by Peter Hayes and Roger Cavazos
January 2, 2014
I. Introduction
Peter Hayes and Roger Cavazos analyze Kim Jong-un’s 2014 New Year’s speech. They find that the speech provides important clues about North Korea’s perception of its domestic and international environment. Kim laid out his priorities primarily to a domestic audience, but many of the areas he wishes to develop, such as improving the economy and also advancing two specific industries; metallurgy and chemical will also necessitate some degree of opening to the outside world. His priorities also require some amount of external reaching out to North Korea or at least non-rejection of North Korean overtures. Kim reaffirmed his “byungjin” policy of simultaneously developing two fronts: the economy and nuclear weapons. He also upholds the decision to rid the party of “anti-party counterrevolutionary factionalists”. Perhaps in a nod to common experience, the Korean and Chinese language versions characterize the factionalists as “sectarian filth종파오물” or “sectarian dregs宗派污泥浊水“. The English-language version is much more anti-septic. Under normal ‘songbun’ dictates the Kim family would have been subject to jail for being so closely related to a known traitor, but Kim Jong-un established himself as a law unto himself and immune from effects of the law. He is well along the way to establishing himself as the third heir in the “Baektu line”. There were almost no “untrodden paths” in the 2014 address as Kim stuck to roughly the same formulae used in the 2013 New Year’s address. North Korea raises the prospect of conflict – and nuclear conflict at that – in the coming year. This may bode an even more contentious relationship between the U.S. and North Korea in the upcoming year of the Wooden Horse, and will surely be an irritant in U.S.-China relations if not managed well. However, there are particular opportunities for the international community to interact with North Korea on energy efficiency and energy conservation efforts. North Korea clearly wants to convey the impression they are concerned about nuclear war. However, for the second New Year’s address in a row, North Korea has failed to mention nuclear weapons as a “treasured sword” and therefore not a topic for negotiation. The best way to ascertain North Korea’s concerns and intentions is to ask them directly by engaging in Track 2 or Track 1.5 discussions.
Peter Hayes is Executive Director of the Nautilus Institute and a Professor of International Relations at RMIT University. Roger Cavazos is a Nautilus Institute Associate and retired US military officer with assignments in the intelligence and policy communities.
The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Nautilus Institute. Readers should note that Nautilus seeks a diversity of views and opinions on significant topics in order to identify common ground.
II. Report by Peter Hayes and Roger Cavazos
Kim Jong-un’s “Fresh Leap Forward” 2014 New Year Speech
Kim Jong-un 2014 New Year Speech: An analysis
Kim Jong-un made his second ever New Year’s Speech on 1 January 2014.[1],[2],[3] It was unclear in 2013 if Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s speech [4] ,[5] ,[6] was a one-off or a new trend. Given exactly two data points (2013 and now 2014) we still can’t say for sure, but things are at least moving toward Kim Jong-un differentiating himself from his father, Kim Jong-il and more closely hewing toward Kim Il-sung’s tradition of personally addressing the country and thus providing electronic presence upon the entire country.
Kim Jong-un’s 2013 speech overall tone was one of exhortation to fulfill the vision laid out by Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il to unify Korea (under North Korean rule). The means for fulfilling the vision are to study their previously promulgated blueprints, build an economic giant via science and technology, improve the peoples’ living conditions, strengthen its military might and ensure the people are “possessed of profound cultural knowledge. Kim’s speech followed a tried and true formula but did add a few new twists. He named specific industries on which he’d like to focus. He also tied development to science and technology given the context that North Korea was flush with technological success after having successfully launched a satellite less than three weeks prior to the speech. Some also saw Kim’s overtures to South Korea as new. However, his offers amounted to asking South Korea to quit being South Korea. External strategic context received approximately one page of the speech or just over 10% of the speech, but only Japan was mentioned by name; South Korea is referred to using the euphemism “compatriots”—not dissimilar to this year’s reference, although Kim refers to the treachery of South Korean authorities and to their “reckless confrontation.” It is hard to tell from the few textual clues whether North Korea is now adopting a harder line against South Korea.
This year, only the United States receives a “by name” mention, although it is a dubious honor since the context is negative. The mention may foreshadow even more outright confrontation between the United States and the DPRK in the coming year – something sure to be an irritant in the US-China relationship.
Kim invoked some variation of “Kim Il-sung” by name or title 10 times in 2014 and 10 times in 2013. Kim also raised “Kim Jong-il” by name or title 9 times in 2014 and 11 times in 2013. In so doing, Kim is clearly establishing himself as the (Confucian) filial pious son as well as ensuring orthodoxy to build up his credibility and smoothly transfer or routinize charisma.[7]
Speech Context: Struggles within and without
Domestic context:
Speeches always take place in a context. For Kim’s 2014 New Year Address, his primary audience and context is domestic. According to Rodong Sinmun (노동신문/劳动新闻), an acknowledged and authoritative voice of the Workers Party of Korea, North Korea’s notable achievements for 2013 were[8]:
Kim Jong-un’s New Year Address – to the Army and the People. Order is important here. Military first politics (songun/선군/先军) are still clearly in the lead; a 3rd nuclear test, the historic 31 March 2013 plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea setting the new strategic line on parallel and simultaneously developing two fronts: the economy and nuclear weapons, also known as byungjin nosun /병진노선 /平行发展.
The 7th Session of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly[9],[10] on the day after the plenary meeting, was singled out as significant for adopting the law on Kumsusan Palace and for sui generis writing into North Korea’s constitution that they consider themselves a “nuclear weapons state” among other achievements. (NOTE: North Korea’s self-declaration as a “nuclear weapons state” is NOT the same as the international legal status accorded by signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In fact, North Korea specifically disavows seeking the status of NPT-Nuclear Weapons State-hood).
North Korea is proud of their commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the Fatherland Liberation War or조국 해방 전쟁; for Anglophones this is known as the Korean War and in China it is known as 抗美援朝. North Korea does not mention any other countries party to the war. They also catalog their 160 gold medals in more than 70 international games as signal successes of 2013. Construction of their war museum and other monumental structures across the country were built “in the spirit of the speed on Masik Pass”. “Masikryong speed/마식령/马息岭” is associated with Kim Jong-un just as “Hui’chon speed/희천/熙川” was associated with Kim Jong-il and “Chollima speed/천리마/千里马” was associated with Kim Il-sung. They are all meant to signify the speed and diligence with which North Koreans are able to work. on a Weberian sociological level, as Heonik Kwon and Byung Ho-Chung might relate, those pronouncements are meant to invoke the founding revolutionary spirit of North Korea. We ignore North Korea’s partisan struggle mind-set at our peril.
Finally, the article makes what they likely consider the most important points, namely that Kim Jong-un met with and unified or consolidated important constituencies to include the cell secretaries of the Workers Party of Korea[11] (Cell secretaries serve as “the Party’s nerve endings in the masses” and are responsible for lowest unit of the Party. ), youth groups (thus ensuring the youth start and remain are forever under his control as they grow up in North Korea), light industrial workers (the means of production) and Korean People’s Army company commanders and political instructors. As a whole, the report is meant to show that all groups are unified under Kim Jong-un.
International context:
North Korea was almost certainly aware that China released their 2014 diplomatic[12] and commercial[13] priorities about two weeks prior to Kim’s New Year’s speech. Japan also released their Defense priorities for 2014 and beyond.[14], [15] However, Kim’s speech completely ignores those publicly promulgated priorities. His slight may arise from two broad cases: North Korea doesn’t consider either country as a threat –or as a bulwark – to their external security; or Kim’s domestic priorities take precedence over all foreign concerns. Yet byungjin nosun/병진노선 /平行发展 or “parallel development of nuclear weapons and the economy” seem to require at least some external interaction and a relatively peaceful external environment whereas Military First policy or songun /선군/先军 thrives in an environment of external hostility.
Nor does his speech pay the slightest attention to Japan’s new National Defense Priorities for FY 2014. Japan’s new priorities for 2014 and beyond show a marked shift in funding priorities from ground forces to Naval and Air Self Defense Forces to deal with regional issues; China and South Korea are extremely concerned about the direction they think Japan is heading. The funding priority shift for Japan is consistent with the security environment articulated in Japan’s new National Security Strategy. The guidelines single out China and North Korea. The funding priorities also demonstrate a shift toward capabilities such as Airborne warning squadrons to alert of danger and Aegis-equipped destroyers to deal with threats kinetically. This is not surprising since Kim’s primary audience is domestic. However, it may also indicate he doesn’t view China or Japan as particularly threatening – or helpful. North Korea’s neighbors feel Japan’s reactions to North Korea is negatively impacting their national security environment.
Speech Content: Continuities and Changes
Continuities:
While there is a fondness for the “untrodden path”, this New Year’s address stuck to many of the same themes and messages as 2013. It was roughly the same length (~4,300 words vs ~4,100 words in 2013); many of the same topics; many of the same exhortations, all delivered in a similar format. There is reassurance in the continuity. Despite being fairly opaque most of the time, the New Year’s address contains information: 1) North Korean leaders (that is Kim Jong-un) want to emphasize domestically; 2) North Korea believes this information is basically true (the Korean version is meant for North Korean domestic consumption. The English and Chinese-language versions vary in nuance, but do not differ significantly in substance) and 3) the propaganda is used to lead – not deliberately mislead North Koreans .[16], [17], [18] North Korea continues to acknowledge via various modalities that their economic system is not delivering everything that its citizens desire. North Korea wants to improve its economy and its security, but it will absolutely not brook any infringement on its sovereignty.
China is also likely somewhere between annoyed and concerned that North Korea again calls upon Koreans “in the North, in the south and abroad” to work toward Korean reunification. China has almost two million ethnic Korean citizens.
Changes: Raising a fierce wind
Kim promises that 2014 for North Koreans will be one of “grandiose struggle” (a phrase which we take to mean “characterized by greatness of scope or intent”, not the standard English meaning of grandiose– “seeming to be impressive or intended to be impressive but not really possible or practical”). 2014 will be “a year of sea changes,” one in which the DPRK will make “a fresh leap forward”—not a great leap, or the same old leap, but a fresh start, a new type of leap, on all fronts. The goal, he says, is to make the DPRK an “economic giant,” a goal repeated twice (from which one might deduce that the DPRK is less than an economic giant, if not an economic midget) and completely undefined (thereby leaving much room for shortfall in the future). Critical to the credibility of this goal—and Kim’s emphasis on various “vanguard sectors”—is his notion that science and technology applied to economics makes it possible for the DPRK to take a “shortcut” to building a modern (“knowledge-based”) economy.
This notion of science and technology as a “propellant” for the economy is combined with ideological and cultural mobilization, also referred to as a “propellant” which together, Kim suggests, will enable the DPRK to lift itself by its own bootstraps, only in this case, without any bootstraps, by virtue of these two propellants. A shortcut avoiding “what” is also not stated, but might be inferred to refer to institutional reforms, adoption of markets, emulation of Chinese or Vietnamese or other transitional economic strategies. We will only know in hindsight whether they are able to manage the internal tensions and contradictions in a way that will permit meaningful economic reform, but there’s little evidence that either propellant enables a depressed economy to levitate towards economic growth.
Kim shifted priorities slightly within economic development. Kim’s emphasis on metallurgical and chemical industries makes a great deal of economic sense since developing those two industries requires developing a knowledge base and logistical infrastructure that will positively impact many upstream and downstream activities. , Of course, from a non-proliferation perspective, metallurgy is a key enabler for everything from building missiles (even on an artisanal scale) to uranium enrichment (on an industrial scale) to civilian nuclear use to weaponizing nuclear material. Chemical industries also support various industries, but the more immediate and mid-term questions arise from industrial pollution likely to be created from a resurgent chemical industry. North Korea’s love of Computer Numerical Controlled machines is on display again. There are likely propaganda reasons to highlight those machines, but those in the nuclear industries also immediately understand their importance to “parallel development” of the second front on nuclear weapons.
According to the speech, the DPRK intends to go on a building spree of vertical, horizontal and monumental construction. They also want to build three sets of power stations, but there is no mention of linking into Northeast Asia’s transmission and distribution grid. Such expressed desires are normal for New Years’ Addresses. The addresses must omit many details lest they drag on too long, but “bootstrapping” exhortations are especially void of practical details such as where the money or other resources will come from to support monumental edifices or infrastructure projects.
Kim does not refer to the DPRK’s own “non-negotiable treasured sword /보검/宝剑 ” but he does beat the drum of nuclear threat no less than five times in the speech, referring to nuclear war in and around the Korean peninsula,” frantic US “military exercises for a nuclear war against the north,” “hostile forces’ manoeuvres for a nuclear war against the DPRK,” “the dark clouds of a nuclear war against us hovering over the Korean peninsula,” and least but not least, the risk of “accidental military skirmish” resulting in a deadly nuclear catastrophe” from which the “United States will never be safe.”
Lest anyone doubt that Kim Jong-un is in charge or dares to think of challenging his rule, he declares that the purge of his Uncle Jang Song-Taek and related “factionalists lurking in the Party” consolidated the Party. In case anyone missed it, he goes on to refer to “single-hearted unity under his and the Party’s leadership four times. Signaling on-going purification and purging, Kim states:
“It is imperative to establish the monolithic leadership system in the Party, definitely ensure the purity of Party ranks and improve the militant functions and role of Party organizations. We should intensify ideological education among officials, Party members and other working people to ensure that they think and act at all times and in all places in line with the Party’s ideas and intentions with the steadfast faith that they know only the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and our Party. We should ensure that they approach with political awareness even the slightest phenomenon and element that infringe on the unity of the Party and revolutionary ranks and undermine their single-hearted unity, and eliminate them in a thoroughgoing way. They should wage a vigorous struggle to stamp out any sort of alien ideology and decadent lifestyle which may undermine our system and thus resolutely smash the enemy’s schemes for ideological and cultural infiltration.”
This line does not augur well for institutional reform and openness to new ideas and practices within the DPRK’s economy as the basis for becoming an economic giant. It should also impart a sense on those outside of the DPRK of the urgency and delicacy of creating strong people-to-people links with the DPRK.
Conclusion:
Even though Kim’s New Year’s speech is primarily for domestic consumption, it has many implications for external parties, especially the ROK, China, and the United States. Kim clearly wants to convey the impression that he is concerned with nuclear war. Yet, just as in his 2013 address, he never refers to North Korea’s nuclear capability as a non-negotiable treasured sword/보검/宝剑. It is unclear if the omission was purposeful and indicates a willingness to negotiate or if it was omitted for another reason.
As we saw last year, Kim has the capability and will to raise the stakes. The attempt to become an economic giant is highly unlikely to work, and in reality, China controls the degree to which Kim Jong-unn can deliver significant economic growth, infrastructure investment, or welfare gains via the service and agricultural sectors. one can read the purge and on-going purification to achieve “single minded unity” as part of the DPRK “retreating to the mountain” (a classic defensive tai chi move that also draws the adversary in close for counter-attack).
The stakes are so high in relation to the DPRK’s stability and the nuclear threat in Korea that it is incumbent upon all parties—the United States included—to explore what each of these elements means, and where there are entry points that might move the DPRK to a less tumultuous future, even if less “grandiose.”
One immediate, low-cost antidote is talking. Talking is not a “reward” but a “prophylaxis” strategy meant to prevent a larger problem. As the United States and China attempt to implement a “new type great power relationship / 新兴大国关系” discussions about and with North Korea can be one method of creating a working definition of the relationship. The Six Power-Iran deal also laid out the general principle that in a complex, gridlocked, and nuclear threat strategic environment, the best approach is to seek a comprehensive security settlement in which nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, and only then does implementation of cooperative measures begin. What might constitute such a cooperative security settlement in Northeast Asia, including a nuclear weapons-free zone, is a possible beginning point of bilateral and multilateral dialogue with Pyongyang that could lead to constructive outcomes in 2014.
III. References
[1] Rodong Sinmun, “New Year Address”: Kim Jong-un”, 1 January 2014. Available as: http://www.rodong.rep.kp/en/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2014-01-01-0001&chAction=T
[2]노동신문, “신 년 사: 김 정 은”, 1월 1일 2014년. Available as: http://www.rodong.rep.kp/ko/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2014-01-01-0001&chAction=L
[3] 劳动新闻， “新年贺词：金 正 恩” 1月 1日2014年。Available as: http://www.rodong.rep.kp/cn/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2014-01-01-0001&chAction=L
[4] Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, “New Year Address Made by Kim Jong Un”. 1 January 2013. Available via National Committee on North Korea as: http://www.ncnk.org/resources/publications/KJU_New_Years_2013.pdf
[5]조선중앙통신사, “김정은동지께서 2013년 새해를 맞으며 신년사를 하시였다”, 1월 1일 2013년. Available as: http://www.kcna.co.jp/calendar/2013/01/01-01/2013-0101-018.html
[6]共识网, “金正恩：2013年新年贺词【全文】”, 7 January 2013. Available as: http://www.21ccom.net/articles/qqsw/qqgc/article_2013010774500.html
[7] Heonik Kwon and Byung-ho Chung, North Korea: Beyond Charismatic Politics, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers. 2012
[8] Rodong Sinmun, “Great Events of DPRK in 2013”, 30 December 2013. Available as: http://www.rodong.rep.kp/en/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2013-12-30-0034&chAction=T
[9] (North) Korea Central News Agency, “Seventh Session of the 12th SPA of DPRK Held” 1 April 2013. Available as: http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2013/201304/news01/20130401-23ee.html
Original Korean-language 조선중앙통신사, “최고인민회의 제12기 제7차회의”, 4월 1일 2013년. Available as: http://www.kcna.co.jp/calendar/2013/04/04-01/2013-0401-026.html
[10] Choi Soo-Young, “Assessment and prospect for the 7th Session of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly”, Korea Institute for National Unification, 17 April 2013. Available as: http://www.kinu.or.kr/eng/pub/pub_05_01.jsp?page=2&num=133&mode=view&field=&text=&order=&dir=&bid=EINGINSIGN&ses=&category=
[11] Unofficial translation of speech via National Committee on North Korea, “Opening Address at WPK Cell Secretaries Meeting”, 29 January 2013. Available as: http://www.ncnk.org/resources/news-items/kim-jong-uns-speeches-and-public-statements-1/opening-address-at-wpk-cell-secretaries-meeting
[12] English People’s Daily online, “Chinese FM outlines diplomatic priorities for 2014”, 17 December 2013. Available as: http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90883/8486739.html
Original Chinese version: 中华人民共和国外交部， “开启中国外交新征程“，16日12月2013年. Available as: http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_chn/wjb_602314/wjbz_602318/zyjhs/t1109156.shtml.
[13] 新华网， “三大抓手——展望2014中国经济外交“，26日12月2013年. Available as: http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-12/26/c_118720889.htm
[14] Prime Minister of Japan, “(Japan’s) National Defense Program Guidelines for FY 2014 and beyond”, 17 December 2013. Available as: http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/96_abe/documents/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/17/NDPG(Summary).pdf
Original Japanese version: 平成２６年度以降に係る防衛計画の大綱について available as: http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/kakugikettei/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/17/20131217-2_1.pdf
The original Japanese medium term plan: 中期防衛力整備計画（平成２６年度～平成３０年度）について available as: http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/kakugikettei/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/17/20131217-3_1.pdf
[15] Prime Minister of Japan, “(Japan’s) National Security Strategy”, 17 December 2013. Available as: http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/96_abe/documents/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/18/NSS.pdf
Original Japanese version: 国家安全保障戦略についavailable as: http://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/kakugikettei/2013/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2013/12/17/20131217-1_1.pdf
[16] “Propaganda, Fire-Thrashing, and the Risk of North Korean First-Use of Nuclear Weapons in Korea”, NAPSNET Special Reports, April 10, 2013, http://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-special-reports/propaganda-fire-thrashing-and-the-risk-of-north-korean-first-use-of-nuclear-weapons-in-korea/;
[17] C. Grabo, Anticipating Surprise; Analysis for Strategic Warning p. 91, reprinted by Joint Military Intelligence College’s Center for Strategic Intelligence Research, 2002, at: http://www.ni-u.edu/ni_press/pdf/Anticipating_Surprise_Analysis.pdf
[18] A. George, Propaganda Analysis: A Study of Inferences Made from Nazi Propaganda in World War II, Rand Corporation, Row, Peterson and Co., I959, p. I43. Here, George was referring to domestic Nazi propaganda related to a “secret weapon” that turned out to be the V1 and V2 rocket.
IV. ATTACHMENT 1: KIM JONG UN’S NEW YEAR ADDRESS, eNGLISH lANGUAGE
Jan. 1, Juche 103 (2014) Wednesday
http://www.rodong.rep.kp/en/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2014-01-01-0001&chAction=T
New Year Address (Rodong Sinmun provided English-language translation)
Kim Jong Un
Dear comrades,
Dear service personnel of the Korean People’s Army, all the people and other compatriots,
Having seen out 2013, a year in which we left a remarkable footprint on the road of the sacred march of the Juche revolution, we are seeing in the new year 2014 filled with confidence in the future and revolutionary self-respect.
Reflecting the boundless yearning and high respect of all the service personnel and people for the great President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, I would like first to pay the highest tribute and New Year greetings to them.
I extend tribute also to the martyrs who dedicated their precious lives to national defence and socialist construction last year and New Year greetings to all the service personnel and people who are opening a new era of the country’s prosperity following the leadership of our Party.
And greeting the new year I wish that the families across the country would overflow with greater happiness and joy.
My New Year greetings go also to my compatriots in the south, who are fighting for independence, democracy and national reunification, to my compatriots abroad, who are devoting their all to the prosperity of their motherland, and to the progressive peoples of the world and other foreign friends, who love justice and peace.
Last year was a proud year in which the entire Party, the whole army and all the people waged an all-out offensive in support of the Party’s new line of developing the two fronts simultaneously and thus achieved brilliant successes in building a thriving socialist country and defending socialism.
Last year our service personnel and people, firmly rallied behind the Party, exalted the brilliance of the ideas and cause of the President and the General and strengthened the political and ideological might of our revolutionary ranks all the more.
Through the political events held in celebration of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK and the 60th anniversary of victory in the Fatherland Liberation War and in the whole course of last year’s struggle, they demonstrated their firm faith and will in holding the President and the General in high esteem and carrying forward their imperishable exploits to posterity.
Our Party’s policies of respecting the people and loving them and the people’s hearty loyalty of trusting and following the Party as they would do their mothers have become integrated, and thus the blood-sealed ties between them have reached a new, higher stage.
In the seething period of the effort for building a thriving country last year we took the resolute measure of removing the factionalists lurking in the Party. As our Party detected and purged the anti-Party, counterrevolutionary factionalists at an opportune time and with a correct decision, the Party and revolutionary ranks were further consolidated and our single-hearted unity was solidified to the maximum. Through this struggle our Party affirmed that as a party that serves the people, it will fully discharge the honourable mission it has assumed for the times and history and devote its all to the good of the people by enhancing its militant functions and role.
Last year we consolidated our capabilities for self-defence and achieved a brilliant victory in the acute showdown with the imperialists.
The scientists, technicians and workers in the sector of defence industry, by going beyond the cutting edge of military science with steadfast faith and mettle, demonstrated the strength of Songun Korea and rendered great services to consolidating the national defence capabilities. The officers and men of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, cherishing the spirit of defending their leader and motherland unto death, defended their Party and leader, country and people at the risk of their lives and smashed the reckless moves of the enemy for igniting a nuclear war and their rackets of confrontation with the DPRK at every step, thus highly exalting the dignity and might of their country.
Though the circumstances were harsh and complicated last year, our service personnel and people, by pooling their efforts, achieved great successes in the struggle to build their country into an economic giant and improve the people’s standard of living.
An upsurge was brought about in production in several sectors and units of the national economy, and the foundations of the self-supporting economy were further consolidated. The officials and working people in the agricultural sector in particular made innovations in production even under difficult conditions and unfavourable natural climate and thus contributed to improving the people’s standard of living.
The service personnel and other builders set up numerous monumental structures for the prosperity of their country and well-being of their fellow people and ushered in a heyday of construction.
Having turned out in response to the Party’s appeal to create the “Masikryong speed,” they carried out many construction projects, like the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, Unha Scientists Street, Munsu Water Park and Masikryong Ski Resort, in a short period as befitting the creations of the era of the Workers’ Party by displaying burning patriotic enthusiasm and working with devotion. In this way, they showed their country’s proud appearance, which is changing with each passing day, and ensured that the people’s laughter of happiness could ring out louder. Those who turned out for the reclamation of the Sepho Plateau and other large-scale construction projects tamed Nature, overcoming difficulties, thereby opening a breakthrough in realizing the Party’s far-reaching plan at an early date.
Also, the sector of culture, including sports and education, made fresh strides last year.
True to the Party’s intention of building our country into a sports power, a strong wind of conducting sports swept the country, and our trustworthy sportspeople won gold medals in international competitions and thus highly exalted the honour of their motherland. Preparations for enforcing a universal 12-year compulsory education were successfully promoted, many achievements made in the sector of science and technology, and up-to-date medical facilities introduced for the improvement of medical services for the people. The sector of musical art created many famous works of our times, inspiring loyalty in all the service personnel and people and encouraging them to wage a dynamic struggle and perform great feats.
The shining victories and successes we achieved last year can be ascribed to the fact that the entire Party, the whole army and all the people, in support of the revolutionary and people-oriented lines and policies of our Party and its wise leadership, waged a heroic struggle with an indomitable faith and will to build a thriving socialist country without fail.
Through last year’s struggle we clearly demonstrated that our ideology, our strength and our way are the best and no force can check our sacred cause advancing to accomplish a far-reaching ideal and goal.
I extend heartfelt thanks to all the service personnel and people, who adorned the meaningful year 2013 with eye-opening successes by displaying boundless loyalty to the Party, warm affection for their country and unparalleled self-sacrificing spirit.
Comrades,
The new year 2014 will be a year of grandiose struggle, a year of sea changes, in which we will raise a fierce wind of making a fresh leap forward on all fronts of building a thriving socialist country and thus usher in a golden age of Songun Korea.
Our struggle of this year is a worthwhile struggle to translate the people’s beautiful ideals and dreams into reality at an early date and a victors’ march leading to the venue of grand festival for celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the glorious Workers’ Party of Korea.
In this hope-filled year we should usher in a great heyday in the revolution and construction by quickening the heroic march with enthusiasm and confidence in victory.
“Let us raise a fierce wind of making a fresh leap forward on all fronts of building a thriving country filled with confidence in victory!” — this is the militant slogan our Party and people should uphold this year.
This year we should ensure that the sectors of agriculture, construction and science and technology hold the torch of innovations in the van and the flames of the torch flare up as flames of a leap forward on all the fronts of socialist construction.
This year is a meaningful one that marks the 50th anniversary of the theses on socialist rural question made public by President Kim Il Sung.
We should clearly prove the validity and vitality of the theses by waging the ideological, technological and cultural revolutions dynamically in the rural areas and bringing about a decisive turn in agricultural production. This year we should keep up agriculture as a major thrust of our effort in the struggle for economic construction and improving the people’s standard of living, and concentrate all our efforts on farming. The agricultural sector should proactively introduce scientific farming methods and do farm work in a responsible manner so as to hit without fail the target of agricultural production set by the Party. It should improve animal husbandry and do greenhouse vegetable and mushroom farming on an extensive scale so as to ensure that larger quantities of meat, vegetables and mushrooms are supplied to the people.
We should usher in a new heyday of construction this year.
Construction is an important front for solidifying the foundations of a thriving country and creating bases for the people’s happy life. The construction sector should set up world-class structures representative of the Songun era and build many other structures that could contribute to improving the people’s living conditions, thus laying firm foundations of the self-supporting economy and providing the people with conditions for a more affluent and civilized life. Construction of power stations in tiers on the Chongchon River, livestock farming bases in the Sepho area, the Kosan Fruit Farm and a waterway in South Hwanghae Province and reclamation of tidal flats and other major projects should be stepped up to be completed on schedule. It is important to push ahead with the construction of dwelling houses and dormitories and construction for improving the conditions and environment for education, and set up cultural and welfare service bases on the highest standard. This year, too, the service personnel and people should make concerted efforts to build up Pyongyang so that it is more grandiose, and lay out the provinces, cities and counties so that they sustain their respective local features.
Science and technology are a propellant for building a thriving country, and the happiness of the people and the future of the country hinge on their development.
The scientific research sector should open a shortcut to the building of a knowledge-based economy by solving the long-term problems in developing the country’s economy and improving the people’s standard of living as well as scientific and technological problems arising in the actual situation and by going beyond the cutting edge. All scientists and technicians should achieve high results by skilfully riding the excellent “steed” provided to them by the Party and giving fullest scope to their talents and enthusiasm. By doing so, they can become true patriots who contribute to building a thriving nation. A climate of attaching importance to science and technology should prevail across society, and all officials and working people should diligently learn modern science and technology upholding the slogan of making all the people well versed in science and technology.
We should raise fierce flames of innovations in the vanguard sectors, basic industrial sectors, and all other sectors of the national economy.
The metallurgical and chemical industries are twin buttresses of an economic giant. Developing these industries is a major guarantee for economic construction and improving the people’s standard of living. These industrial sectors should hold high the slogan of making them Juche-oriented and modern and launch a vigorous campaign for boosting production by relying on our own raw materials and fuels and on the latest science and technology. In this way they should supply sufficient amounts of steel and various kinds of chemical goods that are needed to reenergize the national economy as a whole and improve the people’s standard of living.
We should give definite priority to electric-power and coal-mining industries. While taking measures for generating electricity to the maximum at the existing power stations, we should draw up correct prospective plans for radically easing the strain on electricity supply and exert ourselves to carry them out. It is important to produce more electricity with priority given to hydraulic resources and by using wind, geothermal, solar and other kinds of natural energy. We should proactively increase production in coal mines and drastically solve the problem of rail and other types of transport. The electric-power and coal-mining industries and the rail transport sector should make coordinated innovations and thus give strong impetus to the development of the national economy.
We should direct great efforts to developing light industry which plays a major part in improving the people’s standard of living. By stepping up modernization of and introduction of CNC technology into their production lines and increasing the proportion of locally-available raw and other materials, light-industry factories should put production on a normal footing. And all cities and counties should produce various kinds of quality consumer goods in larger amounts by developing local industry in conformity with their specific conditions.
The state should take measures to bolster up the fishing sector. The sector should follow the example of the fishing sector of the People’s Army that landed a huge haul of fishes by carrying out the order of the Supreme Commander unto death. By modernizing fishing vessels and implements and launching a dynamic fishing campaign by scientific methods, it should ensure that all ports resound with whistles of vessels returning with full loads. It should also conduct shallow-sea farming on an extensive scale.
We should protect and increase the country’s priceless natural resources including underground, forest and marine resources, and conduct an energetic mass-based tree-planting drive to cover all the mountains with thick forests.
All the sectors of the national economy should increase production by tapping all potentials and latent reserves, and at the same time launch a brisk economization campaign. Economizing is precisely production and a manifestation of patriotism. We should intensify the economization campaign throughout society so as to make economical use of every watt of electricity, every gramme of coal and every drop of water. All the people should establish a habit of meticulously managing the country’s economy with a high sense of patriotism and attitude as befitting masters.
We should decisively improve the guidance and management of the economy. We should tighten the unified guidance of the economy by the state under the leadership of the Party, enhance the sense of responsibility and creativity of enterprises and encourage all the working people to discharge their responsibility and role as masters of production and management.
We should make a big stride in the construction of culture, including education.
The sector of education should improve the contents, methods, conditions and environment of education as required by the revolution and developing times and bring about a fresh turn in education, including secondary general education. By putting efforts to medical treatment and preventive medicine for promoting the people’s health, the public health sector should ensure that the benefits of socialist healthcare system reach the people more closely.
Art and literature are a bugler, a powerful propellant, for the revolutionary advance in building a thriving country. The sector of art and literature should produce large numbers of masterpieces of the times, which are high in ideological and artistic qualities and touch the heartstrings of the audience keeping step with the advance of our revolution and vibrant realities.
We should raise more fiercely the strong wind of conducting sports throughout the country. We should encourage sportspeople to intensify training with a high ambition to become world champions, and splendidly implement the Party’s plan of building our country into a sports power by developing sports science and technology and implementing the policy of making sports mass-based.
We should continue to channel great efforts into building up the country’s defence capabilities.
Strengthening defence capabilities is the most important of all state affairs, and the country’s dignity, people’s happiness and peace rest on powerful arms.
We should further develop the People’s Army into the powerful revolutionary army of Paektusan that is unfailingly faithful to the Party, the leader, the country and the people. The main link in the whole chain of developing the People’s Army is strengthening the company which is the basic combat unit of the army and base of soldiers’ life. We should make all the companies elite combat ranks fully prepared politically and ideologically, militarily and technologically and their dear homes overflowing with brotherly affection. By stepping up political and ideological education among service personnel, we should train them to be strong in ideology and faith and ready to defend the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and the Party Central Committee unto death. They should intensify combat training and launch a brisk movement for becoming crackshots so as to prepare themselves to be a-match-for-a-hundred combatants with excellent marksmanship, strong physique and a high sense of discipline.
The Korean People’s Internal Security Forces should creditably discharge its noble mission and duty of defending the leader, system and people by thoroughly establishing the Party’s command system and revolutionary military climate in it, and the Worker-Peasant Red Guards should intensify combat training and remain fully ready for action at all times.
The sector of defence industry should manufacture larger numbers of modern military hardware of our own style that are light, unmanned, intelligent and of high precision to solidify the self-defence capabilities.
We should further consolidate the political and ideological position of our revolution.
The political and ideological position is a fortress that decides the victory and failure in the battle of defending socialism, and consolidating the revolutionary ranks politically and ideologically is the most important task facing us.
In this significant year, in which we greet the 40th anniversary of the programme of modelling the whole society on Kimilsungism advanced by the great General, we should solidify the Party organizationally and ideologically, train all the members of society to be equipped with Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and cement the single-hearted unity of the revolutionary ranks.
It is imperative to establish the monolithic leadership system in the Party, definitely ensure the purity of Party ranks and improve the militant functions and role of Party organizations. We should intensify ideological education among officials, Party members and other working people to ensure that they think and act at all times and in all places in line with the Party’s ideas and intentions with the steadfast faith that they know only the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and our Party. We should ensure that they approach with political awareness even the slightest phenomenon and element that infringe on the unity of the Party and revolutionary ranks and undermine their single-hearted unity, and eliminate them in a thoroughgoing way. They should wage a vigorous struggle to stamp out any sort of alien ideology and decadent lifestyle which may undermine our system and thus resolutely smash the enemy’s schemes for ideological and cultural infiltration.
In order to make the flames of a leap forward flare up on all fronts of building a thriving socialist country, it is crucial to give fullest play to the mental strength of the masses.
The greatest potential for creation and innovation, the fundamental key to miraculous change, lies in giving play to the mental strength of all the service personnel and people. A sweeping ideological campaign for information and motivational purposes should be undertaken to give free rein to the mental strength of Party members and other working people. All of them should make Kim Jong Il’s patriotism part of their mental qualities and apply it in practice, and thus become performers of heroic feats in the worthwhile struggle to build theirs into a socialist country, powerful and civilized.
It is necessary to establish stringent revolutionary discipline and order in all domains of the revolutionary struggle and construction work.
This is an important factor in demonstrating the advantages of collectivism of our society and making a success of all undertakings. All sectors and all units should carry out to the letter the policies of the Party and the laws, decisions and directives of the state, and encourage the officials and working people alike to observe laws, regulations and order with full awareness of being masters of our society and citizens of the DPRK.
Officials should make redoubled efforts to fulfil their duty as leading members of the revolution and faithful servants of the people.
They should organize undertakings in a big way with absolute loyalty to the Party, a high sense of responsibility for their work and fervent zeal, and strive with unflinching perseverance to implement the Party’s plans and intentions without fail.
They should regard the people’s demands and interests as the absolute criteria for their performance, concern themselves only about doing things as wished by them and to their liking, and do anything in a way beneficial to them. They should be deeply sincere to people’s demands and opinions, and live and work as their true servants who devote themselves for their interests at all times.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the date when President Kim Il Sung wrote his last signature on a historic document concerning the country’s reunification.
True to the behests of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, we should make fresh headway in the national reunification movement for this year.
To resolve the reunification issue in keeping with the aspirations and desires of our fellow countrymen, we should reject foreign forces and hold fast to the standpoint of By Our Nation Itself.
The driving force for national reunification is all the members of the Korean nation in the north, in the south and abroad; only when we remain steadfast in this standpoint can we reunify the country independently in line with our nation’s interests and demands. To go on a tour around foreign countries touting for “international cooperation” in resolving the inter-Korean relations issue, the one related with our nation, is a humiliating treachery of leaving its destiny in the hands of outside forces. The north and the south should uphold the principle of independence which is one of the three principles for national reunification and has been confirmed in the north-south joint declarations, hold fast to the standpoint of By Our Nation Itself, and respect and implement the declarations with sincerity.
We should make positive efforts to defend national security and peace.
The US and south Korean war maniacs have deployed legions of equipment for a nuclear war in and around the Korean peninsula and are going frantic in their military exercises for a nuclear war against the north; this precipitates a critical situation where any accidental military skirmish may lead to an all-out war. Should another war break out on this land, it will result in a deadly nuclear catastrophe and the United States will never be safe. All the Korean people must not tolerate the manoeuvres for war and confrontation by the bellicose forces at home and abroad but stoutly resist and frustrate them.
A favourable climate should be established for improved relations between the north and the south.
It is heartrending to see our nation partitioned by foreign forces, and it is more intolerable to see one side slinging mud at and showing hostility to the other. This will serve merely as an occasion for the forces who are undesirous of seeing one Korea to fish in troubled waters. It is high time to put an end to such slander and calumny that bring no good to both sides, and they should desist from doing anything detrimental to national unity and reconciliation. The south Korean authorities should discontinue the reckless confrontation with their compatriots and the racket against the “followers of the north,” and choose to promote inter-Korean relations in response to the call of the nation for independence, democracy and national reunification. We will join hands with anyone who opts to give priority to the nation and wishes for its reunification, regardless of his or her past, and continue to strive for better inter-Korean relations.
All the Korean people in the north, in the south and abroad should achieve solid unity under the truly patriotic banner, the principle of By Our Nation Itself, and turn out in the nationwide struggle for the reunification of the country. By doing so, they should open up a new phase for independent reunification, peace and prosperity this year.
Last year, in the international arena, the imperialists persisted in interference and war moves threatening the independence of other sovereign states and the right of mankind to existence.
Especially the Korean peninsula, the hottest spot in the world, was in a hair-trigger situation due to the hostile forces’ manoeuvres for a nuclear war against the DPRK, which posed a serious threat to peace and security in the region and the rest of the world.
Nothing is more precious for our people than peace, but it is not something that can be achieved if we simply crave and beg for it. We can never just sit back with folded arms and see the dark clouds of a nuclear war against us hovering over the Korean peninsula. We will defend our country’s sovereignty, peace and dignity by relying on our powerful self-defensive strength.
Holding fast to the ideals of our foreign policy — independence, peace and friendship — our Party and the government of the DPRK will, in the future, too, strive to expand and develop relations of friendship and cooperation with all the countries that respect our sovereignty and are friendly to us, and safeguard global peace and security and promote common prosperity of mankind.
The tasks facing us are gigantic and difficulties stand in our way. However, our revolutionary cause is sure to emerge victorious as we advance under the great banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.
Let all of us strive for greater victory in the new year filled with high ambition and unwavering confidence and firmly united behind the Party with a single heart.
V. ATTACHMENT 2: Original Korean language address on Rodong Sinmun website
http://www.rodong.rep.kp/ko/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2014-01-01-0001&chAction=L
친애하는 동지들！
사랑하는 인민군장병들과 전체 인민들,동포형제 여러분！
우리는 주체혁명의 성스러운 진군길에 뚜렷한 자욱을 아로새긴 ２０１３년을 보내고 앞날에 대한 확신과 혁명적자부심에 넘쳐 새해 ２０１４년을 맞이합니다.
나는 먼저 전체 인민군장병들과 인민들의 한없는 그리움과 뜨거운 경모의 정을 담아 위대한 김 일 성동지와 김 정 일동지께 가장 숭고한 경의와 새해의 인사를 삼가 드립니다.
나는 지난해에 조국보위와 사회주의건설을 위한 투쟁에 고귀한 생을 바친 렬사들에게 경의를 표하며 우리 당을 따라 조국번영의 새시대를 펼쳐나가고있는 전체 인민군장병들과 인민들에게 새해인사를 드립니다.
새해를 맞으며 온 나라 모든 가정들에 더 큰 행복과 기쁨이 넘쳐나기를 축원합니다.
나는 또한 자주와 민주,조국통일을 위하여 투쟁하고있는 남녘겨레들과 조국의 륭성번영을 위해 헌신하고있는 해외동포들 그리고 정의와 평화를 사랑하는 세계 진보적인민들과 외국의 벗들에게 새해의 인사를 보냅니다.
지난해는 전당,전군,전민이 당이 제시한 새로운 병진로선을 받들고 총공격전을 벌려 사회주의강성국가건설과 사회주의수호전에서 빛나는 승리를 이룩한 자랑찬 해였습니다.
지난해에 우리 군대와 인민은 당의 두리에 굳게 뭉쳐 위대한 수령님과 장군님의 사상과 위업을 빛내이고 우리 혁명대오의 정치사상적위력을 더욱 강화하였습니다.
우리 군대와 인민은 공화국창건 ６５돐과 전승 ６０돐에 즈음한 정치행사들과 지난해 투쟁의 전 과정을 통하여 위대한 수령님과 장군님을 높이 우러러모시고 수령님과 장군님의 불멸의 업적을 만대에 빛내여갈 확고한 신념과 의지를 과시하였습니다.
우리 당이 펼친 인민존중,인민사랑의 정치와 당을 어머니품으로 믿고 따르는 인민들의 뜨거운 충정이 하나로 되여 당과 인민대중의 혈연의 뉴대가 새로운 높은 경지에 올라섰습니다.
우리 당은 지난해에 강성국가건설을 위한 투쟁의 벅찬 시기에 당안에 배겨있던 종파오물을 제거하는 단호한 조치를 취하였습니다.우리 당이 적중한 시기에 정확한 결심으로 반당반혁명종파일당을 적발숙청함으로써 당과 혁명대오가 더욱 굳건히 다져지고 우리의 일심단결이 백배로 강화되였습니다.이 투쟁을 통하여 우리 당은 당의 전투적기능과 역할을 강화하여 인민을 위하여 복무하는 당으로서 시대와 력사앞에 지닌 영예로운 사명을 다하며 인민을 위하여 더욱 헌신할것이라는것을 확언하였습니다.
지난해에 자위적국방력을 강화하고 제국주의자들과의 첨예한 대결전에서 커다란 승리를 이룩하였습니다.
국방부문의 과학자,기술자들과 로동계급은 억척의 신념과 배짱으로 국방과학의 첨단을 돌파하여 선군조선의 위력을 떨치고 국방력강화에 크게 기여하였습니다.인민군장병들과 인민내무군 장병들은 수령결사옹위정신과 조국수호정신을 지니고 당과 수령,조국과 인민을 목숨으로 옹호보위하였으며 적들의 무모한 핵전쟁도발책동과 반공화국대결소동을 걸음마다 짓부시고 공화국의 존엄과 위력을 높이 떨치였습니다.
지난해에 어렵고 복잡한 환경속에서도 군대와 인민이 힘을 합쳐 경제강국건설과 인민생활향상을 위한 투쟁에서 빛나는 성과를 이룩하였습니다.
인민경제 여러 부문,단위들에서 생산적앙양이 일어나고 자립경제의 토대가 더 튼튼히 다져졌으며 특히 농업부문 일군들과 근로자들이 어려운 조건과 불리한 자연기후속에서도 농업생산에서 혁신을 일으켜 인민생활향상에 이바지하였습니다.
인민군군인들을 비롯한 건설자들은 조국의 부강번영과 인민의 행복을 위한 기념비적창조물들을 수많이 일떠세우고 건설에서 최전성기를 열어놓았습니다.
《마식령속도》를 창조할데 대한 당의 호소를 받들고 떨쳐나선 인민군군인들과 건설자들은 불타는 애국의 열정과 헌신적인 투쟁으로 조국해방전쟁승리기념관과 은하과학자거리,문수물놀이장과 마식령스키장을 비롯한 많은 대상들을 짧은 기간에 로동당시대의 창조물로 훌륭히 일떠세움으로써 날을 따라 새롭게 변모되는 조국의 자랑스러운 모습을 보여주었으며 인민들의 행복의 웃음소리가 더 높이 울려퍼지게 하였습니다.세포등판건설을 비롯한 대건설전투에 떨쳐나선 건설자들은 부닥치는 난관을 이겨내며 자연을 길들여 당의 원대한 구상을 앞당겨 실현할수 있는 돌파구를 열어놓았습니다.
지난해에 체육과 교육을 비롯한 문화부문에서도 새로운 전진을 이룩하였습니다.
당의 체육강국건설구상을 받들고 온 나라가 체육열풍으로 들끓었으며 우리의 미더운 체육인들은 국제경기들에서 금메달로 조국의 영예를 높이 떨치였습니다.전반적１２년제의무교육실시를 위한 준비가 성과적으로 추진되고 과학기술분야에서 많은 성과들이 이룩되였으며 현대적인 의료시설들이 갖추어져 인민들에 대한 의료봉사가 개선되였습니다.음악예술부문에서 시대의 명곡들이 많이 창작되여 천만군민의 마음을 충정의 세계에로 승화시키고 투쟁과 위훈에로 힘있게 고무하였습니다.
지난해의 빛나는 승리와 성과들은 우리 당의 혁명적이며 인민적인 로선과 정책,현명한 령도를 받들고 전당,전군,전민이 사회주의강성국가를 기어이 일떠세울 불굴의 신념과 의지로 영웅적투쟁을 과감히 벌린 결과에 이룩된 자랑찬 결실입니다.
우리는 지난해의 투쟁을 통하여 우리 사상,우리 힘,우리 식이 제일이며 원대한 리상과 목표를 향하여 전진하는 우리의 성스러운 위업은 그 무엇으로써도 가로막을수 없다는것을 뚜렷이 보여주었습니다.
나는 당에 대한 끝없는 충실성과 열렬한 조국애를 지니고 무비의 헌신성을 발휘하여 뜻깊은 ２０１３년을 경이적인 사변들로 빛내인 전체 인민군장병들과 인민들에게 뜨거운 감사를 드립니다.
동지들！
새해 ２０１４년은 사회주의강성국가건설의 모든 전선에서 새로운 비약의 불바람을 세차게 일으켜 선군조선의 번영기를 열어나갈 장엄한 투쟁의 해,위대한 변혁의 해입니다.
올해 우리의 투쟁은 인민의 아름다운 리상과 꿈을 앞당겨 실현하기 위한 보람찬 투쟁이며 영광스러운 조선로동당창건 ７０돐을 빛나게 장식할 대축전장과 잇닿아있는 승리자의 진군입니다.
우리는 희망찬 새해에 승리에 대한 확신과 열정에 넘쳐 영웅적진군을 다그침으로써 혁명과 건설에서 일대 번영기를 열어놓아야 합니다.
《승리의 신심드높이 강성국가건설의 모든 전선에서 비약의 불바람을 세차게 일으켜나가자！》,이것이 올해에 우리 당과 인민이 들고나가야 할 전투적구호입니다.
우리는 올해에 농업부문과 건설부문,과학기술부문이 앞장에서 혁신의 봉화를 높이 추켜들고나가며 그 봉화가 사회주의건설의 모든 전선에서 비약의 불길로 세차게 타번지도록 하여야 하겠습니다.
올해는 위대한 수령 김 일 성동지께서 사회주의농촌문제에 관한 테제를 발표하신 ５０돐이 되는 뜻깊은 해입니다.
우리는 농촌에서 사상혁명,기술혁명,문화혁명을 힘있게 벌리고 농업생산에서 결정적전환을 이룩하여 사회주의농촌테제의 정당성과 생활력을 뚜렷이 실증하여야 합니다.올해에 경제건설과 인민생활향상을 위한 투쟁에서 농업을 주타격방향으로 확고히 틀어쥐고 농사에 모든 힘을 총집중하여야 합니다.농업부문에서는 과학적영농방법을 적극 받아들이고 농사일을 책임적으로 하여 당이 제시한 알곡고지를 기어이 점령하여야 합니다.축산을 적극 발전시키고 온실남새와 버섯재배를 대대적으로 하여 더 많은 고기와 남새,버섯이 인민들에게 차례지도록 하여야 합니다.
올해에 건설에서 새로운 번영기를 열어놓아야 합니다.
건설은 강성국가의 기초를 다지고 인민들의 행복의 터전을 마련하는 중요한 전선입니다.건설부문에서 선군시대를 대표하는 세계적수준의 훌륭한 건축물들과 인민들의 생활조건개선을 위한 건설을 많이 하여 자립경제의 토대를 튼튼히 하고 인민들에게 보다 유족하고 문명한 생활을 안겨주어야 합니다.청천강계단식발전소건설과 세포지구 축산기지건설,고산과수농장건설,간석지건설,황해남도물길공사를 비롯한 중요대상건설을 다그쳐 제기일에 완공하도록 하여야 합니다.살림집건설과 합숙건설,교육조건과 환경을 개선하기 위한 건설을 적극적으로 밀고나가며 문화봉사기지들을 최상의 수준에서 훌륭히 일떠세워야 합니다.올해에도 군민협동작전으로 평양시를 더욱 웅장화려하게 건설하고 도,시,군들을 해당 지방의 특색이 살아나게 잘 꾸려야 합니다.
과학기술은 강성국가건설을 추동하는 원동력이며 과학기술발전에 인민의 행복과 조국의 미래가 달려있습니다.
과학연구부문에서는 나라의 경제발전과 인민생활향상에서 전망적으로 풀어야 할 문제들과 현실에서 제기되는 과학기술적문제들을 풀고 첨단을 돌파하여 지식경제건설의 지름길을 열어놓아야 합니다.과학자,기술자들은 당이 마련해준 과학기술룡마의 날개를 활짝 펴고 과학적재능과 열정을 총폭발시켜 누구나 다 높은 과학기술성과들을 내놓음으로써 부강조국건설에 이바지하는 참된 애국자가 되여야 합니다.전사회적으로 과학기술중시기풍을 세우며 전민과학기술인재화의 구호를 높이 들고 모든 일군들과 근로자들이 현대과학기술을 열심히 배우도록 하여야 합니다.
선행부문,기초공업부문을 비롯한 인민경제 모든 부문에서 혁신의 불바람을 세차게 일으켜야 합니다.
금속공업과 화학공업은 경제강국을 떠받드는 쌍기둥이며 금속,화학공업을 발전시키는것은 경제건설과 인민생활향상을 위한 중요한 담보입니다.금속,화학공업부문에서는 주체화,현대화의 구호를 높이 들고 우리의 원료,연료와 최신과학기술에 의거하여 생산을 추켜세우기 위한 투쟁을 힘있게 벌림으로써 인민경제전반을 활성화하고 인민생활을 향상시키는데 필요한 철강재와 여러가지 화학제품을 원만히 생산보장하여야 합니다.
전력공업,석탄공업을 확고히 앞세워야 합니다.지금 있는 발전소들에서 전력생산을 최대한으로 늘이기 위한 대책을 세우는것과 함께 긴장한 전력문제를 근본적으로 풀기 위한 전망계획을 바로세우고 그 실현을 위한 투쟁에 힘을 넣으며 수력자원을 위주로 하면서 풍력,지열,태양열을 비롯한 자연에네르기를 리용하여 전력을 더 많이 생산하도록 하여야 합니다.탄광들에서 석탄생산을 적극 늘이고 철도운수를 비롯한 교통운수문제를 결정적으로 풀며 전력,석탄,철도운수부문에서 련대적혁신을 일으켜 나라의 경제발전을 적극 추동해나가야 합니다.
인민생활향상에서 중요한 몫을 담당하고있는 경공업발전에 큰 힘을 넣어야 합니다.경공업공장들에서 현대화,CNC화를 적극 다그치고 원료,자재의 국산화비중을 높여 생산을 정상화하며 모든 시,군들에서 자기 지방의 실정에 맞게 지방공업을 발전시켜 여러가지 질좋은 인민소비품들을 더 많이 생산하도록 하여야 합니다.
수산부문을 추켜세우기 위한 국가적대책을 세워야 합니다.수산부문에서는 최고사령관 명령을 결사관철하여 물고기대풍을 마련한 인민군대 수산부문의 모범을 따라 고기배와 어구를 현대화하고 과학적방법으로 물고기잡이전투를 힘있게 벌려 포구마다에 만선의 배고동소리가 높이 울리게 하며 바다가양식도 대대적으로 하여야 합니다.
지하자원과 산림자원,해양자원을 비롯한 나라의 귀중한 자원을 보호하고 적극 늘여나가며 나무심기를 전군중적운동으로 힘있게 벌려 모든 산들에 푸른 숲이 우거지게 하여야 합니다.
인민경제 모든 부문에서 생산적잠재력과 내부예비를 남김없이 동원하여 생산을 늘이는것과 함께 절약투쟁을 힘있게 벌려야 합니다.절약은 곧 생산이며 애국심의 발현입니다.전사회적으로 절약투쟁을 강화하여 한W의 전기,한g의 석탄,한방울의 물도 극력 아껴쓰도록 하며 모두가 높은 애국심과 주인다운 태도를 가지고 나라살림살이를 깐지게 해나가는 기풍을 세워야 합니다.
경제사업에 대한 지도와 관리를 결정적으로 개선하여야 합니다.당의 령도밑에 경제에 대한 국가의 통일적지도를 강화하고 기업체들의 책임성과 창발성을 높이며 모든 근로자들이 생산과 관리에서 주인으로서의 책임과 역할을 다해나가도록 하여야 합니다.
교육을 비롯한 문화건설에서 큰걸음을 내짚어야 합니다.
교육부문에서는 혁명의 요구,발전하는 시대의 요구에 맞게 교육내용과 방법,교육조건과 환경을 개선하고 중등일반교육을 비롯한 교육사업에서 새로운 전환을 가져오도록 하여야 합니다.보건부문에서 인민들의 건강증진을 위한 치료예방사업에 힘을 넣어 인민들에게 사회주의보건제도의 혜택이 더 잘 미치도록 하여야 합니다.
문학예술은 강성국가건설에서 혁명적진군의 나팔수,힘있는 추동력입니다.문학예술부문에서는 우리 혁명의 전진속도와 들끓는 현실에 발맞추어 사상예술성이 높고 사람들의 심금을 울리는 시대적명작들을 많이 창작하여야 합니다.
온 나라에 체육열풍을 더 세차게 일으켜야 합니다.체육인들이 세계적인 패권자가 될 높은 목표를 가지고 훈련을 강화하도록 하며 체육과학기술을 발전시키고 체육의 대중화방침을 관철하여 당의 체육강국건설구상을 빛나게 실현하여야 합니다.
나라의 방위력을 강화하는데 계속 큰 힘을 넣어야 하겠습니다.
국방력강화는 국사중의 국사이며 강력한 총대우에 조국의 존엄과 인민의 행복도 평화도 있습니다.
인민군대를 당과 수령,조국과 인민에게 끝없이 충실한 백두산혁명강군으로 더욱 강화발전시켜야 합니다.오늘 인민군대를 강화하는데서 중심고리는 군대의 기본전투단위이고 군인들의 생활거점인 중대를 강화하는것입니다.모든 중대를 정치사상적으로,군사기술적으로 튼튼히 준비된 최정예전투대오로,친혈육의 정이 차넘치는 정든 고향집으로 만들어야 합니다.군인들속에서 정치사상교양사업을 강화하여 군인들을 금수산태양궁전과 당중앙위원회를 결사옹위하는 사상과 신념의 강자로 철저히 준비시켜야 합니다.전투훈련을 강화하고 명사수,명포수운동을 힘있게 벌려 군인들을 백발백중의 사격술과 무쇠같은 체력,강한 규률성을 지닌 일당백의 싸움군들로 키워야 합니다.
조선인민내무군안에 당의 령군체계와 혁명적군풍을 철저히 확립하여 수령보위,제도보위,인민보위의 숭고한 사명과 임무를 다하도록 하며 로농적위군은 전투훈련을 강화하고 언제나 만단의 전투동원태세를 갖추어야 합니다.
국방공업부문에서 경량화,무인화,지능화,정밀화된 우리 식의 현대적무장장비들을 더 많이 만들어 자위적국방력을 튼튼히 다져나가야 합니다.
우리 혁명의 정치사상진지를 더욱 공고히 하여야 하겠습니다.
정치사상진지는 사회주의수호전의 승패를 좌우하는 결정적보루이며 혁명대오를 정치사상적으로 강화하는것은 우리앞에 나서는 가장 중요한 과업입니다.
우리는 위대한 장군님께서 온 사회의 김 일 성주의화강령을 선포하신 ４０돐이 되는 뜻깊은 올해에 당을 조직사상적으로 공고히 하고 사회의 모든 성원들을 김 일 성－김 정 일주의자로 튼튼히 준비시키며 혁명대오의 일심단결을 더욱 강화하여야 합니다.
당안에 유일적령도체계를 철저히 세우고 당대렬의 순결성을 확고히 보장하며 당조직들의 전투적기능과 역할을 높여야 합니다.일군들과 당원들과 근로자들속에서 사상교양사업을 강화하여 그들이 언제 어디서나 오직 위대한 김 일 성동지,김 정 일동지와 우리 당밖에는 그 누구도 모른다는 확고한 신념을 가지고 당의 사상과 의도대로만 사고하고 행동하도록 하여야 합니다.당과 혁명대오의 통일단결에 저해를 주고 일심단결을 해치는 사소한 현상과 요소에 대하여서도 각성있게 대하고 철저히 극복하도록 하여야 합니다.우리 제도를 좀먹는 이색적인 사상과 퇴페적인 풍조를 쓸어버리기 위한 투쟁을 강도높이 벌려 적들의 사상문화적침투책동을 단호히 짓부셔버려야 합니다.
사회주의강성국가건설의 모든 전선에서 비약의 불바람을 세차게 일으키기 위하여서는 대중의 정신력을 최대로 발동시켜야 합니다.
창조와 혁신의 가장 큰 예비,기적창조의 근본열쇠는 천만군민의 정신력을 발동시키는데 있습니다.당원들과 근로자들의 정신력을 폭발시키기 위한 사상전,선전선동의 된바람을 일으켜야 합니다.모든 당원들과 근로자들이 김 정 일애국주의를 체질화하고 실천에 철저히 구현하여 부강하고 문명한 사회주의조국을 일떠세우는 보람찬 투쟁에서 영웅적위훈의 창조자가 되도록 하여야 합니다.
혁명투쟁과 건설사업의 모든 분야에서 혁명적규률과 질서를 엄격히 세워야 합니다.
혁명적규률과 질서를 강화하는것은 우리 사회의 집단주의적우월성을 높이 발양시키고 모든 사업에서 성과를 거둘수 있게 하는 중요한 요인으로 됩니다.모든 부문,모든 단위에서 당의 정책과 방침,국가의 법과 결정지시를 철저히 집행하며 모든 일군들과 근로자들이 우리 사회의 주인,공화국공민으로서의 높은 자각을 가지고 법규범과 질서를 지키도록 하여야 합니다.
일군들이 혁명의 지휘성원,인민의 충복으로서의 본분을 다하기 위하여 뛰고 또 뛰여야 합니다.
일군들은 당에 대한 절대적인 충실성과 사업에 대한 높은 책임성,왕성한 의욕을 가지고 일판을 통이 크게 벌리며 끝장을 볼 때까지 완강하게 밀고나가 당의 구상과 의도를 반드시 실현하여야 합니다.
일군들은 인민들의 요구와 리익을 사업의 절대적기준으로 삼고 오직 인민들이 바라고 좋아하는 일을 하여야 하며 무슨 일을 하든 인민들이 덕을 보게 하여야 합니다.일군들은 인민의 요구,대중의 목소리에 무한히 성실하여야 하며 언제나 인민을 위해 헌신하는 인민의 참된 심부름군으로 살며 일하여야 합니다.
올해는 위대한 수령님께서 조국통일과 관련한 력사적문건에 생애의 마지막친필을 남기신 ２０돐이 되는 해입니다.
우리는 위대한 수령님과 장군님의 유훈을 받들어 올해에 조국통일운동에서 새로운 전진을 이룩하여야 합니다.
나라의 통일문제를 겨레의 지향과 요구에 맞게 해결하자면 외세를 배격하고 우리 민족끼리의 립장을 확고히 견지하여야 합니다.
조국통일의 주체는 북과 남,해외의 전체 조선민족이며 나라의 통일은 오직 우리 민족끼리의 립장에 철저히 설 때 민족의 리익과 요구에 맞게 자주적으로 실현할수 있습니다.우리 민족문제,북남관계문제를 외부에 들고다니며 《국제공조》를 청탁하는것은 민족의 운명을 외세의 롱락물로 내맡기는 수치스러운 사대매국행위입니다.북과 남은 조국통일３대원칙과 북남공동선언에서 천명된 자주의 원칙을 견지하고 우리 민족끼리의 립장에 확고히 서야 하며 공동선언들을 존중하고 성실히 리행하여야 합니다.
민족의 안전과 평화를 수호하기 위하여 적극 투쟁하여야 합니다.
미국과 남조선호전광들은 조선반도와 주변에 핵전쟁장비들을 대대적으로 끌어들여 북침핵전쟁연습을 광란적으로 벌리고있으며 이로 하여 사소한 우발적인 군사적충돌도 전면전쟁으로 번질수 있는 위험한 정세가 조성되고있습니다.이제 이 땅에서 전쟁이 다시 일어나면 그것은 엄청난 핵재난을 가져오게 될것이며 미국도 결코 무사하지 못할것입니다.전체 조선민족은 내외호전세력들의 대결과 전쟁책동을 절대로 허용하지 말고 단호히 저지파탄시켜야 합니다.
북남사이의 관계개선을 위한 분위기를 마련하여야 합니다.
우리 민족이 외세에 의해 갈라져 살고있는것만도 가슴아픈 일인데 동족끼리 비방하고 반목질시하는것은 용납될수 없으며 그것은 조선의 통일을 바라지 않는 세력들에게 어부지리를 줄뿐입니다.백해무익한 비방중상을 끝낼 때가 되였으며 화해와 단합에 저해를 주는 일을 더이상 해서는 안될것입니다.남조선당국은 무모한 동족대결과 《종북》소동을 벌리지 말아야 하며 자주와 민주,조국통일을 요구하는 겨레의 목소리에 귀를 기울이고 북남관계개선에로 나와야 합니다.우리는 민족을 중시하고 통일을 바라는 사람이라면 그가 누구든 과거를 불문하고 함께 나아갈것이며 북남관계개선을 위해 앞으로도 적극 노력할것입니다.
북과 남,해외의 온 겨레는 참다운 애국의 기치,우리 민족끼리의 리념밑에 굳게 단합하여 조국통일을 위한 거족적투쟁에 힘차게 떨쳐나섬으로써 올해에 자주통일과 평화번영의 새 국면을 열어나가야 할것입니다.
지난해에 국제무대에서는 주권국가들의 자주권과 인류의 생존권을 위협하는 제국주의자들의 간섭과 전쟁책동이 끊임없이 계속되였습니다.
특히 세계최대열점지역인 조선반도에서는 우리 공화국을 압살하기 위한 적대세력들의 핵전쟁책동으로 말미암아 일촉즉발의 전쟁위험이 조성되여 지역과 세계의 평화와 안전을 엄중히 위협하였습니다.
우리 인민에게 있어서 평화는 더없이 귀중하지만 그것은 바라거나 구걸한다고 하여 이루어지는것이 아닙니다.조선반도에 우리를 겨냥한 핵전쟁의 검은구름이 항시적으로 떠돌고있는 조건에서 우리는 결코 수수방관할수 없으며 강력한 자위적힘으로 나라의 자주권과 평화를 수호하고 민족의 존엄을 굳건히 지켜나갈것입니다.
우리 당과 공화국정부는 앞으로도 자주,평화,친선의 대외정책리념을 확고히 견지하면서 우리 나라의 자주권을 존중하고 우리를 우호적으로 대하는 모든 나라들과의 친선협조관계를 확대발전시키며 세계의 평화와 안전,인류공동의 번영을 위하여 적극 노력할것입니다.
우리앞에 나서고있는 투쟁과업은 방대하며 우리의 앞길에 난관도 있지만 위대한 김 일 성－김 정 일주의기치따라 나아가는 우리의 혁명위업은 필승불패입니다.
모두다 원대한 포부와 확고한 신심을 가지고 당의 두리에 한마음한뜻으로 굳게 뭉쳐 새해의 보다 큰 승리를 위하여 힘차게 싸워나갑시다.