KIM JONG UN
Let Us
Step Up the Building of a Thriving Country
by Applying Kim Jong
Il’s Patriotism
Talk to Senior
Officials of the Central Committee of the
Workers’ Party of Korea
July
26, Juche 101 (2012)
In our implementing of
the cause of building a thriving socialist
country today, it is very important to apply Kim Jong Il’s patriotism.
I have already
explained Kim Jong Il’s patriotism on
several occasions. However, our officials
still have a poor understanding of it, and
they fail to substantially apply it to their
practical activities with proper methodology.
We emphasize Kim Jong Il’s patriotism to
encourage officials, Party members and other
working people not to merely shout it as a
slogan or to hold it up like a banner, but to
learn from the ennobling examples of
patriotism set by the great General Kim Jong Il and apply his
patriotism thoroughly to their practical
activities in building a thriving country.
The General was a
peerless patriot; he loved his country and
fellow people more ardently than anybody else,
and devoted his whole life to achieving the
prosperity of the country and the happiness of
the people, thus performing imperishable
exploits that are etched in the history of the
country.
Always cherished in the
depth of his heart were his dear country and
people.
When he saw a forest
thickly wooded or a vast field realigned in a
sweeping manner, he would say to himself,
“Green mountain” and “Green field,” picturing
in his mind the future of a thriving country
and the happiness our people would enjoy down
through generations. When he was on visits to
foreign countries, he would say with deep
emotion, “My country, my nation,” missing his
country and people back in his country. When
he saw a poorly-wooded mountain on his field
guidance trip, he would feel painful and say
that our country had been called a
three-thousand-ri land of golden tapestry from
time immemorial, adding that we should turn it
into a land of golden tapestry of the era of
the Workers’ Party and hand it over to the
coming generations. When he saw that the
service personnel of army units had planted
many trees on the mountains around their
barracks and tended them well, he would speak
highly of their patriotism and call theirs
units of patriots. And when he saw a village
and the barracks of an army unit which were
well laid out and covered with apricot and
persimmon trees, he called them an
apricot-tree village and a persimmon-tree
company, respectively, adding national
fragrance to their names.
Being determined to be
the master of the revolution in Korea
from the first day of embarking on the road of
the revolution, he defended and added
brilliance to his socialist country by
devoting his all throughout his life, and
continued to follow the road of love for his
country and people until the last moment of
his life.
The struggle to defend
the socialist country was the acutest showdown
with the imperialist allied forces, the
severest struggle unprecedented in its
history. To break through the harsh trials
facing the country and defend it, the General
set out on the long, arduous road of
Songun-based leadership in a do-or-die spirit.
The only parka he wore
from the days of the “Arduous March” to the
last days of his life is vivid evidence
showing what a thorny path he had to traverse
with patriotic devotion to defend his
socialist country. One year, looking back on
the days of the trying ordeals with deep
emotion, he touched on the parka he was
wearing. He said that he wore it at the onset
of the “Arduous March” after President Kim Il Sung had passed away, and
that he kept wearing it because he could not
forget the trials. He continued earnestly that
the parka was symbolic of the Songun-based
revolution. Even a parka gets thin if one
wears it long, and it cannot keep one warm in
the cold. Though icy wind got through the old
parka, he burned his heart with a sense of
responsibility for the defence of his country.
He held on to the parka for more than ten
years, when he displayed strong will and
superhuman energy going on with his inspection
of the military units on the front line to
train the soldiers into a-match-for-a-hundred
combatants. Chol Pass and Mt. Osong he climbed
braving howling snowstorms, Cho Islet he
visited across a rough sea, and other
frontline posts will remain witnesses to the
patriotic devotion he displayed on the road of
Songun-based leadership to defend the country.
As can be seen through
the recent parade held to mark the centenary
of the birth of the President, our country,
which was robbed of its sovereignty a century
ago because of its weak military strength, is
demonstrating its dignity as a world-class
military power; it owes its matchless military
might to the wise leadership of the General.
Whenever we reflect on the road of
Songun-based leadership the General followed
shouldering the responsibility for the destiny
of his country and nation, we deeply realize
what valuable and ennobling patriotism he
possessed in defending our country, our
motherland.
The thorny path he
covered all his life with a single mind of
patriotic devotion led to the transformation
of our country’s appearance and the laying of
the solid cornerstone for building a
prosperous and powerful nation.
Even in the grim period
of leading the struggle in defence of
socialism, he unfolded a far-reaching plan of
building a thriving socialist country and
wisely led the efforts for its implementation.
Under his energetic leadership the land all
over the country was realigned as befits a
socialist country, gravitational waterways
built in many regions and rural villages
turned into socialist fairylands. What is
more, modern heavy- and light-industry
factories were built in large numbers,
existing factories renovated to meet the
demands of the new century and monumental
structures that would contribute to the
country’s prosperity and the well-being of all
generations to come built in an excellent way
in various parts of the country.
The introduction of CNC
technology that effected an industrial
revolution of our style in the new century
shows us the high level of his patriotism.
Still vivid in my memory is his image in
January 2010, when he recollected with deep
emotion how he earnestly explained the details
of CNC technology to the officials who had not
had a correct understanding of the technology
so as to stoke the flames of introducing the
technology. During the period when the country
was undergoing difficulties he had precious
funds allocated for the introduction of CNC
technology for the prosperous future of the
country although he was haunted by the
thoughts of the people who were suffering from
food shortage. That he decided shedding his
heart’s tears to spend the precious funds,
which could be called all in the coffers of
the state, for the introduction of CNC
technology was a courageous decision and the
best choice born of his patriotic will to
raise the international profile of his
country, his motherland, by fostering its
might, not by importing others’ showy
machines. Patriotism finds its highest
expression in fostering the might of one’s
country for its prosperity. Strong national
might makes it possible to defend the country
and guarantees the happiness of all
generations to come. Whenever he heard the
song Break through the Cutting Edge, he would
shed tears recollecting the arduous road he
had traversed and mental difficulties he had
surmounted for the introduction of CNC
technology. Indeed, his tears were tears of
ardent patriotism.
The epochal changes
effected in our country and the proud
realities unfolded in the prospering Songun Korea
are all valuable fruits born of his ennobling
patriotism.
His burning love for
his socialist country and people and his
self-sacrificing devotion to the prosperity of
the country and happiness of the people
originated from his absolute trust in his
people and unbreakable confidence in the
justness of the socialist system and the
victory of the socialist cause. There can be
no love and devotion separated from trust and
confidence. It is only from unshakable trust
and confidence that genuine and warm love and
unstinting devotion are produced. Saying that
there are no people in the world better than
ours, he always placed absolute trust in them.
And saying “Let’s see who laughs last,” he had
firm confidence in the victorious future of
the country. As he firmly trusted in our
people and the victorious future of the
country as in himself, he was always on the
road of devotion for the country and people
with the most ardent love for them.
His warm love and
devotion for the country and people also
originated from his ennobling sense of
mission. He cherished the ennobling sense of
duty and mission that he was responsible for
the destiny of the country and people the
President had entrusted to him. Out of this
sense he set out on the long march of
Songun-based leadership with a do-or-die
determination and devoted his all to the
prosperity of the country and the happiness of
the people with the most ardent love for them.
In the light of its
essential content and great vitality, the
patriotism he cherished and applied in his
practical activities is the most ennobling
patriotism which can be associated only with
his name.
For
this reason, when I speak of patriotism, I
mean not patriotism in general, but Kim Jong Il’s patriotism, the
patriotism that he cherished and applied to
defend his country and make it prosperous.
Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is the
crystallization of socialist patriotism.
It is the most fervent
and the warmest love for our socialist country
and people and the most earnest and
self-sacrificing devotion to the prosperity of
the country and the well-being of the people.
It is genuine patriotism that holds dear every
tree and every blade of grass of the country
and devotes one’s heart and soul to looking
after them.
Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is based
on the ennobling view of the motherland.
Kim Jong Il wrote in The Embrace
of My Motherland, a classic song that he
created in his early years, that the embrace
of the country whose land glows under the sun
radiant is the embrace of Kim Il Sung, thus presenting a
profound idea that to our people the
motherland is immediately their leader and the
embrace of their motherland is his embrace.
One’s motherland is not simply a place where
one was born and grew up; it must be a place
which guarantees genuine life for the people
and eternal happiness for posterity, which in
turn is assured by the leader.
The genuine life for
the people and eternal happiness for posterity
can be created and brought into bloom only by
the leader who loves the country and the
people in real earnest and devotes his all to
them. The destiny of the country and people
cannot be thinkable separated from their
leader, and it can be defended and guaranteed
only by him. Hence, devotion to the country is
precisely faithfulness to the leader, and
faithfulness to the leader is a display of
patriotism, the highest expression of
patriotism.
Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is based
on the noble outlook on people that believes
in them as in heaven.
“The people are my God”
was the General’s motto throughout his life.
He said that if there is an omnipotent entity
in this world, it is the masses, not the God;
it was his creed of patriotism that the
country exists as there exist the people. His
patriotic mind was always filled with the word
people. If it is the wish of the people, I
should pluck a star out of the heavens or grow
flowers even on a rock–it was the noble
meaning of his affection for people and his
will. Even now, whenever I listen to the Song
of Affection for People, singing that the sum
of the General’s lifelong exploits, as wide as
the sea and as high as the sky, is that only
for people, I cannot help shedding tears as I
recall the benevolent image of the General who
valued people all his life.
For the ennobling view
of the younger generation, Kim Jong Il’s patriotism stokes
our feelings further.
The slogan “Let us live
not merely for today but for tomorrow!” is the
intensification of his view of the younger
generation. Whatever we do, we must do it most
creditably and perfectly so that the coming
generation can enjoy benefit from it even in
the distant future although we may not enjoy
it in our lifetime–this was his ennobling
intention and an earnest request he always
made.
Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is,
indeed, a precious spiritual legacy he left
for our people and an example to follow in
practice.
It is a valuable
ideological and spiritual sustenance
indispensable to all who love their country
and fellow people; it also provides those
struggling for the sake of their country and
fellow people with a powerful motive force
that infuses into them courage and vigour. It
will serve as a bright beacon in bringing up
our people to be genuine patriots through
generations, and as a compass to guide them in
their struggle and life.
All our officials,
Party members and other working people should
learn positively from the ennobling patriotism
of the General who devoted tireless efforts to
the country and people all his life, burning
his heart with ardent love for them, and apply
it in practice as it is, without adding
anything to it or deducting anything from it.
Education for
implanting Kim Jong Il’s patriotism deep in
the hearts of the people should be
strengthened.
We should strengthen
education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism to
encourage all Party members, working people,
service personnel and youth and students to
understand its true meaning and cherish it in
their hearts.
Education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism should be
carried on in depth and breadth through
theoretical explanation.
This type of education
should not be conducted in the way of shouting
slogans, but in depth and breadth combined
with theoretical explanation to inspire all
Party members and other working people to have
a clear understanding of the General’s view of
the country, of the people and of the younger
generation, and become genuine patriots who
render loyal services to their country and
people like the General and devote their blood
and sweat of patriotism for tomorrow, when
their desire would burst into bloom, though it
is hard today like the anti-Japanese
revolutionary forerunners who had fought,
dedicating their youth and life, for the
future of their country and people.
Education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism should be
conducted substantially in combination with
practice.
The main mistake in the
current education in patriotism is that the
education is conducted far removed from
practice. Education separated from practice is
to no avail.
Patriotism is
wholehearted devotion to the country and
people. Stressing that anxiety for the country
does not mean patriotism and patriotism only
in word is unwanted, the General said that if
one is ready for patriotism, one should
perform patriotic deeds with a true spirit of
patriotism. The spirit of patriotism should be
expressed in practical activities designed for
the well-being of the country and people. To
the call of the country and people, one should
not answer in mere words, but by dedicating
one’s whole being; this is the proper stance
of a patriot. Those who follow the road of
genuine patriotism without hesitation or
vacillation in any adversity, those who
faithfully carry out in time and to the letter
the revolutionary tasks the country and people
have assigned them, are genuine patriots.
Education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism should be
based on reality and conducted in keeping with
the specific situations.
Patriotism is not an
abstract concept. It begins from one’s own
home. It buds out from the love for one’s
parents, spouses and children, the love for
one’s own home, village and workplace, and
further develops into the love for one’s
country and fellow people. Those who do not
cherish affection for their parents, spouses
and children and for their homes, villages and
workplaces cannot love their country and
fellow people; they can never become genuine
patriots. We should educate all Party members
and other working people to become genuine
patriots who first love their parents, spouses
and children and further sincerely shed sweat
and dedicate their all to spruce up their
homes, villages and workplaces so that they
are better than others’ and add lustre to
their country, their motherland.
We should be effective
in applying Kim Jong Il’s patriotism in the
practical activities.
To apply Kim Jong Il’s patriotism means to
thoroughly materialize the General’s
intentions and desires for the prosperity of
the country and the happiness of all
generations to come and to carry on all work
for achieving the prosperity of the country in
the way he did. We should faithfully carry to
completion the undertakings he planned and was
carrying on in his lifetime, so that his
ideals and desires are translated into reality
on this land.
The highest expression
of patriotism is found in defending the
motherland. Where there is the motherland,
there exist our Party, our government, our
socialist system and the happy life of our
people. The life dedicated to national defence
is the most valuable, patriotic life. The
service personnel of the People’s Army who are
standing in the forefront of national defence
should firmly grasp the weapons of the
revolution, and reliably defend the outposts
of the country; the people in the home front
should support their country of Songun through
sincere aid to the service personnel. All the
people should attach importance to military
affairs and learn them in earnest. Should the
enemy attack, they should make a resolute
counterattack and give play to their
patriotism in the sacred war for national
defence.
All
officials, Party members and other working
people should cherish Kim Jong Il’s patriotism deep in
their minds and turn out in the effort for
achieving the prosperity of their country,
their motherland.
The effort for
achieving the prosperity of the country is a
worthwhile struggle to materialize our
people’s centuries-old desire and a sacred
patriotic struggle to implement the
instructions of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il. We should become
genuine patriots in the era of Songun and
build a thriving socialist country for others
to see, like the generation who built a new,
democratic Korea shortly after its liberation,
upholding the patriotic appeal of Kim Il Sung and like the heroes in
the era of Chollima who built a people’s
paradise with empty hands on the debris in the
post-war days.
For our nation that has
suffered long from indescribable misfortune
and pain, divided into the north and south by
outside forces, national reunification is the
supreme national task, which brooks no further
delay. National reunification is patriotism
pure and simple, and national division is
treachery to the nation. Those who sincerely
love their country and nation, whether they
live in the north, in the south or abroad,
should valiantly turn out in the righteous
struggle for reunifying the country, true to
the noble idea of loving the country and
nation cherished by Kim Jong Il, a peerless patriot.
Patriotism can be
likened to a gemstone. As a gemstone keeps
sparkling even under the ground, the idea of
loving the country, however small it may be,
is valuable and always beautiful. We should
cherish patriotism as valuable and beautiful
as a gemstone, and volunteer to do the
undertakings helpful to achieving the
prosperity of the country and the well-being
of the people. Always reflecting ourselves on
the question about what we have devoted to the
good of the country and people, we should
cultivate the idea of loving the country. Only
then will we be able to display genuine
patriotism when planting even a tree and shed
sweat out of patriotism when digging up a
spadeful of earth in a construction site.
Party and working
people’s organizations should fulfil their
responsibility and role in the efforts to
learn from Kim Jong Il’s patriotism and apply
it in the practical activities.
It is often said that
Party work is work with people, but, as a
matter of fact, it fails to inspire and enlist
the patriotism cherished in the minds of the
people. Both Party work and the work of
working people’s organizations are work with
people and for the country and people, so they
should be naturally geared to cultivating and
giving play to the patriotism cherished by the
people. Today many of our Party members and
other working people serve their country and
people faithfully at their own posts whether
or not they are seen or appreciated. They are
all genuine patriots. Party and working
people’s organizations should value and
appreciate the patriotic deeds performed by
them, and raise the wind of patriotism
throughout society so as to encourage everyone
to take part in patriotic undertakings.
All state organs and
social organizations should pay attention to
education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism.
In
educating in and applying Kim Jong Il’s patriotism
educational institutions have a special role
to play; they should orient their teaching to
the education in Kim Jong Il’s patriotism, and
combine their education closely with family
and social education.
Officials should be
exemplary in applying Kim Jong Il’s patriotism.
They should not remain
only worrying about their country; they should
become genuine patriots who are ready to throw
themselves into supporting the country. The
slogan “We serve the country and the people!”
presented by our Party is a slogan of
patriotism our officials should hold high
today. Officials should burn themselves with
patriotic enthusiasm before anybody else, for
the country and people, and shed sweat in the
vanguard of the patriotic struggle of the
people. When all officials work sincerely,
devoting their all and sharing good times and
bad with the people, sometimes carrying
burdens on their backs, all people will take
an active part in the building of a prosperous
country with a sense of patriotism.
Some days ago I said
that we should do our work so that people give
cheers for our Workers’ Party whenever and
wherever they are. It means that we should do
our work efficiently so that they do so
voluntarily not only at the rallies but also
when they are left alone on the far-flung
islands or deep in the mountains. When our
officials, who have to serve the people, make
tireless efforts shedding sweat to make our
country prosperous and provide people with an
abundant life, people would give cheers for
the Workers’ Party from the bottom of their
hearts whenever and wherever they may be.
Our
Party demands that the whole country
demonstrate enthusiasm for Kim Jong Il’s patriotism to the
full so as to hasten the final victory of the
building of a thriving socialist country with
the surging might of patriotism and
single-hearted unity. As the President opened
up the path of building a new country after
liberation by kindling the flames of
patriotism with the historic speech on his
triumphant return, the speech in which he
appealed for the building of a new, democratic
Korea, those with strength giving strength,
those with knowledge offering knowledge and
those with money donating money, and as the
General overcame severe trials and opened the
way to the building of a thriving socialist
country by kindling the flames of patriotism
with a letter in which he appealed to all
people to work energetically and with one
purpose to make our country, our motherland,
ever more prosperous, our Party is going to
set up a new milestone in the building of a
thriving socialist country by stoking the
flames of patriotism with Kim Jong Il’s patriotism as the
starting fire. This is the unshakable will and
determination of our Party.
When
the whole country brims over with Kim
Jong Il’s
patriotism and all the people apply it to the
letter in their practical activities, our
country will shine in the world as a thriving
socialist country.