Choe Ryong Hae Visits Mushroom Research Institute

VMar Choe Ryong Hae (3rd L), Director of the KPA General Political Department, visits the Mushroom Research Institute of the DPRK State Academy of Sciences (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 19 June (Wednesday) that VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department, toured the State Academy of Sciences’ Mushroom Research Institute, described which is “planned to be remodeled to be conducive to improving diet of service personnel and people.”  Choe “learned in detail with officials concerned about the direction of remodeling the institute.”  According to KCNA, he said “that now service personnel of the KPA work miracles and innovations in the main fields of building a thriving nation by creating ‘Masikryo’ng Speed’ true to the appeal of the Supreme Commander” and he “called for hastening the construction and ensuring highest quality in the same spirit and stamina as displayed by soldiers.”  Choe also “discussed matters arising in successfully pushing ahead with the project and took measures.”

Kim Jong Un Visits 18 January General Machine Plant and Inspects KPA Air Force Unit #1017

Kim Jong Un tours a section of the 18 January General Machinery Plant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 18 June (Tuesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the 18 January General Machine Plant in South P’yo’ngan Province and inspected Korean People’s Army [KPA] Air Force Unit #1017 in South P’yo’ngan Province.  Attending his tour of the machine factory were VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Hong Yong Chil, Yun Tong Hyon and Han Song Ho.  At his inspection of the air force unit, he was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju (Ri So’l-chu), Choe Ryong Hae, Yun Tong Hyon, Hong Yong Chil, Commander of the KPA Air Force Gen. Ri Pyong Chol.  Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his visit to the machine plant managed by Ho Ch’o'l-yong.  Ri Sol Ju’s last reported public appearance was at Kim Jong Un’s visit to the Mt. Myohyang Children’s Camp.

Kim Jong Un’s first visit was to the 18 January General Machine Plant.  After touring the factory’s historical exhibition, he became quite severe in his criticism of provincial party officials and factory management.  This was the third reported public appearance since his accession** at which Kim Jong Un openly disparaged subordinate officials.  According to KCNA, “after being told that the construction of the above-said room was not completed even in over two years, he said he learned about what was the main reason for the plant’s failure to put production on a normal footing” and that “the party has stressed that it is important to keep the ideological education ahead of production for raising the enthusiasm of the producer masses, he noted, strongly criticizing the party committee of the plant for failing to accept the party’s policy ideologically.”  Kim Jong Un said “I don’t know what officials of the provincial party committee see at the plant and what they are guiding” and he warned “them of their businessmen-like hackneyed way of thinking and work style.”  At the construction of a revolutionary historical education area he “watched for a long while piles of gravels and sand and blocks here and there” and remarked “I can’t find proper words to express that mess.”

Kim Jong Un gives instructions during his visit to the 18 January General Machine Plant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un toured an ideological education center and “noted that the provincial party committee should draw a serious lesson as regards the implementation of the party’s policy on giving priority to the political and ideological education.”  He was briefed about the 18 January General Machine Plant’s production planning and he toured various sectors of the factory.  According to KCNA, he “seriously noted that production equipment of the plant are outdated in view of the requirements of the age of the knowledge-based economy and it is behind other industrial establishments in cultured practices in production and life.”  After being briefed about food distribution and other provisions to employees, Kim Jong Un “felt heart-broken when he learned officials of the plant failed to take good care of the living of the employees as desired by the party.”  As he itemized tasks to the factory’s managers and party officials he said:

The plant should glorify the leadership exploits o the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.  It should dynamically conduct the ideological education to give fullest play to the mental power of the workers.  It should steadily push forward the work for putting the production processes on a modern and scientific basis.  The plant should launch a dynamic campaign to improve the supply service, working people’s material and cultural standards and establish cultured practices in production and life.  The plant is faced with difficult and huge tasks, but it can surely implement them as it has revolutionary workers, the technical staff steeled in practice and a wealth of experience and proud tradition.

Kim Jong Un also “expressed great expectation and belief that the workers of the plant would radically remodel it as required by the new century and bring about a great leap forward in the production of modern machines and successfully perform the role as vanguard and shock brigade in carrying out the economic policy of the party.”

Kim Jong Un watches flight training by KPA Air Force Unit #1017. Also seen in attendance is his wife Ri Sol Ju 2nd L), KPA Air Force Commander Gen. Ri Pyong Chol (4th L) and VMar Choe Ryong Hae (5th L) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un also inspected KPA Air Force Unit #1017 where he guided “flight drills”.  Whilst watching air maneuvers, he said the KPA pilots “were very good in training” and he “praised them for having acquired high flying skills as intended by the party.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “expressed great satisfaction, noting that the airmen of the unit are fully ready to make sorties any moment” and he said “I always think of the air routes covered by the pilots to reliably defend the sky of the country.”  He “gave an instruction to further intensify the flight training in the future to fully prepare the pilots as death-defying corps and able combat pilots capable of skillfully fighting a modern war.”  Kim Jong Un toured a combat personnel facility and hangar.  He also visited a monument to previous visits by late leader Kim Jong Il and he “instructed the unit to preserve well the photos of Kim Jong Il and take good care of the monument so as to let airmen and other service personnel always bear his undying feats deep in mind.”  Kim Jong Un “stressed the need for the pilots of the unit to make good preparations for the military parade for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the victory in the war” and he “expressed great expectation and conviction that the service personnel of the unit would put bigger spurs to rounding off the combat preparations and thus defend the sky of the socialist country as firm as an iron wall.”

KPA Air Force Unit #1017 (Photos: Google image and Rodong Sinmun)

**The first reported public appearance at which Kim Jong Un expressed his displeasure with subordinate officials occurred in May 2012 when Kim Jong Un visited Manyo’ngdae Fun Fair (amusement park) in Pyongyang and upbraided officials for slipshod landscaping and broken sidewalks.  The second reported public appearance at which he lambasted subordinate officials occurred in May 2013 when Kim Jong Un inspected the progress (or in his mind, lack thereof) of the renovation of the Mirim Riding Club (f.k.a Equestrian Company of KPA Unit #534; KPA Equestrian Training Company).

National Meeting Commemorates 48th Anniversary of KJI Beginning Work at Party Central Committee

View of the platform (rostrum) of a national meeting commemorating the 49th anniversary of the start of late leader Kim Jong Il’s work at the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee, held at 25 April House of Culture in Pyongyang on 18 June 2013 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK state media reported that national meeting commemorating the 48th anniversary of the start of late leader Kim Jong Il’s work at the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Central Committee was held at the 25 April House of Culture on 18 June (Tuesday).  The meeting was attended by Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium President Kim Yong Nam, DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju, Chief Secretary of the Pyongyang City KWP Committee Mun Kyong Dok (who presided over the meeting), along with “other senior officials of the party, the state and the army, officials in various fields, persons of merit and Pyongyangites.”

A view of the participants at a national meeting commemorating the 49th anniversary of the start of Kim Jong Il’s work at the Party Central Committee. The meeting was held at 25 April House of Culture on 18 June 2013 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

Participants at a national meeting commemorating the 49th anniversary of the start of Kim Jong Il’s work at the Party Central Committee, held at 25 April House of Culture on 18 June 2013 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

According to KCNA’s report on the meeting, Kim Jong Il “started his work at the Central Committee on June 19, Chuch’e 53 (1964), reflecting the noble intention of President Kim Il Sung and the desire of all the service personnel and the people” and he “led the WPK along the road of victory with his extraordinary ideological and theoretical wisdom, outstanding leadership ability and noble popular personality, performing immortal feats before the era and the revolution, the country and its people.”  As part of his work at the Party Central Committee, Kim Jong Il formulated “the President’s revolutionary idea as Kimilsungism and proclaimed the modeling the whole of society on the Juche idea as the supreme programme of the WPK. Then he set forth the line of building the party which called for modeling the entire party on Kimilsungism” and the “the Military-First (So’ngun) politics as the revolutionary leadership mode of the party and developed the WPK into staff of the Military-First (So’ngun) revolution.”  KCNA said that “thanks to his energetic leadership the DPRK could demonstrate its might as a satellite manufacturer and launcher and usher in a new heyday in building socialist culture” and that a “new turning phase of the movement for the country’s reunification was opened and its international prestige and influence further increased and the international solidarity with the Korean revolution grew stronger remarkably.”

KWP Secretary and Supreme People’s Assembly Chairman Choe Tae Bok delivered the meeting’s official report.  Choe praised Kim Jong Il’s accomplishments and Kim Jong Un’s “wise leadership.”  According to KCNA, Choe said in his report that “the portrait of smiling Kim Jong Il and his immortal feats will always be remembered by our party members and other people and world progressives to shine forever. . .Kim Jong Il’s Chuch’e-oriented idea and cause of party building are being successfully carried forward and developed by the dear respected Kim Jong Un.  Victory and glory are always set in store for the Korean revolution which is dynamically advancing, flying high the party flag of Juche under the leadership of Kim Jong Un.”  In his report Choe also “stressed the the need for the party to focus its work on simultaneously pushing forward economic construction and the building of nuclear armed forces, which is the party’s new strategic line, and advance the final victory of “anti-US war of confrontation” and “construction of socialist powerful state.”  Choe also said there was a “need to realize modernization and scientification of national defense industry into a higher level and defend the country so that aggressors will not be able to infiltrate into the DPRK’s territorial airspace, territorial waters, and territory.”  Choe also said there was a need for “the entire nation to bring a new turnabout in economic construction and improving people’s lives” and that there was a need to “to build nuclear armed forces, expand the achievement of conquering space, and accelerate the construction of a powerful state of knowledge-based economy and a socialist civilized country with the country’s own strength.”

Kim Jong Un Visits Ch’angso’ng County

Kim Jong Un (R) tours the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 13 June (Thursday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) toured different locales in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province and toured Taegwan Glass Factory.  Attending the visits were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department), Choe Hwi (Senior Deputy [1st vice] Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Propaganda and Agitation Department), Pak Tae Song (Deputy KWP Department Director) and Ri Man Gon (Chief Secretary of the North P’yo’ngan KWP Provincial Committee).  Kim Jong Un’s last reported public appearance was his visit to the Pyongyang International Football (soccer) School, the Rungna Sports Park and the offices of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Committee.

Kim Jong Un reviews a product display at Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins whilst touring a section of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un’s first stop in Ch’angso’ng County was to the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory.  He toured the factory’s historical exhibition followed by “the milling work-team, liquor production work-team, confectionary production work-team, wild fruit processing work-team and the products show room and other various places of the factory.”  According to KCNA he “praised the employees of the factory and officials in the field concerned not only for building it well as befitting a base specializing in processing wild fruits but achieving a lot of successes in carrying out the instructions given by Kim Jong Il to take the lead in wild fruit processing” and “underscored the need for the factory to more energetically push forward technological updating, not resting content with the successes already achieved, and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the employees and meticulously organize the factory and business management.”  Kim Jong Un also “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the factory would intensify the drive for increased production, bearing deep in mind the profound loving care shown by the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for the people.”   He ended his visit by posing for commemorative photographs with factory managers and employees.

View of Ch’angso’ng-u’p, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Google image)

Kim Jong Un (2nd R) is briefed about products of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un inspects a product of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un smokes a cigarettes and reads a menu at the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un holds a cigarette while touring a kitchen in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un also visited the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant and Ch’angso’ng Noodle House where he “asked about their accommodation capacity and measures to keep them provided with adequate quantities of foodstuff” and “underlined the need to promote culinary festival in order to further develop cooking culture as required by the new century.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the restaurant and the noodle house would improve their service in the spirit of dedication to the people” and posed for commemorative photographs with the restaurants’ employees.  He then visited Undok Health Complex where he “called for more splendidly remodeling it, noting there can be no satisfaction in doing anything for the people.”

He later visited Ch’angso’ng-u’p, the county seat.  He “praised the builders for successfully constructing the town to suit the characteristics of the mountainous county” and “noting that the county is playing the role of a base for carrying out the three revolutions, ideological, technical and cultural, and vanguard in the struggle for defending the socialist system” Kim Jong Un “called on it to increase its role as required by the Military-First (So’ngun) era.”  Kim Jong Un toured the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum and was “briefed on it before the monument to the immortal revolutionary activities conducted by the great Generalissimos and Kim Hyong Jik, an outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea, in the land of Ch’angso’ng.”

Kim Jong Un tours Undok Health Complex in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins during a tour of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

According to KCNA, he “called for sprucing up Changsong County as a people’s paradise and making hurrah for socialism ring out louder from the county” then attended a photo-op with museum employees.  Kim Jong Un then visited the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Historical Site and the the county’s cultural hall.  Of the revolutionary site he called for “preserving it on a permanent basis to educate party members and other people, soldiers and school youth and children in the immortal revolutionary exploits performed by Kim Il Sung in leading the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War) to victory and his noble personality” and “proposed a task for creating art pieces depicting Kim Il Sung working at the revolutionary site.”  At the cultural hall, he watched a performance by Ch’angso’ng County’s art propaganda squad.  According to KCNA he “highly praised the members of the art group for giving a successful performance with great cognitional and instructive value by truthfully representing their life” then posed for commemorative photographs with the art squad’s members.

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un (R) smokes a cigarette and talks with a subordinate during a performance by the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad at the county’s cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

In August 1962, the late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung (paternal grandfather of Kim Jong Un) led the Joint Conference of Local Party and Economic Officials, which convened in Ch’angso’ng County.  The meeting resulted in the publication, under Kim Il Sung’s name, of “Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country.”  Kim Jong Il conducted multiple visits to sites Ch’angso’ng County and the county was established as a model for developing local economies in the DPRK.  According to one official DPRK text, “experience of Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province, a county which after Comrade Kim Il Sung’s field guidance there, made good use of its mountains, comprising 90 per cent of its whole territory, and turned itself into a rich and modern county by developing livestock farming and local industry.”  The 50th anniversary of the Ch’angso’ng joint conference was held on 8 August 2012 at which a third generation of Kim treatises on the county, ”Let Us Build All Counties into People’s Paradise Good to Live in by Embodying Historic Spirit of Changsong Joint Conference” by Kim Jong Un, was read.  Ch’angso’ng County is also the location of a residential compound used by members of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites, which sits on the DPRK-China border.

View of the Kanam-ri residential complex of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites (Photo: Google image).

Kim Jong Un tours an assembling shop with CNC machines during a tour of Taegwan Glass Factory in North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 14 June (Friday) that Kim Jong Un visited the Taegwan Glass Factory in Taegwan County, North P’yo’ngan Province.  He inspected “the performance of the optical measuring instruments” and said that “it further improved the performance of the instruments than last year and ensured their safety. . .in order to make the instruments produced at the factory prove effective in reality, it is necessary to further raise their precision.  The inquiry into the performance of the instruments today proved that it is quite possible to succeed if endeavors are made, based on scientific researches and technological updating.”  Kim Jong Un also inspected other assembly and production sectors in the factory.  According to KCNA, he said “the optical measuring instruments being produced at the factory require high technology, stressing that in order to keep the production going at a high rate and improve their quality it is necessary to give full play to the mental power of the producers, intensify scientific researches and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the workers” and “underlined the need to focus efforts on the independent technological development capable of surpassing the world level, put the production processes on a modern and automatic basis and wage a more dynamic drive to raise the rate of locally available equipment and materials.”

Kim Jong Un “underscored the need to raise high demands to the units producing items of cooperative production and successfully conduct cooperative operations” then he inspected computer numerical control machines.  According to KCNA, he “set forth tasks which would serve as guidelines for the management and operation of the factory and production.”  After touring the factory, Kim Jong Un posed for commemorative photographs with factory employees, managers and officials “expressing expectation and belief that they would boost the production of quality and modern glass products and optical instruments by conducting a widespread mass technological innovation movement, true to the WPK’s idea of pushing back the frontiers of the latest science and technology.”

Commemorative Photo Watch

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with managers, officials and employees of Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees of a restaurant in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with restaurant employees in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees and officials of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph with museum employees in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with members of the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad in front of the county cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” Watch

(Photos: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Yong Nam Visits Pyongyang Essential Foodstuff Factory

DPRK head of state Kim Yong Nam and other senior officials tour the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK state media reported on 14 June (Friday) that DPRK official head of state Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and “officials of the working people’s organizations, ministries and national institutions” visited the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuff Factory in east Pyongyang.  The food factory was recently visited by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n), reported on 7 June, and DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju, reported on 13 June.  KCNA reported that the factory “has turned into a modern essential foodstuff production base all the production processes of which have been automatized ranging from feeding of raw material to packing, a factory which has established a high level of cultured practice in production and life.”

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam (1), the DPRK’s head of state, is briefed about food production touring a visit by senior DPRK officials. Also seen in attendance is SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop (2) and DPRK Vice Premier Kang Sok Ju (3) (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

Kim Yong Nam and the other senior officials began their visit by delivering flowers and bowing to a mosaic of late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il visiting the factory.  They toured the factory and watched a video “being briefed on the founding of the factory and its development, leadership feats performed by the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and Marshal Kim Jong Un and the history of the development of the factory at the room dedicated to its history,” according to KCNA.  The group toured the factory’s amenities and service centers for employees such as its childcare facility, cultural center, public baths, swimming pool and resource libraries.  Whilst “seeing the production processes whose automation and robotization have been placed on a high level including the general control room, refined table oil, seasoning, refined salt and vitamin E and their packing processes,” Kim Yong Nam and the other senior officials “deeply grasped the patriotic intention of Kim Jong Un on accelerating the modernization of the factory by the DPRK’s efforts and technology,” according to KCNA.

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK government officials tour a childcare classroom at Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK officials view an employees’ swimming pool at Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

 

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK officials tour Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

Chinese Vice President Attends Anniversary Reception at DPRK Embassy in Beijing

DPRK Embassy in Beijing (Photo: Google image)

DPRK state media reported that the DPRK Embassy in Beijing hosted a reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s “maiden visit” to China in 1983.  Attending the reception from the Chinese government were Vice President Li Yuanchao, Deputy Director of the Communist Party of China’s International Liaison Department Liu Jieyi and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.  DPRK Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong and embassy personnel attended on behalf of the DPRK.  In his anniversary speech, according to KCNA, Ji Jae Ryong remarked “that the maiden visit to China by Kim Jong Il was a historic event which greatly contributed to putting on a new high stage the traditional DPRK-China friendship which was provided and cultivated by President Kim Il Sung together with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the elder generation of China and stood all tests of history and to ensuring the peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world and advancing the human cause of independence against imperialism” and that “Kim Jong Un is paying deep attention to boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations true to the noble intention of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.”  Ji also said “we will as ever make joint efforts with Chinese comrades to steadily boost the traditional DPRK-China friendship.”

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (L) and DPRK Ambassador to the PRC Ji Jae Ryong (R) spoke at an anniversary reception commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China held at the DPRK Embassy to China on 13 June 2013 (Photos: Xinhua and Yonhap)

According to KCNA, Li Yuanchao said in his speech that “Kim Jong Il worked heart and soul to develop the Korean revolution and construction and the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations and made important contributions” and “First Secretary Kim Jong Un in his recent personal letter sent to General Secretary Xi Jinping underlined the need to carry forward and develop the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Li also said “the Chinese party and government set great store by the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and the new collective leadership of the Communist Party of China will together with the party and government of the DPRK respect and trust each other and conduct friendly exchange and cooperation in the spirit of inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation and thus promote the development of the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and defend the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

The reception in Beijing followed a similar anniversary event hosted by the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Central Committee at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June.  The Pyongyang reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China was attended by PRC Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, PRC Embassy personnel and Chinese nationals and students working in the DPRK.  KWP Secretary and Director of the International Affairs Department [IAD] Kim Yong Il attended the reception on behalf of the DPRK, and was joined by officials from the IAD, the DPRK Foreign Ministry and the National Defense Commission.

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai (L) and KWP International Affairs Secretary Kim Yong Il (R) spoke at an anniversary event commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China, held at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June 2013 (Photos: PRC Embassy in the DPRK, NKLW file photo).

In his speech Kim Yong Il said “Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in June 1983 marked a historic event of weighty significance in boosting the traditional DPRK-China friendship generation after generation” and “recalled that senior officials of the party and state of China enthusiastically welcomed Kim Jong Il, who paid a maiden visit to their country as most important state guest and accorded him cordial hospitality with all sincerity.”  Kim Yong Il also remarked that “Kim Jong Il, setting greatest store by the DPRK-China friendship provided by President Kim Il Sung, exerted great efforts to make the deeply rooted friendship flourish and develop.  It is the noble duty and obligation of the present generation to steadily boost the precious DPRK-China friendship associated with great efforts of the leaders of the elder generation of the two parties and countries.  The recent visit paid by a special envoy of Comrade Kim Jong Un to China marked an important occasion in steadily boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations, wealth common to the peoples of the two countries, as required by the new times.”  According to KCNA, Kim also said that “tt is the unshakable political stand of the WPK and the government of the DPRK to steadily develop the DPRK-China friendship, he said, stressing that the WPK would in the future, too, to boost with vitality and dynamism the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.”

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, according to KCNA, said “General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited China several times to forge close relations with Chinese party and state leaders and worked heart and soul to boost the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations” and that “China and the DPRK are the friendly neighbors linked by the same mountain and rivers, he said, stressing that it is the consistent stand of the Chinese party and government to steadily develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Liu also said “the Chinese side deems it important to invariably develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations on a strategic height and from a long-term viewpoint” and Liu “underscored the need to further value the Sino-DPRK friendship, the precious common treasure of the two peoples, and carry forward and develop it generation after generation.”  Liu “recalled that the special envoy of First Secretary of Kim Jong Un visited China and met with General Secretary Xi Jinping and other leading officials of China and had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on issues of common concern” and said “the relations between the two countries at present have entered a new historic phase. . .underlining the need to promote common development on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and co-prosperity and thus bring welfare to the two peoples.”

The two events commemorating the anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in 1983 appear to be part of a reconciliation process between the DPRK and China.  The Beijing reception was attended by PRC Vice President Li Yuanchao, who visited the DPRK Embassy on a condolence call after Kim Jong Il’s death in December 2011 and who lead a CPC delegation on an official visit to the DPRK in June 2011, during which he met with the late DPRK leader.  Also attending the Beijing anniversary event were Liu Jieyi, who escorted VMar Choe Ryong Hae during his visit to Beijing in May 2013, and Liu Zhenmin, who had previously participated in several senior DPRK-PRC interactions.

DPRK Premier Visits Yanggakdo Stadium and Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory

DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju (3rd R) inspects a lawn mower during his visit to the renovation of Yanggakdo Stadium in Pyongyang. Also in attendance is DPRK Vice Premier and State Planning Commission Chairman Ro To Chol (2nd R) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 13 June (Thursday) that DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju visited the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory and the renovation of the Yanggakdo Football Stadium.  Pak’s first visit was to the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory, following up a visit by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) which was reported in state media on 7 June.  Pak toured the food factory and “congratulated its officials and employees upon presenting a great pleasure to Kim Jong Un.”  He also convened a meeting with the factory’s managers and officials which “which stressed the need for the factory to activate the production on the basis of production potentiality. It also pressed for the measures for relevant units to substantially provide necessary raw and other materials.”  Pak later visited Yanggakdo Stadium, currently under going renovation work by construction units of the Ministry of Railways.  Pak “encouraged officials and employees of the Ministry of Railways all out in the drive to carry out the on-the-spot instructions given by the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un on successfully remodeling the stadium into an exclusive one that can represent football stadium of the DPRK” and “underscored the need for the officials and builders to keep in mind the undying exploits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il for the development of the Chuch’e-oriented sports and bring about great innovations in remodeling the stadium,” according to KCNA.  Pak held a “consultative meeting” with construction managers and officials and “discussed the matters arising in sprucing up the stadium.”

View of Yanggakdo Stadium and the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Google image).

The Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory in east Pyongyang (Photo: Google image).

The Yanggakdo Stadium in Pyongyang. Construction boats, some of which may be involved in dredging operations in the Taedong River to produce concrete, can be seen at the bottom of the image (Photo: Google image).

Army-People Meeting Supporting Masikryo’ng Speed Battle Held at Grazing Land Reclamation

Army-People meeting held at Sep’o Tableland Project on 13 June 2013 in support of the Masikryo’ng Speed Battle (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported that Korean People’s Army [KPA] and civilian construction personnel contributing to the Sep’o grazing land reclamation project in Kangwo’n Province held an army-people solidarity meeting in support of the Masikryo’ng Speed Battle on 13 June (Thursday).  Attending the meeting were DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju, Jang Jong Nam (Minister of the People’s Armed Forces), Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Secretary and Director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department Kim Ki Nam,  KWP Secretary and Director of the Finance and Planning Department Kwak Pom Gi, DPRK Vice Premier and State Planning Commission Ro Tu Chol, Korean People’s Internal Security Forces Political Bureau Director Col. Gen. Ri Pyong Sam along with “officials of ministries and national institutions, service personnel of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, members of shock brigade and officials and other people in Sep’o County.”

At the start of the meeting, Kim Jong Un’s letter of appeal on the Masikryo’ng Speed battle was read.  The meeting’s speakers said that “they would make a breakthrough for the ranks with daring and bold operation and skillful command just like the KPA officers who are taking part in the construction of the Masik Pass Skiing Ground, and make positive contribution to implementing the grand plan of Kim Jong Un ahead of schedule,” according to KCNA.  A letter of appeal from personnel involved in the Sep’o tableland project was also read at the meeting.  The letter was addressed to “working people across the country” and said that “they would turn the tableland not only into the world-wide stockbreeding base but also into a famous tourist resort by building skiing and sliding grounds, race course, ecological park, lodging houses and other facilities for tourists” and it “called for making the army-people grand advance of Songun Korea in the spirit of the “Masikryong Speed” and ushering in a great heyday of Kim Jong Un’s era.”

DPRK Premier Visits Coal Mines

DPRK Premier Pak Pong Ju (L), tours a coal mine (Photo: KCNA).

DPRK state media reported on 11 June (Tuesday) that DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju visited the To’kso’ng and Ku’mya Youth Coal Mines.  Pak toured a cutting and dressing facilities and was briefed extensively about ore and coal deposits at the mines, the general predicament of the mines and and mining equipment.  He held “consultative meetings” with mines managers and leading officials.  According to KCNA, the meetings “underscored the need for the relevant units to satisfactorily supply raw and other materials and electricity as required by the important duties to be performed by the ore and coal mines in economic construction and improvement of the people’s standard of living” and “took measures for transporting greater quantities of concentrated ore and coal in good time and raising the operation rate of rolling stock by reinforcing the strength of railroads and cutting down the turnround time of freight wagons.”  Pak recalled “that the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) called for ushering in a new heyday on all fronts for socialist construction by creating the ‘Masikny’ong Speed,’” and Pak “urged the officials of the relevant units to scrupulously organize and command operations and give full play to the mental power of the workers to boost production.”