Statement Published Declaring “North-State Relations Have Been Put in a State of War”

DPRK state media published a statement (tamhwa) on 30 March (Saturday) from “the government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK.”  Unlike the recent volley of statements, or indeed most communications published and broadcasted in state media, the 30 March 2013 statement was not issued under the name of any specific organization (s).  The statement is not  cited as the work of the DPRK National Defense Commission, the KPA Supreme Command or Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces from the DPRK national security community,  it was not an individual or joint statement of the Foreign Ministry, the DPRK Cabinet or the Supreme People’s Assembly, it was not linked to any specific political parties such as the Korean Workers’ Party, the Ch’o'ndoist Ch’o'ngu Party or the Korean Social Democratic Party and it was not issued in the name of various organizations such as the National Peace Committee of Korea oe Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, the Korean Democratic Women’s Union or the Kim Il Sung Youth League.

While no organization or elite cohort has claimed neither provenance nor authorship of the statement, it may foreshadow the “important important issue for victoriously advancing the Korean revolution and make a drastic turn in accomplishing the Chuch’e revolutionary cause under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism” which is planned for the upcoming KWP Central Committee plenary meeting (plenum), which will be held on Sunday (31 March) one day ahead of the 7th session of the 12th SPA on 1 April (Monday).

The statement, according to KCNA:

The moves of the U.S. imperialists to violate the sovereignty of the DPRK and encroach upon its supreme interests have entered an extremely grave phase. Under this situation, the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, brilliant commander of Mt. Paektu, convened an urgent operation meeting on the performance of duty of the Strategic Rocket Force of the Korean People’s Army for firepower strike and finally examined and ratified a plan for firepower strike.

The important decision made by him is the declaration of a do-or-die battle to provide an epochal occasion for putting an end to the history of the long-standing showdown with the U.S. and opening a new era. It is also a last warning of justice served to the U.S., south Korean group and other anti-reunification hostile forces. The decision reflects the strong will of the army and people of the DPRK to annihilate the enemies.

Now the heroic service personnel and all other people of the DPRK are full of surging anger at the U.S. imperialists’ reckless war provocation moves, and the strong will to turn out as one in the death-defying battle with the enemies and achieve a final victory of the great war for national reunification true to the important decision made by Kim Jong Un.

The Supreme Command of the KPA in its previous statement solemnly declared at home and abroad the will of the army and people of the DPRK to take decisive military counteraction to defend the sovereignty of the country and the dignity of its supreme leadership as regards the war moves of the U.S. and south Korean puppets that have reached the most extreme phase.

Not content with letting B-52 make sorties into the sky over south Korea in succession despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, the U.S. made B-2A stealth strategic bomber and other ultra-modern strategic strike means fly from the U.S. mainland to south Korea to stage a bombing drill targeting the DPRK. This is an unpardonable and heinous provocation and an open challenge.

By taking advantage of the U.S. reckless campaign for a nuclear war against the DPRK, the south Korean puppets vociferated about “preemptive attack” and “strong counteraction” and even “strike at the commanding forces”, openly revealing the attempt to destroy monuments symbolic of the dignity of the DPRK’s supreme leadership.

This clearly shows that the U.S. brigandish ambition for aggression and the puppets’ attempt to invade the DPRK have gone beyond the limit and their threats have entered the reckless phase of an actual war from the phase of threat and blackmail.

The prevailing grim situation more clearly proves that the Supreme Command of the KPA was just when it made the judgment and decision to decisively settle accounts with the U.S. imperialists and south Korean puppets by dint of the arms of Military-First politics (So’ngun), because time when words could work has passed.

Now they are openly claiming that the B-2A stealth strategic bombers’ drill of dropping nuclear bombs was “not to irritate the north” but “the defensive one”. The U.S. also says the drill is “to defend the interests of its ally”. However, it is nothing but a lame pretext to cover up its aggressive nature, evade the denunciation at home and abroad and escape from the DPRK’s retaliatory blows.

The era when the U.S. resorted to the policy of strength by brandishing nuclear weapons has gone.

It is the resolute answer of the DPRK and its steadfast stand to counter the nuclear blackmail of the U.S. imperialists with merciless nuclear attack and their war of aggression with just all-out war.

They should clearly know that in the era of Marshal Kim Jong Un, the greatest-ever commander, all things are different from what they used to be in the past.

The hostile forces will clearly realize the iron will, matchless grit and extraordinary mettle of the brilliant commander of Mt. Paektu that the earth cannot exist without Military-First  (So’ngun) Korea.

Time has come to stage a do-or-die final battle.

The government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK solemnly declare as follows reflecting the final decision made by Kim Jong Un at the operation meeting of the KPA Supreme Command and the unanimous will of all service personnel and people of the DPRK who are waiting for a final order from him.

1.From this moment, the north-south relations will be put at the state of war and all the issues arousing between the north and the south will be dealt with according to the wartime regulations.

The state of neither peace nor war has ended on the Korean Peninsula.

Now that the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK have entered into an actual military action, the inter-Korean relations have naturally entered the state of war. Accordingly, the DPRK will immediately punish any slightest provocation hurting its dignity and sovereignty with resolute and merciless physical actions without any prior notice.

2. If the U.S. and the south Korean puppet group perpetrate a military provocation for igniting a war against the DPRK in any area including the five islands in the West Sea of Korea or in the area along the Military Demarcation Line, it will not be limited to a local war, but develop into an all-out war, a nuclear war.

It is self-evident that any military conflict on the Korean Peninsula is bound to lead to an all-out war, a nuclear war now that even U.S. nuclear strategic bombers in its military bases in the Pacific including Hawaii and Guam and in its mainland are flying into the sky above south Korea to participate in the madcap DPRK-targeted nuclear war moves.

The first strike of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will blow up the U.S. bases for aggression in its mainland and in the Pacific operational theatres including Hawaii and Guam and reduce not only its military bases in south Korea but the puppets’ ruling institutions including Chongwadae and puppet army’s bases to ashes at once, to say nothing of the aggressors and the provokers.

3. The DPRK will never miss the golden chance to win a final victory in a great war for national reunification.

This war will not be a three day-war but it will be a blitz war through which the KPA will occupy all areas of south Korea including Jeju Island at one strike, not giving the U.S. and the puppet warmongers time to come to their senses, and a three-dimensional war to be fought in the air, land and seas and on the front line and in the rear.

This sacred war of justice will be a nation-wide, all-people resistance involving all Koreans in the north and the south and overseas in which the traitors to the nation including heinous confrontation maniacs, warmongers and human scum will be mercilessly swept away.

No force on earth can break the will of the service personnel and people of the DPRK all out in the just great war for national reunification and of all other Koreans and overpower their might.

Holding in high esteem the peerlessly great men of Mt. Paektu, the Korean people will give vent to the pent-up grudge and realize their cherished desire and thus bring a bright day of national reunification and build the best power on this land without fail.

Students Hold Lunar New Year’s Concert

DPRK central leadership attend schoolchildren’s Lunar New Year’s concert at Mangyo’ngdae Schoolchildren’s Palace on 10 February 2013. In this image (L-R) are Kang Sok Ju; Yang Hyong Sop; Choe Tae Bok; Choe Yong Rim; Kim Yong Nam; Kim Ki Nam; VMar Kim Yong Chun; VMar Ri Yong Mu (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

10 February 2013 Lunar New Year’s concert including a musical number including costumed character that anthropomorphizes the U’nha-3 rocket (Photos: KCNA/KCTV screengrab)

DPRK state media reported on 11 February (Monday) that the schoolchildren gave a Lunar New Year concert at Mangyo’ngdae Schoolchildren’s Palace on Sunday.  Attending the performance from the central leadership were Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam, DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim, Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Secretaries Kim Ki Nam and Choe Tae Bok, NDC Vice Chairmen VMar Kim Yong Chun and Ri Yong Mu, SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop,  DPRK Cabinet Vice Premier Kang Sok Ju along with “officials of party, armed forces and power organs, social organizations, ministries and national institutions, servicepersons of the Korean People’s Army and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces, officials in the fields of science, education, literature and arts, public health and media, persons of merits and Pyongyangites and “present there on invitation were the chief of the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, overseas Koreans, and diplomatic envoys of different countries, representatives of international organizations and members of the military attaches corps here and their wives.”  According to KCNA, Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department, VMar Choe Ryong Hae, attended the performance, but was not observed in photographs or film footage of the performance.

Scenes (L, R) from a 10 February 2013 Lunar New Year’s performance by Pyongyang schoolchildren and invited foreign audience members (C) (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Performances which were part of a Lunar New Year’s concert held at Mangyo’ngdae Schoolchildren’s Palace in western Pyongyang on 10 February 2013 (Photos: KCNA)

The schoolchildren began their performance “with prologue “We Make Lunar New Year’s Bow to Marshal Kim Jong Un.”  They also performed “New Year’s Performance in Star Country,” “trio and chorus ‘We Are Happy under Care of Marshal Kim Il Sung,’” “duet and chorus ‘Let Us Sing Louder Song of General Kim Jong Il,’” “small chorus of immortal classic masterpiece ‘We Will Carry Forward the March That Started on Mt. Paektu,’” “piano and chorus ‘Let’s Learn for Thriving Korea,’” “Thank You Marshal Kim Jong Un,” “music and dance of Korean schoolchildren in Japan ‘Our country led by Marshal is best’” and “national instrumental music and song ‘Flower Gate of Happiness.’” According to KCNA, the ”performers highly praised the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as eternal sun who devoted their all to the rising generation, calling children as the king of the country” and “vividly depicted the bright appearance of schoolchildren growing up to be kid doctors, talents and soldiers under the blue sky of the country.”

KJI Birthday Events Begin

On 7 February the DPRK’s State Stamp Bureau issued commemorative stamps to mark Kim Jong Il’s birth anniversary. According to Rodong Sinmun “the stamps show how Kim Jong Il cultivated his qualification and traits as leader to carry forward the revolutionary cause of President Kim Il Sung after his birth as the son of Mt. Paektu.” (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported during 7-9 February (Thursday-Saturday) that events commemorating the official 71st birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il, called the Day of the Shining Star, began in and around Pyongyang.  On 7 February (Thursday), a 10-day nationwide film festival that will screen official documentary and feature films in Pyongyang and in the provinces.  According to KCNA “all of them deal with the glorious revolutionary history of Kim Jong Il and his undying feats” and the films will include Under the Guidance of the Great Brilliant Commander, The Great Leadership for Pushing Back the Frontiers of Science and Technology, Shining Star Above Mt. Paektu, Legacy, White Gem, Wish and Comrade Kim Goes Flying.  Ceremonies which opened the film festival were held in Pyongyang and provincial capital cities.  The Pyongyang ceremony occurred at the People’s Palace of Culture on 7 February.  It was attended by Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Secretary and Director of the KWP Propaganda and Agitation [publicity and information] Department Kim Ki Nam, along with “ officials concerned, creators and artistes in the field of movie art and Pyongyangites.”

8 February 2013 ppening ceremony for a photo exhibition to commemorate Kim Jong Il’s birthday at the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Photographs which form an exhibition about Kim family leadership at the Grand People’s Study House, which opened on 8 February 2013, to commemorate late leader Kim Jong Il’s official 71st birthday (Photos: KCNA)

On 8 February (Friday) a photo exhibition titled ”They Were Always Together to Bring about the People’s Well-being” showing photographs of the country’s later founder and president, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un and “dealing with the feats the great Generalissimos who led all the Koreans to the road of independence and the great national unity and energetically worked for global peace and stability, friendship and solidarity among the peoples under the uplifted banner of independence against imperialism.”  KWP Secretary Kim Ki Nam and Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop along with “officials concerned and people in the city” attended the opening ceremony.

Also, on 8 February (Friday) recipients of the Kim Jong Il Prize and Order of Kim Jong Il, based on 6 February 2013 decrees of the SPA Presidium, were publicized. The KJI Prize was presented to  Kim Sang Ok for “a great contribution to the development of the nation’s science and technology by displaying intense loyalty to the party and the leader and devoting creative wisdom and enthusiasm” and the Kwangmyo’ng Encyclopedia because it “helps officials and people raise the levels of political theories and cultural knowledge as required by the building of a thriving socialist nation and the age of knowledge-based economy.”

The Order of Kim Jong Il was given to “units and officials, service persons and people made great contributions to bolstering up the national defense capabilities and building an economic giant through a dynamic drive for consolidating the political and ideological position of the Korean revolution as firm as a rock and devotedly carrying out the lines and policies of the Workers’ Party of Korea by rallying the broad masses close around the Party, true to the Military-First (So’ngun) revolutionary leadership of the Party.”  Institutions receiving the Order of KJI were the Rakwo’n Machine Complex, the 5 March Youth Mine in Chagang Province, Kanggye U’nha Garment Factory and Migok Cooperative Farm.  Among the individuals receiving the Order of KJI were Paek Kye Ryong (Chief Secretary of the Kangwo’n Provincial KWP Committee) and O Su Yong (Chief Secretary of the North Hamgyo’ng Provincial KWP Committee) along with several third-generation officials from the KWP, DPRK Government and KPA: Kim Chang Myong; Ro Kyong Jun; Choe Tae Il; Pak Cho Yong; Ryom Chi Gwon; Kang Kil Yong; Mi Chang Guk; Yun Ho Nam; U Tok Su; and. Ryom U Jun.

On 8 February (Friday) DPRK state media reported on the end of cooking contest held during 6-8 February.  According to KCNA “competition was divided into the fields of public service and service of ministries and national institutions, hotels and provincial public catering and service. Present there were cooks and waitresses of 32 organizations” and “held by such methods of experts and masses’ judgment of preparations for cooking, sanitation, dressing processes and taste.” On 9 February (Saturday) DPRK state media announced that the 22nd Paektusan (Mt. Paektu) Prize International Figure Skating Festival will be held during 15-17 February in Pyongyang to commemorate KJI’s birthday.  According to KCNA the “is an annual event reflecting the unanimous desire and aspiration of the Korean people, world progressives and athletes to celebrate the birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il as the greatest holiday of the nation and holiday common to humankind” and “will bring together foreign and Korean skaters who proved successful in international and national contests. It will involve exhibition ice dances and pair and individual events.”

The events commemorating KJI’s birthday ceased what had been a slow news week in the state media.  Much of the content targeting an external audience consisted on various essays and editorials focused on the country’s response to the passage of United Nations Security Resolution #2087 (2013), such as the possibility of a third nuclear test and what were described as “the firm resolution to take substantial and high-profile important state measures in view of the prevailing situation.”  Content targeting an internal audience focused ongoing development efforts throughout the country, including the renovation of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation (Korean War) War Museum, and study tours of revolutionary historical battle sites by members of the Korean Children’s Union and the Kim Il Sung (Socialist) Youth League.  For a few days, members of the central leadership appeared to have gone to ground, or at least to senior level meetings that were not reported in state media.  On 8 February (Friday) a DPRK media outlet said the a third nuclear test was a matter of “the U.S. and hostile forces jumped to conclusions that the republic is planning the third nuclear test, citing their hypothesis and argument,” that any upcoming activities “are aimed at safeguarding its national interest, not at threatening anyone” and  ”it remains to be seen what the important state measures are, though it is clear that any U.S. reactions to them may prove to be only irrevocable losses.”

Watching the Aquarium for Three-Eyed Fish

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Yonhap News Agency reported on 31 January (Thursday) that South Korean [ROK] “raised the alert level in front-line units amid speculations of a North Korean nuclear test and military provocation.”  According to an anonymous South Korean government official “The Joint Chiefs of Staff has raised the alert level at front-line units.  Therefore, all intelligence, operations and firepower units are operating in what is the equivalent of level two.”  Given the wording in the report, it appear the anonymous source is an elected or political official.  Yonhap also reported that “units along the border (including the North Limit Line) are also said to be on standby with firepower to counter any provocation from the North” and that a joint assessment found a “radiation detecting device was installed at Punggye-ri nuclear test site to measure the amount of leaking after a nuclear test.”  A separate ROK government source “claimed, ‘We have detected what seems to be a command and control vehicle that could be used as remote detonator, so we are conducting in-depth analysis.”

CNN reported and cited US officials who said “We think they are preparing for a test.  We are watching it all as closely as we can” with the caveat “One official explained the United States is not certain about the timing of a test because it would happen underground and the final preparations can’t be observed by satellite.But a level of activity has been seen at the site in recent days, including movement of people and equipment that typically would be expected ahead of a test, one of the officials said.”

Meanwhile, following a meeting convened by South Korean President Lee Myung Bak (Yi Myo’ng-pok) came the quacking of lame ducks.  A presidential spokesman said “If North Korea misjudges the situation and pushes ahead with a provocation again, it will cause very grave consequences.  The government urges North Korea to immediately halt all provocative words and actions and comply with international obligations.”  Another anonymous official told Yonhap “If it carries out a nuclear test, it will be a big mistake.  It will be unfortunate for North Korea’s future.  This is the message we are sending to North Korea.”       

Ah, the loaded phrase “provocation” which seems inaccurate in our present-tense context.  Rather than quibble with diction, Pyongyang watchers might focus on whether we might see HEU or a thermonuclear experimental detonation, as explored by Jeffrey Lewis at ACW.  Time to to look at the spread (hey, put a hook up there for me!): HEU, thermonuclear or does KJU send those men and their trucks home?  

What To Expect When You’re Detonating

• The DPRK is likely to launch short- or medium-range surface-to-air missile [SAM] as an opening act to the detonation, as they did during May 2009
• The DPRK’s Foreign Ministry will notify China [PRC], the United States, the Russian Federation and, most likely South Korea [ROK]  prior to the detonation
• The country will issue a written notice through state media outlets the Korean Central News Agency and internally air a variation of that written notice through Korean Central Television [KCTV] and Korean Central Broadcasting Station [KCBS] (radio)
• If the detonation attains a modicum of technical success, seismic activity will be detected in neighboring countries, and the yield will be detected (and subject to interpretation) through MASINT.

 

Party Cell Secretaries Arrive in Pyongyang

Party cell secretaries and participants at the 4th Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the KWP arrive at Pyongyang Centraal Railway Station (L) on 26 January 2013, as members of the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces All-Female Brass Ensemble play welcoming music (R) (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

DPRK state media reported on 26 January (Saturday) that participants of the 4th Meeting of Party Cell Secretaries (Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers’ Party of Korea)  arrived at Pyongyang Central Railway Station during the day, “warmly greeted by officials of the Central Committee of the WPK [Workers' Party of Korea; Korean Workers' Party] and other officials concerned.”  The first items on the itinerary were visits to Mt. Taeso’ng to the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery and to Ku’msusan Memorial Palace (of the Sun).

KWP Central Committee officials (L) and electronic signage welcome participants at the 4th party cell secretaries meeting on 26 January 2013 (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Party cell secretaries (L) arrive in Pyongyang, at the central railway station (R) on 26 January 2013 (Photos: KCNA)

The party cells secretaries and meeting participants paid their respects with floral bouquets at the bronze memorial bust of Kim Jong Suk, first wife of the late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung, mother of late leader Kim Jong Il and current KWP Secretary and Department Director Kim Kyong Hui.  The party cell secretaries also delivered  a floral wreath and bouquets and “ observed a moment’s silence in memory of anti-Japanese revolutionary martyrs,” according to KCNA.

Graphic of the KWP’s Basic Party Organization (Graphic: Michael Madden/NKLW)

Party cell secretaries solemnly walk though the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery on 26 January 2013 (Photo: KCNA)

Party cell secretaries and participants at the 4th Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the KWP deliver flowers at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery on 26 January 2013 (Photos: KCNA)

The meeting participants also visited the recently renovated Ku’msusan Memorial Palace.  They gathered in the hall where the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il stand.  They paid their respects to the body of Kim Il Sung “who successfully accomplished the unique cause of party building and energetically led the party cells to grow stronger and raise their roles in every period of the revolutionary development and at its every stage.”  They also paid their respects to the remains of Kim Jong Il, “expressing their inmost feelings that thanks to the dear respected Kim Jong Un who is successfully carrying forward and developing the Generalissimos’ idea of party building and feats performed by them, the revolutionary cause of the party, the Songun revolutionary cause of Juche is winning victory after victory,” according to KCNA.  After paying their respects to the preserved bodies of KIS and KJI, the party cell secretaries and meeting participants toured the exhibition halls containing various documents, orders and honorary degrees of KIS and KJI, as well their personal affects including railway carriages, Mercedes Benz S-Class sedans and other items.

The 4th Meeting of Party Cell Secretaries begins on 28 January (Monday).

As a lagniappe to this posting, whilst watching the coverage of the party cell secretaries arriving DPRK state media captured an image of the section of Pyongyang Central Railway Station restricted to Kim Jong Il and other elites.

Pyongyang Centraal Railway Station’s VIP section (annotated). Also annotated is a car belonging to Inspector O’s foils from the Pyongyang Traffic Bureau (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

DPRK Newspaper Says Nuclear Test is “people’s demand” as Construction Progresses in Kilchu County

Images of a tunnel entrance (top) and tunnel leading to the nuclear detonation site. These images appeared in episode 4 of the 2009 Korea Film Studios’ feature The Country I Saw, which included a depiction of the 25 May 2009 nuclear test (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Yonhap News Agency reported on 26 January (Saturday) that an editorial in Rodong Sinmun, the daily newspaper of the Korean Workers’ Party, said that  ”A nuclear test is the demand of the people and no other choice can be made” and “It is the people’s demand that there should be something even greater than a nuclear test.”  The 26 January 2013 editorial was published three days after the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] passed resolution #2087 (2013) which “condemns” the 12 December 2012 launch of the U’nha-3 rocket and “demands that the DPRK immediately comply fully with its obligations under resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009), including that it: abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner; immediately cease all related activities; and not conduct any further launches that use ballistic missile technology, nuclear test or any further provocation.”  The 26 January Rodong editorial said that that UNSC “gave us no other choice . . .but to go to the very end.”  It is not clear if going “to the very end” is part of an “upcoming all-out action” which announced in a 24 January (Thursday) statement by the DPRK’s supreme power organization the National Defense Commission.  

The Rodong editorial was published the same day as DPRK state media reported that the country’s 23 January Foreign Ministry statement “as regards the fabrication of the ‘resolution’ by the U.S. and its allies at the U.N. Security Council in wanton violation of the inviolable sovereignty of the DPRK was distributed as an official document S/2013/50 at the UNSC on Jan. 25 (Friday).”  On 26 January (Saturday) DPRK state media conducted a few “man on the street” interviews about the UNSC resolution.  According to KCNA the slogan (likely authored by Korean Workers’ Party Secretary and Director of Propaganda and Agitation [publicity and information] Kim Ki Nam, the country’s slogan master) “‘Death to the U.S. imperialists, sworn enemy of the Korean people” can be heard everywhere in the country.”  KCNA reported that “Many young people are volunteering for military services, out of their will to annihilate the enemies while other people visit military posts with aid materials.”  In one interview elderly Moranbong District resident Kim Tok Jong said, “A nation’s sovereignty is more precious than one’s life” and that he ”lived for nearly 70 years. The past years clearly shows that words do not go on the U.S. and only force is needed to settle accounts with it.  If a war breaks out, I will take arms in my hand to fight against the U.S. scoundrels.   I will also do my utmost to wipe out the group of evils running amuck to trample down the nation’s right to existence and development.”

(Photo: KCTV screengrab from The Country That I Saw,)

Meanwhile, in Punggye-ri, Kilchu County, North Hamgyo’ng Province, “satellite imagery from January 23, 2013 and previous images dating back a month reveal that the site appears to be at a continued state of readiness that would allow the North to move forward with a test in a few weeks or less once the leadership in Pyongyang gives the order,” according to an analysis by Jack Liu for 38 North.

Liu’s analysis shows that imagery “reveals continued activity at the area near the possible test tunnel entrance through the appearance of bare ground and open roads. There was significant snowfall in November 2012, and the area has been cleared in the dead of winter, indicating the intent to maintain site readiness.”  Another image reveals “a close-up of a December 24 GeoEye satellite image shows an apparent pile of material in the yard of the main administrative buildings near the entrance to the possible command bunker.  (The presence of a bus, probably used to transport personnel working at the site, is another indicator of continued activity.) The purpose of that material remains unclear. One possible explanation is that it is intended for ‘stemming’ or sealing the tunnel in.”  An image captured in early January shows a significant personnel presence “ another indicator of continued activity and readiness at the site. Thirty or more personnel, possibly soldiers or security guards, can be seen in formation in the same area. They may be there for special duty, for example to greet visiting officials, or for some other more routine purpose.”  Finally, an image taken three days ago, as the NDC warned of “all-out action” finds that “that the pile of material in the yard of the administrative area has shrunk. If this material is intended for stemming, one possible explanation is that operations have begun to seal the test tunnel. This image also provides the clearest view of the tunnel entrance to date. Roads to the entrance continue to remain clear.”

Even if a third experimental detonation (HEU, thermonuclear or otherwise), there remains the matter of a delivery system.  The Japanese Defense Minister, Itsunori Onodera said at a meeting attended by new PM Shinzo Abe that DPRK missile research capability had “entered into a new stage.”  According to Xinhua English (note the media source), ” Onodera said that “the missile, which the DPRK called as a rocket to send a satellite into orbit, could reach U.S. western coast more accurately with a range of more than 10,000 km (6,213 miles)” and “that the capability of the DPRK’s short-or-middle-range missiles has also been improved, posing more threats to Japan’s security.”  Onodera’s remarks were based on an analysis of the 12 December 2012 U’nha-3 launch.

On 25 January (Friday) UNSC Resolution #2087 (2013) and the DPRK’s reactions to the resolution was a hot topic at the US State Department’s daily briefing (during the course of Victoria Nuland’s briefing it seems a group of people got lost in the building).  Still on North Korea? Yes, indeedy.  The relevant sections excerpted (for Empsonian close reading and interpretation) below:

QUESTION:North Korea threatening to go to war with the South?

MS. NULAND: As you know, my colleague Jay Carney spoke to these issues yesterday. These statements coming out in North Korea are needlessly provocative. Any kind of further test would be another significant violation of UN Security Council resolutions and only will serve to further Pyongyang’s isolation. As you all know, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2087 earlier in the week in response to the December missile launch, and that resolution tightens the sanctions on North Korea and works hard to ensure that it cannot succeed as a proliferator of missile technology, et cetera.

And it’s just – it’s really a pretty sad story because the new North Korean leader has a choice to make, as the Secretary has said so many times. He can serve to focus on the needs of his people, to bring his country out of isolation and back into compliance with international obligations, open it back up to the world, or he can continue to waste what little money the country has on missile technologies and things while his people go hungry. So –

QUESTION: I have a question on that. The new leader is not all that new. I mean, you have a pattern of events that you can look at – the original failed test, the subsequent missile test that was successful, and now the threat to conduct a third nuclear test. Does it seem to you all now that he has made his choice and how – what kind of a strategy, a diplomatic strategy, can you pursue if he is not interested in serious talks about his nuclear and ballistic missile programs?

MS. NULAND: Well, you’re not wrong that the pattern of choices is concerning, which is why we felt very strongly that the international community – oh, we seem to have some guests. Hi, guys. Not sure who they were, but I think they were lost.

So again, the pattern of choices appears to be quite concerning. That’s why it’s been so important to keep the international community united in response to these negative choices, why we took the time we did to get it right with Resolution 2087, to make clear to North Korea that particularly the Six-Party states, including all of North Korea’s neighbors, are united in ensuring that there is a price to say, that there will be increasing sanctions, that we are going to be vigilant about their proliferation activity, the activities of their banks, and that it’s going to take the country in the wrong direction.

I think you know that Ambassador Glyn Davies is out in the region now. He is in Beijing today, had very productive and useful meetings with counterparts there, including Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying, his counterpart Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei, and others. He was in Seoul yesterday and he’s going on to Tokyo tomorrow. So very much a project to stay coordinated with our Six-Party counterparts in watching this and in ensuring that North Korea gets the message that nothing good is going to come from this.

QUESTION: And turn back to the China issue in this whole mix. Today, the Chinese press seemed to be suggesting that they’ve told North Korea that if it goes ahead with its nuclear test that they will actually – Beijing could cut its aid to Pyongyang. That seems to be an interesting move on the part of the Chinese. What would you have to say on that?

MS. NULAND: Well, I didn’t see those particular comments. But we have, as you know, regularly encouraged Beijing to use the significant influence that it has with Pyongyang. They have, at various times, been able to make clear that the continued support of Beijing in terms of trade, aid, the energy relationship, et cetera, depends on North Korea making the right choices. Again, China joins strongly with us in Resolution 2087, which was important, and we, as Glyn Davies said – he had a very good visit to Beijing in terms of plotting the course forward together.

QUESTION: How important – if they go ahead and do something like that – how important could such a cut in Chinese aid to North Korea be in changing the calculations of the North Korean leadership?

MS. NULAND: Well, I don’t want to speculate on scenarios to be determined. But obviously, North Korea remains quite dependent on its aid and trade relationship with Beijing.

Jill, still on this?

QUESTION: Toria, are the Six-Party Talks off, as they seem to be indicating in the North Korean statement?

MS. NULAND: Well, we’ve made clear for more than a year now that the Six-Party Talks couldn’t go forward to a new round unless we saw real evidence that the DPRK was prepared to meet its obligations. So we’re still in the state that we’ve been for more than a year in terms of not having the kind of intent that we need to go forward.

QUESTION: New topic?

MS. NULAND: Still on North Korea?

QUESTION: Still on North Korea.

MS. NULAND: Yeah. Please, here.

QUESTION: Do you – this time around, do you have any reason to believe the North Koreans will get that message and actually take astep on – well, make the – what you would call the right choice and actually open up to dialogue, or perhaps discontinue their programs or even do anything in the right direction?

MS. NULAND: Well, anybody who endeavored to be predictive about North Korean behavior is probably foolish. But what’s been important to us is strong unity among the Six-Party Talks countries, strong unity in the region about a positive course forward, and the fact that there will be consequences if they keep making bad choices.

QUESTION: One more?

MS. NULAND: Yeah.

QUESTION: What types of consequences?

MS. NULAND: Well, I think –

QUESTION: Because there’s been few besides UN resolutions that haven’t changed their behavior. There hasn’t really been any significant consequences otherwise.

MS. NULAND: I would reject that, Brad. If you look at UN Security Council that was just passed, 2087, and go through it, and I would commend to you the fact sheet that USUN put out on this, it imposes new sanctions on North Korean companies and government agencies, including a broad range of sanctions against their space agency, which was responsible for the launch, as well as the Bank of East Land and several individuals in the North Korean system who had previously not been sanctioned. Six entities and four individuals will have their assets frozen and will be prohibited from engaging in financial transactions. This is UN sanctions, not just U.S. sanctions. There’s an updated list of nuclear and ballistic missile technology that’s going to be banned from transfer to or from the DPRK. I could continue. But –

QUESTION: Do you think there’s space to squeeze them further on the sanctions route, that this country which is perhaps the most heavily sanctioned in the world can still be – there’s still consequences along this sanctions route left?

MS. NULAND: Well, obviously, and we wouldn’t have put new sanctions on them if we didn’t think that they would be effective.

Please.

QUESTION: I just wanted to follow up quickly as far as North Korea’s missile technology or missiles are concerned. Despite UN Security Council resolutions or UN sanctions, international sanctions, still North Korea is continuing and not listening to the international community. So if China is with you, Madam, since China was always helping North Korea. But who else is behind this technology or behind North Korea?

MS. NULAND: Well, again, I think what we just have been through here is the fact that the international community now with this new resolution has spoken with one voice in putting on increasingly tough sanctions on the DPRK, including getting at the space agency, getting at the banks, naming individuals who had not previously been named, as contributing to taking the country in the wrong direction. And we will continue to look for further opportunities to make our views clear in this kind of a way if the DPRK doesn’t change course.

QUESTION: And when this new leader came in North Korea, everybody hoped that things will change to the right direction for the people of North Korea, but still they are going in the worst direction as far as the people are concerned.

MS. NULAND: Well, again, we would certainly agree with that. I mean, as you know, we were a year ago engaged in trying to work out some kind of a food assistance deal, but we didn’t get the kind of assurance that we needed from the government that it was going to go to the right place. So it’s very disappointing.

Please.

QUESTION: Thank you.

QUESTION: Does the United States have any separate plan for additional sanctions toward North Korea for the third nuclear test?

MS. NULAND: In response to the December test, what you will see and what you’ve seen in the last couple of days are U.S. decisions that implement the larger UN Security Council decisions in 2087. So you’re starting to see us put out our own sanctioning information to ensure that we are complying now in our own law with 2087.

Documentary Film on KJU’s Security Orgs Visits During August to November 2012

DPRK state media over the weekend release a documentary film of Kim Jong Un’s visiting Korean People’s Army [KPA] sites, interactions with members of internal security agencies and and attending KPA-based performances and sports events.

The first scenes of the documentary film show Kim Jong Un, joined his wife Ri Sol Ju and senior KPA and party officials visiting the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the campus of the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces.

(Photos: KCTV screengrab)

Commemorative photo taken in front of the KIS-KJI statues at the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces. In this image (L-R): Hwang Pyong So, VMar Kim Jong Gak, Ri Sol Ju, Kim Jong Un, Gen. Choe Ryong Hae and Gen. Hyon Yong Chol (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

Kim Jong Un visited the KPA Exhibition of Arms and Equipment, and toured its E-Library.

(Photos: KCTV screengrab)

Kim Jong Un (L) at a computer workstation at the KPA Exhibition of Arms and Equipment E-Library (Photos: KCTV screengrab)

Kim Jong Un examines an artillery piece (L) and stands at the entrance of the KPA Exhibition of Arms and Equipment (Photos: KCTV screengrab)

Kim Jong Un, Ri Sol Ju and members of the central leadership attended a performance by the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces All-Woman Brass Ensemble

(Photos: KCTV screengrab)

(Photos: KCTV screengrab)

After the KPISF all-woman brass ensemble performance, Kim Jong Un talked with members of the central leadership (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

KJU, Madame Ri and members of the central leadership attended a performance of the KPA Brass Band .

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Jong Un smokes a cigarette after the KPA Brass Band performance (top) and talking to officials (Photos: KCTV screengrab)

KJU visits the headquarters of the Ministry of State Security to view the statue of Kim Jong Il.

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Jong Un, Ri Sol Ju and several close aides watch a shooting competition and women’s volleyball game

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Jong Un and a number of senior party and KPA officials visited the equestrian company of KPA Unit #534.  Kim Jong Il visited the unit in November 2008 as he recuperated from his stroke.  During his visit Kim Jong Un instructed that the equestrian grounds be turned over to the management of the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission, so it can be used by DPRK civilians.

(Photos: KCTV screengrab)

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Jong Un visited the Ministry of State Security’s headquarters, where he posed for commemorative photographs with MSS personnel and met senior MSS management.

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

KJU attended a commemorative photograph session with participants at a meeting of local police officials of the Ministry of People’s Security and Korean People’s Internal Security Forces.

(Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

DPRK TV News Reports on Richardson-Schmidt Visit to Grand People’s Study House and KIS University

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt (L) takes a photograph of the Chuch’e Tower (R) from the balcony of the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

DPRK state media aired a brief story (33 seconds) at the end of its 9 January (Wednesday) television newscast which showed former Governor Bill Richardson, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Google Ideas Director Jared Cohen and members of their delegation touring the Grand People’s Study House in central Pyongyang.  The television news story showed Richardson and members of the delegation visiting a circulation desk at the DPRK’s national library, using the library’s computer terminals and taking souvenir photographs of the Chuch’e Tower from the study house’s balcony.

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt (2nd L) and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (3rd L) begin a tour of the Grand People’s Study House in central Pyongyang on 9 January 2013 (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

The Richardson-Schmidt delegation visit an information desk at the Grand People’s Study House (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Google Ideas Director Jared Cohen uses a computer workstation during a tour of the Grand People’s Study House, the DPRK’s national library, on 9 January 2013 (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

DPRK state media also aired a brief story (32 seconds) on Gov. Richardson, Mr. Schmidt and the delegation touring the E-Library at Kim Il Sung University toward the end of the 8 January (Tuesday) newscast.

Eric Schmidt (2nd L) talks with Bill Richardson (3rd L) during a tour of the E-Library at Kim Il Sung University. Also in attendance is Korea expert Dr. Tony Namkung (L) (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

Bill Richardson, Eric Schmidt and members of their delegation tour a classroom at the E-Library at Kim Il Sung University (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

Bill Richardson and Eric Schmidt (C) tour a lecture hall at Kim Il Sung University’s E-Library (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

During its stay in the DPRK, the delegation met with several groups of DPRK officials, including a vice minister of foreign affairs, and visited the Korea Computer Center and the Ku’msusan Memorial Palace of the Sun.  With the exception of these two brief stories on Korean Central Television [KCTV] news and several short news items in DPRK print media, the delegation’s visit was a low-visibility event in DPRK state media reporting.

The delegation departed Pyongyang on 10 January (Thursday) and arrived in Beijing.  Richardson said that DPRK officials assured him at one meeting that a 44-year old Korean American who was arrested and detained since early November 2012 was in good health and would soon be put on trial.  Richardson also said that during an interaction with DPRK officials he asked the country to stop nuclear and missile testing.  At a media availability in Beijing, Richardson and Schmidt said that they encouraged DPRK officials to expand access to the internet and cell ‘phones.  According to The Guardian Richardson said that “The internet is important for the welfare of the North Korean people, to expand mobile technology, to expand cell phone use” and Schmidt remarked that “As the world becomes increasingly connected, their decision to be virtually isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth and so forth, and it will make it harder for them to catch up economically.”

KJU Delivers New Year’s Day Address

Kim Jong Un (L) delivers the 2013 New Year’s Day speech from the KWP Central Committee #1 Office Building (KJI’s old headquarters) and Kim Il Sung delivers the 1994 New Year’s Day speech from Ku’msusan (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

DPRK state media broadcasted and reported on 1 January 2013 (Tuesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) delivered a New Year’s Day speech from the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Central Committee Office Building #1.  In his remarks KJU paid tribute to his father, deceased leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il), and to his grandfather, the late DPRK founder and president Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng).  Kim Jong Un also spoke about inter-Korean relations and placed the successful launch of the U’nha-3 rocket as a model in economic construction, saying “in the same manner as we demonstrated the dignity and might of Military-First (so’ngun) Korea through the manufacture and launch of the Chuch’e-based application satellite, the entire Party, the whole country and all the people should wage an all-out struggle this year to effect a turnaround in building an economic giant and improving the people’s standard of living.  ’Let us bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant with the same spirit and mettle as were displayed in conquering space!’ — this is the fighting slogan our Party and people should uphold this year.”

Kim Jong Un (L) delivers the 2013 New Year’s Day Speech, reviving a tradition under Kim Il Sung (R), seen delivering his last New Year’s Day message on 1 January 1994 (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Jong Un (L) concludes his New Year’s Day remarks on 1 January 2013 and Kim Il Sung concludes his New Year’s Day remarks on1 January 1994 (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Delivering a New Year’s message found Kim Jong Un emulating his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.  For a number of years Kim Il Sung delivered a New Year’s Day speech, the last one being delivered in January 1994 the year KIS died.  In lieu of delivering a speech, Kim Jong Il contributed to and approved a New Year’s Day editorial, jointly published by Rodong Sinmun (the daily newspaper of the Korean Workers’ Party), Joson Imnigun (the newspaper of the Korean People’s Army), and Chongnyon Jonwi (the newspaper of the Kim Il Sung Youth League).

Kim Jong Un delivers a New Year’s Day speech at the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee #1 Office Building in central Pyongyang on 1 January 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

KCNA published a translation of Kim Jong Un’s speech:

Dear comrades,

Officers and men of the heroic People’s Army and all the beloved fellow countrymen,

Dear compatriots,

Having seen out the year 2012 characterized by the events that will go down in the history of the nation, we are seeing in the new year 2013 full of high hope and confidence in final victory.

Reflecting the unanimous reverence of all the service personnel and people for President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and eternal Sun of Chuch’e, I would like first to pay the highest tribute and New Year greetings to them.

I extend my warm greetings to the service personnel and people who are devotedly striving for the prosperity of the country, firmly united around the Workers’ Party of Korea, and sincerely wish all the families across the country harmony and greater happiness.

My New Year greetings also go to our compatriots in the south and abroad who are ringing in the new year with yearning and expectations for the reunification and prosperity of the nation and the world’s progressive peoples and our foreign friends who love justice and peace.

Last year was a historic year in which the great Generalissimos were upheld as the eternal leaders of our revolution and a firm guarantee was provided for brilliantly carrying forward the revolutionary cause of Chuch’e to completion under the leadership of the Party.

The President and the General were great leaders whom our people acclaimed for the first time in their history spanning thousands of years; they are the eternal images of the great Mt. Paektu (Paektusan) nation and banners of all victories and glory. Last year we celebrated the centenary of the birth of the President as the greatest national holiday, reviewed the 100-year history of Chuche’ Korea with pride and held up the General as the eternal leader of our Party and people, realizing the cause of immortalizing the leader. By doing so, we have been able to glorify the new century of the Chuch’e era as the annals of victory and glory for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Chuch’e under the unfurled banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.

Although they saw in 2012 in tears of blood after the sudden demise of the General whom they had believed in as in heaven, our service personnel and people determinedly rose up following the Party with firm faith that the great General would always be with them and fully supported the leadership of the Party. With loyalty as pure as white gem, noble sense of moral obligation and all sincerity, they refurbished the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in the most sublime way as befits the supreme sanctuary of Chuch’e and erected the statues of the Generalissimos on Mansu Hill and in several other places.

Placing deep trust in and faithfully supporting the Party, they established the ties of blood with it, their hearts pulsating in the same beats with it, and always shared sweets and bitters with it. Major political celebrations held amid the deep interest of the whole nation and the days of last year bore testimony to the single-hearted unity between the Party, the army and the people which was further consolidated to be unbreakable ties of blood.

Last year our service personnel and people achieved historic victories which would brilliantly shine in the history of the country by waging a general offensive to put the intentions and instructions of the General into practice.

Our reliable scientists and technicians successfully launched the artificial earth satellite Kwangmyo’ngso’ng 3-2, carrying out the instruction of the General with credit and fully demonstrating the high level of space science and technology and overall national power of Chuch’e Korea. That we successfully manufactured and launched the scientific and technological satellite by entirely relying on our own efforts, technology and wisdom was an event of national jubilation that raised the dignity and honor of the Sun’s nation onto the highest level and a great event which inspired all the service personnel and people with confidence in sure victory and courage and clearly showed that Korea does what it is determined to do.

Through the parade held in celebration of the centenary of the birth of the President, our revolutionary armed forces demonstrated the inexhaustible might of the powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu steadfast in ideology and faith and equipped with Korean-style modern military hardware capable of defeating any formidable enemy. And they reliably safeguarded the security of the country by resolutely smashing every war provocation and anti-DPRK smear campaign of the enemy. The officers and men of the People’s Army and the People’s Internal Security Forces made breakthroughs on all major fronts of building a thriving country with the mettle of “At a go” and did many good things for the happiness of the people, thereby living up to the expectations and trust of the Party and people.

Although the situation was acute and complicated and severe natural calamities hit the country in succession last year, our army and people made great strides in their efforts to build a thriving socialist country and improve the people’s living standards by displaying an indomitable will and waging an unyielding struggle.

We put the Hu’ich’o'n Power Station and Tanch’o'n Port into commission, built many Chuch’e-oriented and modern factories and enterprises and reconstructed major production bases in key industrial sectors on the basis of advanced science and technology, thus further consolidating the material and technological foundations of our economy.

Thanks to the exalted patriotic zeal of the service personnel and people, monumental edifices including Ch’angjon Street and Nungna People’s Pleasure Park sprang up in Pyongyang and many cultural facilities for the promotion of the wellbeing of the people were built in different parts of the country, changing its looks.

Last year, the superior socialist education system was further consolidated through the adoption of the law on enforcing universal 12-year compulsory education; our sports people achieved laudable successes in international games, adding glory to the country; and our revolutionary artistes conducted artistic activities in a fresh and enterprising manner, imbuing society with an animating spirit and greatly encouraging the people in their struggle.

The brilliant successes we achieved in the revolutionary struggle and construction work last year were ascribable to the fact that the General had unfolded an ambitious blueprint and laid firm foundations for the building of a thriving country. Last year’s significant successes were a valuable fruit born of the unshakeable determination and correct leadership of our Party to glorify Kim Il Sung’s and Kim Jong Il’s Korea all over the world by translating the far-reaching plan and instructions of the General into reality and the lofty sense of loyalty and patriotic devotion of our service personnel and people unfailingly faithful to the Party.

I extend my warm thanks to all the service personnel and people who adorned the first year of the new century of the Chuch’e era with great victories in hearty response to the Party’s militant call.

Comrades,

The new year 2013 is a year of great creations and changes in which a radical turnabout will be effected in the building of a thriving socialist country on the road of the onward march in the new century of Kim Il Sung’s and Kim Jong Il’s Korea.

All the people and service personnel should dynamically turn out in the grand onward march for building a thriving country full of pride of victors and confidence in a rosy future.

The road of Chuch’e is the only path for our Party and people to invariably follow and great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is the ever-victorious banner of our revolution. We should march forward along the road of independence, the road of Songun and the road of socialism to the end upholding the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism. Our Party will triumphantly build a thriving socialist nation, the most powerful country, on this land in our own way, the way the General did, by relying on our people who are the best in the world.

This year we will be greeting the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, our glorious motherland, and the 60th anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War).

The dignified and glorious present of our people and the bright prosperous future of our country are ensured by the immortal nation-building exploits the Generalissimos performed while founding a genuine state of the people for the first time in the 5 000-year-long history of our nation and developing it into a powerful socialist country that is independent, self-sufficient and self-reliant in national defense and by the great achievements the President made while leading the Fatherland Liberation War to brilliant victory on the strength of his outstanding strategy and tactics and wise leadership.

In this significant year we should add brilliance to the immortal achievements of the great Generalissimos and make persevering efforts to build a thriving socialist country and carry out the cause of reunifying the country.

The building of an economic giant is the most important task that comes to the fore in the present stage of building a thriving socialist country.

We should further consolidate the successes achieved so far in economic construction to raise the status of our country to that of an economic giant in the new century, thus realizing the wish of the great General who devoted all his life to making our people well off with nothing to envy in the world.

In the same manner as we demonstrated the dignity and might of Military-First (So’ngun) Korea through the manufacture and launch of the Juche-based application satellite, the entire Party, the whole country and all the people should wage an all-out struggle this year to effect a turnaround in building an economic giant and improving the people’s standard of living.

“Let us bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant with the same spirit and mettle as were displayed in conquering space!” — this is the fighting slogan our Party and people should uphold this year.

All sectors and all units of the national economy should launch a vigorous general offensive to boost production in hearty response to the Party’s militant slogan.

All economic undertakings for this year should be geared to effecting a radical increase in production and stabilizing and improving the people’s living standards by solidifying and making effective use of the already-built foundations of the independent national economy.

By adopting decisive steps to shore up the vanguard sectors of the national economy and the sectors of basic industries, we should develop coal-mining, electric-power and metallurgical industries and rail transport on a preferential basis and provide a firm springboard for the building of an economic giant. We should make innovations in coal-mining and metallurgical industries in particular so as to revitalize the overall economy of the country.

The success in economic construction should be manifested in the people’s standard of living. We should direct great efforts to bolstering up the sectors and units that have a direct bearing on the people’s livelihoods and increasing production there, so as to give them more benefits in living.

Agriculture and light industry remain the major fronts for economic construction this year, too. We should fulfilll this year’s plan for grain production without fail by concentrating nationwide efforts on farming and raising the efficiency of agricultural production by dint of scientific and intensive methods. We should take concrete measures for the supply of raw and other materials to light-industry factories and thus increase the output of quality consumer goods.

We should decisively bolster up livestock, fish and fruit farming to provide the people with a better, more bountiful diet. The soldiers of the People’s Army and the shock-brigade members who volunteered to work at the reclamation site of Sep’o tableland in response to the Party’s call should achieve miraculous successes and perform heroic feats in this year’s campaign to open a bright prospect for carrying the Party’s grand nature-remaking plan to completion at an earlier date.

We should wage a dynamic struggle to boost production at the modern factories and production bases that were built under the leadership of the General who, going on with his super-intense forced march, made painstaking efforts to improve the people’s living standards. By doing so, we should ensure that his ennobling affection reaches the people as it is.

All sectors and all units of the national economy should push ahead with a socialist emulation drive to reenergize production and fulfill their quotas as fixed in the national economic plan for this year.

We should bring about a radical turn in the building of an economic giant on the strength of science and technology by fanning the flames of the industrial revolution in the new century.

The industrial revolution in the new century is, in essence, a scientific and technological revolution, and breaking through the cutting edge is a shortcut to the building of an economic giant. Like the satellite scientists who conquered outer space we should wage a dynamic campaign to push back the frontiers of science and technology so as to develop the country’s overall science and technology to the world standards as soon as possible. All sectors of the national economy should direct primary efforts to the development of science and technology, bring science and technology into close combination with production in order to boost production by relying on domestic resources and technology, and introduce computer numerical control (CNC) technology in equipment and production lines and achieve their full automation in the long run.

We should improve economic guidance and management as demanded by the developing reality.

All sectors of the national economy should make scrupulous arrangements for economic planning and guidance to boost production by tapping every possible reserve and potentiality, and work out in a scientific way the immediate plans and long-term strategies for stage-by-stage development and push ahead with them in a persistent manner. We should hold fast to the socialist economic system of our own style, steadily improve and perfect the methods of economic management on the principle of encouraging the working masses to fulfill their responsibility and role befitting the masters of production, and generalize on an extensive scale the good experiences gained at several units.

We should continue to channel great efforts into consolidating our political and military might in every way.

The single-hearted unity of the army and people around the Party is our strongest weapon and a powerful propellant for the building of a thriving socialist country.

We should invariably carry forward the proud tradition of single-hearted unity, the tradition of adorning the red flag of the revolution only with victories on the strength of the harmonious whole wherein the Party believes in the people and the latter absolutely trust and follow the former.

All officials, Party members and other working people should become genuine comrades united with a single heart, who share ideology and purpose, weal and woe with our Party on the road of the Military-First (So’ngun) revolution, and make devoted efforts for the sake of their country and people. They should orient all undertakings towards defending and cementing the single-hearted unity, and strengthen the political and ideological position of our revolution as solid as a rock by grasping the people’s sentiments and rallying broad sections of the people firmly behind the Party.

The military might of a country represents its national strength; only when it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving country and defend the security and happiness of its people. We should put continued stress on increasing our military might under the great banner of Military-First (So’ngun), reliably safeguard the security and sovereignty of the country and render services to assuring regional stability and global peace.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the advancing of the slogan “a-match-for-a-hundred” by the great Generalissimo Kim Il Sung. It is important to bring about a fundamental change in strengthening our revolutionary armed forces and perfecting their combat preparedness.

The People’s Army should set up a revolutionary command system and military climate, establish steel-strong military discipline and perfect its regularized features as befits an elite revolutionary force. It should make its training more intensive, as the anti-Japanese guerrillas did on Mt. Paektu, so as to prepare all its officers and men to be a-match-for-a-hundred combatants who have acquired capabilities for actual warfare, and maintain full combat readiness. If the aggressors dare launch a preemptive attack against our sacred country, the People’s Army should mercilessly annihilate them and win victory in the war for the country’s reunification.

Officers and men of the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces and members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards should intensify combat and political training and maintain full combat readiness with a determination to safeguard their Party and leader, country and people, and defend their hometowns.

The sector of defense industry should develop in larger numbers sophisticated military hardware of our own style that can contribute to implementing the Party’s military strategy, thereby fulfilling its mission as the arsenal of the powerful revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu.

We should spur the building of a civilized socialist nation to usher in a new era of cultural efflorescence in the 21st century.

The thriving socialist country we are building is a civilized socialist one where all its people are possessed of profound cultural knowledge, sturdy physique and noble moral virtues, enjoying a socialist life to their heart’s content under the most cultured conditions and environment, and a beautiful and sound lifestyle pervades the whole society.

All sectors in cultural construction should implement to the letter the ideas, lines and policies set forth by the General, and develop education, public health, literature and the arts, physical culture, public morals and all other branches as appropriate to an advanced civilized nation.

We should develop Pyongyang into a more majestic and picturesque city as befits the capital of Chuch’e Korea, the centre of Military-First (So’ngun) culture, and turn all streets and villages, mountains and rivers in provinces, cities and counties into a socialist paradise. At the same time we should set up modern cultural and welfare facilities, parks and pleasure grounds in larger numbers, thus making our people enjoy a cultured life of a new era to their heart’s content.

In order to effect a radical change in this year’s campaign to build a thriving socialist country, officials should make a fundamental turnabout in their ideological viewpoint, work style and attitude.

Those who acquire the President’s and the General’s outlook on the people, make tireless efforts for their good, rid themselves of the old way of thinking and attitude and make ceaseless innovations in all work, and rouse the masses to make breakthroughs for the advance, can be rightly claimed to be genuine officials required by our Party at present. Officials should strive with devotion, upholding the slogan “Everything for the people and everything by relying on them!” They should work to the best of their abilities with a high sense of responsibility, eagerness and an enterprising approach to work, so that their loyalty and performance can be judged by the Party and the people.

Party organizations should further enhance their militant function and role.

As the political staff of the units concerned, they should firmly establish policy-oriented principles in implementing the Party’s policies and conduct political and organizational work with scrupulous care. By doing so, they should ensure that a great upsurge is brought about in their respective sectors and units. Party organizations, out of maternal feeling, should embrace all the people, take warm care of them and lead them forward to ensure that they share the same destiny with the Party to the end and fulfilll their tasks at their posts in a responsible manner.

We should conduct Party work in the same way as it was done on the battleline in the 1970s, and put a focus of the work on thoroughly applying Kim Jong Il’s patriotism in all activities.

Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is the eternal soul and breath of Kim Il Sung’s nation, and a driving force for the building of a thriving country. Party organizations should ensure that all officials, Party members and other working people cherish Kim Jong Il’s patriotism deep in their hearts and give full play to their patriotic enthusiasm and spirit of devoted service in the ongoing sacred struggle to achieve prosperity of their socialist country.

Working people’s organizations should conduct effective education among their members to suit their specific features, thus inspiring them to an all-out offensive for this year. Youth league organizations should educate young people to dynamically advance straight forward along the road indicated by the Party and become youth heroes who glorify the present era of great upsurge with their creative activities and feats.

The reunification of the country is the greatest national task that brooks no further delay and was the lifelong desire and instructions of the great Generalissimos.

Deeply grieving over the national division, President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, the fathers of the nation and lodestars of national reunification, worked heart and soul throughout their life to hand down a reunified country to their fellow countrymen, laying firm foundations for the independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the nation.

We should staunchly safeguard and add brilliance to the undying exploits the great Generalissimos performed for the sacred cause of national reunification, and accomplish the historic cause of the country’s reunification, a long-cherished desire of our nation, true to the lofty intention of the peerlessly great persons.

This year the entire Korean nation should turn out in a nationwide patriotic struggle for reunification in unity so as to usher in a new phase in the reunification movement.

An important issue in putting an end to the division of the country and achieving its reunification is to remove confrontation between the north and the south.

The past records of inter-Korean relations show that confrontation between fellow countrymen leads to nothing but war. Anti-reunification forces of south Korea should abandon their hostile policy against their fellow countrymen, but take the road of national reconciliation, unity and reunification.

Respecting and thoroughly implementing the north-south joint declarations is a basic prerequisite to promoting the inter-Korean relations and hastening the country’s reunification.

All the compatriots in the north, south and abroad should launch a dynamic struggle to carry out to the letter the June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration, great reunification programs common to the nation in the new century and milestones for peace and prosperity.

The reunification issue should be solved by the concerted efforts of our nation in an independent manner.

The driving force of the reunification movement is the entire Korean nation, and nothing is impossible if it achieves firm unity. All the members of the Korean nation in the north, south and abroad should subordinate and orientate everything to the great national cause of reunifying the country from the standpoint of giving priority and attaching importance to the nation and achieving its unity. The entire nation should vehemently reject any moves for domination, intervention, aggression and war by outside forces, and never tolerate any acts hindering the country’s reunification.

Whatever trials and difficulties lie in the way of national reunification, we will build a reunified thriving country without fail on this three-thousand-ri (11, 781 km; 7 320 miles)  land by the concerted efforts of the whole nation.

In the present international arena, the moves of the imperialists to interfere in the internal affairs of other sovereign states and their acts of military aggression pose a serious threat to peace and security of mankind. The Asia-Pacific region, the Korean Peninsula in particular, has become the hottest spot in the world in which constant tension persists.

The aspiration and desire of mankind to lead an independent life free from all sorts of domination and subjugation is growing stronger, and no force can stem the trend of history towards independence and justice.

The present international situation demands that our Republic continue to advance along the road of independence under the unfurled banner of Military-First (So’ngun).

By holding fast to the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, we will, in the future, too, strive to develop relations of friendship and cooperation with the countries that are friendly to our country out of their respect for its sovereignty, and safeguard regional peace and stability and make the whole world independent.

A brighter and broader vista is open for us in the new year, and only victory and glory are in store for our people on their onward march.

Let us vigorously strive to achieve the prosperity of our country, our motherland, firmly rallied behind the Party under the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.