The leader and New Year’s Day

A New Year has come. So many New Year’s days have passed, but one of them remains unforgettable in the minds of the Korean people.

  January 1, Juche 84 (1995) was the New Year’s Day the north Korean people greeted in deep grief after a great national loss, the demise of President Kim Il Sung, father of the Korean nation.

The children who greeted New Year’s Day every year with President Kim Il Sung present at their artistic performance used to sing happily they would like to have New Year’s Day every day. Though still so young and innocent they could not help crying with grief that they could no longer sing and dance in the presence of the President.

On the said New Year’s Day leader Kim Jong Il visited a Korean People’s Army post on a pine grove-covered hill called Dabaksol post.

The leader decided that in the strengthening of the armed forces lay the way of defending the destiny of socialism and the people against the vicious maneuvers of the enemy to stamp out the socialist system in north Korea, which suffered a great national loss, and of bringing the joy of New Year’s Day to every home in the country.

At an hour when he should have been present at the art performance of schoolchildren, receiving the New Year blessing from the people, he visited the army post in spite of cold wind.

His firm determination was communicated to the soldiers.

After that he endlessly continued his journey of Songun. The road led to Mt. Osong, and, he had to climb step cliffs; and he even went out to Cho Islet across stormy seas. His Songun journey covered Chol Pass, the truce village Panmunjeom, Mt. Daedok and many other well-known or unknown heights, army posts, factories and farms, schools and construction sites of power stations.

Leader Kim Jong Il saw old years out and greeted New Year’s Day many times on the road his Songun journey.

One year he passed the closing day with soldiers at an army post. He was delighted to see the soldiers provided with comfortable conditions of life. To them he was like a considerate father. This made the people deeply realize the true meaning of a New Year’s Day.

He left his great footprints not only on the path to army posts to bring happy New Year’s Day to the people.

One New Year’s Day the leader visited Mangyongdae Revolutionary School. There the schoolchildren called out to him, “Father!”

One boy said to him, “Dear father general! On New Year’s Day President Kim Il Sung would visit our school, putting of all state affairs, saying that the bereaved children of revolutionaries were waiting for him and that they would think of their parents if he did not visit them. Now, just like the President, you have come to us, with the same image, the same voice and the same kindness, dear general.”

Leader Kim Jong Il, hand in hand with the children full of happiness, looked around the places where they studied and lived, and saw the simple art performance they gave.

There is another story of New Year’s Day related with the land rezoning in South Hwanghae Province of north Korea. The builders were greeting the New Year’s Day only a few months after groundbreaking, so they were filled with great enthusiasm to celebrate the New Year with greater labor feats.

Learning this, the leader made them go home and sent them New Year presents so that they could enjoy the holiday with their family members.

Even the dished served on the tables of restaurants in the capital city and the performance programs in the theaters are all prepared under the loving care of leader Kim Jong Il, who wants to bring happiness to the people.

The north Korean people say that their enjoyment on New Year’s Day is provided and secured by leader Kim Jong Il, and that it is an outcome of his victorious Songun leadership.  

Raging flames across south Korea

  Since the publication of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration the south Koreans’ way of thinking took a radical turn. This is apparent in the unprecedentedly accelerated anti-US movement.

Last year the south Korean people launched vigorous struggles to drive out the US troops, the root cause for disturbing peace and delaying reunification, under the slogans, “Drive out the US troops and bring about the independent reunification by the Korean nation!” and “We want to live on a land free from US troops!”

Different circles in south Korea issued statements, comments and appeals, setting the period of intensive campaigns to get the US troops withdrawn. Youth and student organizations set the period between June 13, the day when two schoolgirls, Sin Hyo-sun and Sim Mi-son, were killed by American soldiers a few years ago, and September 8, the 60^th year of US military occupation, as a period of campaign against America and war and for the pullout of US troops. They conducted a various activities during the period.

The south Koreans waged struggles against America and war and for the quitting of the US troops from south Korea in various forms and ways. To name only a few of them: a ceremony of starting 2005 anti-US and anti-war campaigns, an anti-US photo exhibition of south, north and overseas to mark the 60^th year of US military occupation, a rally of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils for advancing toward independent reunification, a 2005 national rally of campaigners against America and war, a campaign for the removal of the statue of MacArthur, a symbol of national division, the regional rallies for the going-home of the US troops and the demonstrations in front of the US embassy.

On the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of the heroic Gwangju Popular Uprising, the members of civic organizations from all parts of south Korea got together in Gwangju and the south Jeolla provincial region and launched an anti-US, anti-war struggle too drive out the US troops. Around that time Gwangju citizens and members of civic organizations held a rally in front of the entrance to the grounds of the Division No. 1 of the US Air Force, urging the abolishment of the of the US base for Patriots and the withdrawal of the US troops. They shouted in rage, “Go home, US troops in south Korea, a cause of war,” and cut off the first wire entanglement for 500 meters and the second one for some 10 meters.

Many warning notes were sent to the US embassy urging the withdrawal of the US troops, and the heated atmosphere of the anti-US struggle enveloped throughout south Korea.

More than 40 organizations held a press conference in Seoul and published a joint statement of south, north and overseas organizations for reunification against war and for peace and withdrawal of US troops. And they strongly asserted the formation of a south-north joint action committee for the withdrawal of US troops.

As the media say that “a new era of anti-American massive struggle is opening,” the flames of the people’s anti-US struggle for independence and withdrawal of US troops are raging across south Korea.      

Statement of the vice chairman of the AINDF Central Committee

  A joint editorial titled “Make a higher leap full of great ambition and confidence” published by Rodong Sinmun, the official organ of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Josoninmingun, the newspaper of the Korean People’s Army and Chongyonjonwi, the organ of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League on the New Year Juche 95 (2006) that will be recorded remarkable success in the annals of the great Songun enlivens vanguards and patriotic people of all social standings of south Korea.

  The joint editorial is a review of last year during which the spirit of Songun Korea was demonstrated over the world and epochal changes were made in realizing national reunification under the outstanding leadership of leader Kim Jong Il, the brilliant commander of Songun and sun of the nation. It also is a blueprint for a greater leap.

The joint editorial stressed that last year, which marked the 60th anniversaries of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Korea’s liberation from the Japanese colonial rule, was a meaningful year that brought about a decisive changes in building a powerful nation on the strength of the Songun politics, exalting immortal life and revolutionary feats of President Kim Il Sung, founder of the WPK and father of the Korean nation.     

In particular, the Korean nation left indelible traces under the banner of national independence, peace against war and reunification in the history of reunification last year. The Korean people demonstrated throughout the world that no force can block the vigorous move of national history that is advancing under the banner of the June 15 Joint Declaration, holding the peerless Songun commander Kim Jong Il in high esteem.

Signal victory that the north Korean servicemen and the people achieved in general forward march of the Songun revolution and unheard successes in reunification movement are produced by the far-sighted wisdom and the uncommon political ability of Kim Jong Il, the peerless great man of Mt. Baekdu.

In the joint editorial north Korea called for the entire Korean nation to push the cause of national reunification that has entered a new phase, putting forward the patriotic movement for independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity as fundamental task of this year.

Intensifying the patriotic movement for independent reunification, peace against war and overall national unity is an important task of the Korean people’s struggle for national reunification.

“Let us vigorously forward the patriotic movement for independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity under the banner of ‘by our nation itself!’”---the slogan, which is reflecting the patriotic will and soul of the Korean nation, encourages the Korean people, who want to realize national reunification by their concerted efforts, with invincible stratagem and unlimited confidence.

The AINDF vanguards and people of all social standings of south Korea are determined to devote their all for realization of the joint editorial, fully supporting it which reflects leader Kim Jong Il’s intention and plan to achieve Korea’s reunification.

The task for reunification that north Korea clarified in the joint editorial is a milestone of struggle and banner of victory that the entire Korean nation should firmly maintain as it mirrors situation of reunification movement that has entered a new stage and the will and demand of the Korean people.

The Korean nation should advance vigorously along the road of independent reunification, an irresistible trend of national history.

The entire Korean nation from all social standings should solve all the problems arising in accomplishing the cause of reunification by placing the dignity and interests of the nation above anything else in line with the requirements of the idea of “by our nation itself.” The spirit of giving top priority to the nation and the nation-first manner should prevail and the hurricane of independent reunification should sweep everywhere Koreans are living.

The US has been occupying south Korea and infringing upon the national sovereignty for more than six decades and its domination moves are increasingly pronounced.

In unity with north Korean brethren and overseas Koreans, the south Korean people must resolutely reject the US intervention and domination through inter-Korean cooperation and never tolerate treacherous acts of anti-reunification forces that are conspiring with foreign forces.

Launching a dynamic anti-war and for peace campaign against is urgent call of the times.

The danger of nuclear war is hovering over the Korean nation owing to nuclear war maneuver of the US.

Unless war is prevented and peace is defended on this land anyone will be a tragic victim and the existence of the nation itself is inconceivable.

The south Korean people of all social standings should defend peace and security on the Korean Peninsula by turning out in the struggle to frustrate the US undisguised attempts to strangle and war against north Korea. They must remove the root cause of war completely from this land by launching a nationwide campaign for driving out the US troops.

To realize great national unity is an urgent task of the movement for national reunification.

Those who love the nation and want peaceful reunification must heighten an atmosphere of promoting national reconciliation and unity irrespective of ideology, ideal, system, political party and affiliation and solidarity be promoted further between pro-reunification organizations.

The US and the pro-US conservatives in south Korea are now making last-ditch efforts to reverse the June 15 reunification era to the past period of confrontation in the past and achieve their ambition for power.

The south Korean people from all walks of life should destroy the moves of the Grand National Party and other pro-US conservative forces to bring a medieval-like dark age through “alliance of the conservatives” regardless of the desire of the countrymen and the destiny of the nation by united strength of the progressive forces and push the group of traitors to final ruin.

The June 15 joint declaration is a milestone for victory that the Korean nation should hold up for national reunification.

The AINDF and the south Korean people of all social standings will vigorously wage the struggle for implementing the June 15 joint declaration, rejecting the moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad that have made desperate efforts to check the advance of the June 15 independent reunification era, thus demonstrate justness and vitality of the joint declaration.

The Songun politics of leader Kim Jong Il is an almighty sword defending dignity, security and sovereignty of the nation and a patriotic politics of guaranteeing for reunification and prosperity of the nation.

Cherishing that peace and security of the nation is defended by the Songun politics, the south Korean people will unanimously support the Songun politics of the leader, life and dignity of the Korean nation.

No force can block the march of the Korean people who move forward with invincible reunification strategy, holding the great man in high esteem. And Korea’s reunification, a long-cherished desire of the Korean nation, will surely be realized.

The south Korean people will brilliantly mark this year as a meaningful year, which opens a turning point for national reunification, by vigorously waging the patriotic movement for independent reunification, peace against war and great national unity with national pride of having leader Kim Jong Il, sun of the 21 century and lodestar of national reunification.

　

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