification.
Now the entire nation ardently hopes that the historic
Panmunjom Declaration and the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration will
thoroughly be implemented so that the peaceful atmosphere on the Korean
peninsula will continue and inter-Korean relations will improve
uninterruptedly.
The south Korean conservative forces, however, are
responding to the aspirations of the nation and the unanimous expectations of
the international community with too perfidious words and behaviours, and are
struggling to bring inter-Korean relations back to those in the period before
the publication of the Panmunjom Declaration.
The United States openly forces "speed adjustment"
on the south Korean authorities and tries in every way to subordinate the
implementation of inter-Korean agreements to its anti-DPRK policy marked by
sanctions and pressure.
As a result, a grave situation has been created for us
to decide whether to ease the tension on the Korean peninsula and continuously
carry on the atmosphere of inter-Korean rapprochement or to return to the past
when the tension spiralled up towards a catastrophe with the danger of war
looming larger.
We cannot look on with folded arms the current
situation which causes serious concern over the destiny and future of the
nation and peace and security in the region, but we have to take proactive
measures without delay to straighten it out in line with the unanimous
aspirations of all the fellow countrymen.
To this end, it is needed above all to take a proper
stand and attitude with which to invariably adhere to and implement the
inter-Korean declarations encapsulating the unanimous will of the nation,
whatever difficulties and obstacles in the way.
I would like to make it clear once again that as I
already declared, it is my firm determination to turn, together with the south
Korean authorities, inter-Korean relations into a lasting and durable
relationship of reconciliation and cooperation and write a new history of the
nation that achieves peace and co-prosperity as desired by all the countrymen.
In order to untangle the prevailing unsavoury
situation, heighten the good atmosphere for improved relations north and south
created with much effort and make it bear meaningful fruit of peace and
reunification, it is important to put an end to big-power worship marring the
spirit of independence and to the policy of dependence on foreign forces
encroaching upon the common interests of the nation, and subordinate everything
to the improvement of the relations.
I think that if the south Korean authorities truly
want improved relations, peace and reunification, they should come back to the
original intention they had at the time of the Panmunjom summit and the
September Pyongyang summit and fulfil the responsibility they have assumed
before the nation through the sincere implementation of the north-south
declarations.
They should not waver in their attitude as they see
the tide nor pose as a meddlesome "mediator" and
"facilitator" as they busy themselves with foreign trips, but be a
responsible party that defends the interests of the nation speaking what they
have to say squarely with the mind of their own as members of the nation.
It is our consistent assertion that it is imperative
to smash the underhand schemes of the hostile anti-reunification and anti-peace
forces within and without in order to sustain the atmosphere of improved
inter-Korean relations.
It is needed to realize before it is too late that
neither progress in inter-Korean relations nor any fruit of peace and
prosperity can be expected if the hawkish forces in the south Korean military,
who persist in veiled hostility as they resume the military exercises, which
were agreed before to be discontinued, jointly with the United States by
changing their names, continue to be allowed to make reckless moves, and unless
the anachronistic arrogance and hostile policy of the United States, which is
creating artificial obstacles in the way of improved relationship as it
presents its arbitrary outrageous demand, are eradicated.
All the fellow countrymen in north and south and
abroad should, staking the destiny and future of the nation, resolutely check
and foil the moves of the United States and south Korean conservative forces
that go against the historic current towards improved inter-Korean relations
and peaceful reunification.
If they are truly willing to opt for the improvement
of north-south relations, peace and reunification, the south Korean authorities
should sympathize with our stand and will, keep pace with us and make a
courageous decision to show their sincerity by practical action, not by words.
Our Party and the government of our Republic will
continue to make sincere and persevering efforts to achieve the sustained
development of north-south relations and peaceful reunification of the country,
solemnly cherishing the aspirations and desires of the nation in the future,
too.
Comrades,
The first-ever DPRK-US summit meeting and talks, which
were held in Singapore in June last year under the world's spotlight, were a
momentous occasion that brought the hope of settlement of peace to the Korean
peninsula where fire had been exchanged; and the June 12 DPRK-US Joint
Statement was a historic declaration announcing to the world that the two
countries which had been hostile to each other from one century into the next
would write a new history of relationship, and therefore it won full support
and approval of the international community aspiring to peace.
The DPRK voluntarily took crucial and significant
measures including the discontinuation of nuclear test and test-fire of
intercontinental ballistic missile, thereby taking the first step towards
confidence-building which is the main key to the removal of bilateral hostile
relations, and it also took the broadminded measure of realizing the
repatriation of the remains of US soldiers, which had been requested by the US
President, as a show of its will to sincerely implement the June 12 DPRK-US Joint
Statement which serves as a milestone in the establishment of a new bilateral
relationship.
However, the second DPRK-US summit talks held in Hanoi
last February raised strong questions about whether the steps we took under our
strategic, courageous decision were right, and they were an occasion that gave
us a sense of caution about whether the United States is genuinely interested
in improving the bilateral relations.
At the talks we expressed our resolve to set the
essential stages and course to be followed without fail for the implementation
of the June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement in the interests of both sides and to
take more prudent and trustworthy steps, and looked forward to a positive
response of the United States.
But the United States came to the negotiating table
after thinking only about completely unrealizable methods.
In other words, they were unprepared to solve problems
with us at the table and they had no definite orientation or methodology.
By that sort of thinking, the United States will not
be able to move us one iota nor get what it wants at all, even if it sits with
us a hundred times, a thousand times.
It has recently conducted a test for simulated
interception of our intercontinental ballistic missile and resumed military
exercises the US President committed himself to suspending, while making other
hostile moves contrary to the spirit of the June 12 Joint Statement in a more
undisguised way. These seriously get on our nerves.
I am very displeased with such a trend.
As waves rise when wind blows, the more pronounced the
US policy hostile towards the DPRK becomes, the tougher our counteraction will
become.
Although it strongly hints at the settlement of issues
through dialogue as it thinks about the third round of DPRK-US summit talks,
the United States still looks away from the withdrawal of its hostile policy,
the basic way for establishing a new bilateral relationship; rather it
mistakenly believes that if it pressures us to the maximum, it can subdue us.
We, of course, attach importance to the settlement of
issues through dialogue and negotiations, but the US-style dialogue of
unilaterally pushing its demands does not fit us, nor are we interested in it.
Though the United States calls for a negotiated
settlement of issues, it is stirring up hostility to us day after day, which is
an act that is as foolish and risky as an attempt to put out fire with oil.
Given the deep-rooted animosity between the DPRK and
the United States, in order to implement the June 12 Joint Statement both sides
should give up their unilateral terms and seek a constructive solution that
meets each other's interests.
To this end, it is needed above all for the United
States to approach us with a new way of calculation after putting aside the
current one.
The United States is talking much about holding the
third round of bilateral summit talks, but we are neither pleased nor willing
to see summit talks like the Hanoi summit talks re-enacted.
However, as President Trump continuously observes,
personal relations between he and I are not hostile like the relationship
between the two countries, and we still maintain good relations, and if we
want, we can send and receive letters asking for each other's regards any time.
If the United States proposed holding the third round
of summit talks after finding out with a proper attitude a methodology that can
be shared with us, we would be willing to try one more time.
But in my opinion at this moment, it comes to my mind
that there is no need for me to obsess over the summit talks with the United
States out of thirst for the lifting of sanctions.
Anyway, we will be patient and wait till the end of
this year to see whether the United States makes a courageous decision or not,
but it will obviously be hard to get a good opportunity like the last time
again.
In future, I will put my signature on an agreement
without hesitation only when it contains fair clauses which conform to the
interests of both sides and which are acceptable to them, and this depends
entirely on the stand the United States takes and the way of calculation it
comes up with.
What is obvious is that if it sticks to its current
political way of calculation, the prospects for problem solving will be bleak
and very dangerous.
At this crucial time, I hope that the United States
will make a well-advised judgment and the second hand of the clock of the
DPRK-US showdown which they stopped with so much difficulty will not move again
for all ages.
The government of the Republic will strengthen and
develop the bonds of friendship and cooperation with all the countries of the
world that respect the sovereignty of our country and are friendly to it, and
will advance hand in hand with all the peace-loving forces of the world to
establish a lasting and durable peace mechanism on the Korean peninsula.
Comrades,
As I have just said, I will no longer set my heart on
such a trivial issue as lifting sanctions by the hostile forces, but open up
the way to prosperity by our own efforts.
Although the goal of our struggle is demanding and
challenges and difficulties stand in the way of our socialist construction as
ever, our Party and the government of our Republic are steadfast in their will
to open a new phase of prosperity and achieve the ideal and goal of building a
powerful country by their own efforts under the unfurled banner of
Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
The road of independence leads to prosperity and
victory. Nothing can reverse or stop the dynamic advance of our State and
people that have unshakable faith and will to pave their own way by themselves
with confidence in their own strength.
Let us all make a general advance to successfully
accomplish the cause of building a powerful socialist country, holding higher
the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and firmly rallied behind the
Party and the government of the Republic.
