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.