New Year Message from the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea
Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Central Committee
of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), and the newspapers Joson
Inmingun and Chongnyon Jonwi carried a joint editorial on January 1,
2000, entitled, "Glorify this year greeting the 55th anniversary of the
founding of the Party as a year of proud victory by bringing about a great
upsurge in socialist construction!"
The editorial describes last year, 1999, as an historic
year of a great turning-point in the building of a powerful nation, a fruitful
year in which the dynamic second Chollima advance was made, and a proud year in
which a shining victory was won in the political and military confrontation
with the imperialists.
Saying that last year big achievements were made under the
energetic guidance of Comrade Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the WPK, in the
building of a powerful nation, the editorial notes that the solid unity between
the leader and the people which had been strengthened amidst arduous struggle
fully demonstrated its tremendous strength.
It describes the new year, 2000 (Juche 89), as a year of
general advance to effect a significant stride forward in the building of a
powerful nation under the leadership of the WPK.
The 55th anniversary of the founding of the WPK is a grand
festival of the victors of socialism who have successful made the "Arduous
March", the editorial says, calling for giving full play to the spirit of
socialist Korea this year, which marks the 55th anniversary of the WPK’s
founding.
It stresses: "Glorify this year greeting the 55th
anniversary of the WPK’s foundation as a year of proud victory by bringing
about a great upsurge in socialist construction!" This is a militant
slogan that the WPK and the people should put forward this year.
The editorial continues: We should step up the general
march this year, firmly maintaining the line of giving great importance to
ideology, national defence and science and technology. Ideology, national
defence and science and technology are the three major pillars for the building
of a powerful nation. Steadfast ideology, a powerful army and upgraded science
and technology represent a powerful socialist nation of Juche.
The line of attaching great importance to ideology should
be firmly maintained. To attach great importance to ideology is the life and
soul of the WPK and the mainstay of Korean-style socialism.
The idea of attaching great importance to national defence
should be thoroughly applied.
To attach great importance to strengthening national
defence is a strategic line that should always be held fast to so long as
imperialism remains and revolution goes on. It is an especially important state
affair to which top priority should be given by all units in the prevailing
situation. It is because this is the most correct way of defending the destiny
of socialism in the world today.
The idea of attaching great importance to science should be
held fast to.
It is the fixed stand of the WPK to build socialism with
reliance upon science. We should, the editorial says, put the Juche-based
science and technology on the world level in the shortest possible time and
settle urgent scientific and technological problems in the building of a
powerful nation.
Big efforts should be directed to socialist construction
this year, the editorial says, and goes on: We should work harder under the
slogan, "Let Us All Become Heroes in a Drive to Glorify the 55th
Anniversary of the WPK’s Foundation!".
The editorial sets forth the tasks to develop power, coal
and metal industries, railway transport, light industry and agriculture and set
up major construction projects.
It is imperative to strengthen the Party, preserve the
Juche character and national character in the revolution and construction, and
do oneself justice in the work for the successful fulfilment of the militant
tasks this year, the editorial notes.
The great unity of the entire nation is the prerequisite
for the reunification of the country, the editorial says, and continues: The
master key to opening an epochal phase of national reunification is to firmly
defend the three principles of national reunification, the ten-point programme
of great unity of the whole nation and the proposal for founding the Democratic
Confederal Republic of Koryo, and the struggle to carry them into practice.
We will in the future, too, fulfil our honourable
international obligation in the human cause of independence and the cause of
socialism under the uplifted revolutionary banner of independence against
imperialism, the editorial concludes.
