From Mt. Paektu to Mt. Songak (11)

At the Place Where the Kangwon Province Spirit Was Created

One term of the era came to our minds as we headed for Kangwon Province.

The Kangwon Province Spirit!

Our hearts were truly special as we journeyed to the homeland of the great spirit of the era, highly praised by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un for the entire nation to emulate, the pioneer road of self-reliance.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said as follows:
"We must have faith in and attachment to our own things, pride and self-confidence in our own things, and surely achieve the great undertaking of building a powerful nation and the beautiful dreams and ideals of the people with our own strength, our own technology, and our own resources."

The road to the Unjae Site of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station was long and rugged. As Kangwon Province is originally mountainous, ordinary valleys and mountain paths might be common, but as we passed through deep valley after deep valley without rest, our hearts became extremely solemn.
Wasn't this the very path?

The path of profound significance, along which the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un came to visit the Unjae Site of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station, which had risen as a precious creation of self-reliance, one December nine years ago!

Was it not because the feats of the people of Kangwon Province, who built the power plant with their own strength amidst hardships and trials, were so precious to Him, that the respected Comrade braved the bitter cold of midwinter and personally came to such a perilous mountainous place?

Driving for a long time in deep thought, we finally arrived at the grandly soaring Unjae Site of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station, and a magnificent sight unfolded before our eyes.

The elegant mountain range embracing the vast man-made lake, reminiscent of a sea in the mountains, and the power plant reservoir...

The thought that this was precisely the point in history where the great spirit of the era was born made our hearts swell endlessly.

The members of the Unjae Management Workteam of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station whom we met said that seeing the writing "Self-Reliance" inscribed by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on Unjae on that glorious day gives them strength. They said meaningfully that the Unjae of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station clearly proves that self-reliance is the only way to live and that there is nothing that cannot be done when one struggles with self-reliance and self-strengthening as the driving force. They added that every time they look at that writing, they engrave more deeply in their hearts the duty of a Kangwon Province person. Then they added:

"As you can see, this is a deep mountain village, and all you can see around are mountains and water. But in our eyes, it seems we can see the bustling Kalma Peninsula with its sound of waves and laughter stretching for ten ri, and the nightless city of Wonsan. So even though it is a workplace deep in the mountains, how can our pride not be extraordinary?"

Trustworthy people who shed sincere drops of sweat for patriotism even in remote places unnoticed by people's eyes – how can the dam guarded by such people not be solid?

Parting from them in deepening thought, we drove again hundreds of ri, following the traces of devotion of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who visited the Wonsan Army-People Power Station No. 2 after descending from the power plant dam.

When we reached the Wonsan Army-People Power Station No. 2, the sunset glow was beginning to tinge the mountain range of Masikryong.

The pressure steel pipe line stretching imposingly from the water tunnel piercing through the perilous mountain range down to the Wonsan Army-People Power Station No. 2 could be seen far in the distance.
Here we were able to meet Comrade Choe Myong Gil, the manager of the Wonsan Army-People Power Station, who had seen the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un up close.

Having participated in the power station construction and worked as manager from the commencement of operations to this day, he passionately recalled the unforgettable day when the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un visited the power station.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who, while touring the power station resounding with the sound of power production, expressed His own joy, saying that Kangwon Province was self-sufficiently providing not only electricity for the residential lives of cities and counties but also the electricity needed to run local industry factories, His face beaming with a bright smile.

We listened deeply moved to his story that it was thanks to the great love and trust of the respected Comrade that their workplace could become a workplace known throughout the entire country, a unit with many boasts, highly resonating the sound of normalized power production, and then we entered the generator room.

"Please look at that picture."

Looking where he pointed, a large mural depicting the nightless city of Wonsan came into view at a glance.

The employees here talked among themselves, saying that on that meaningful day, they had the honor of taking a commemorative photo with the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un up close against that picture as a background, and that whenever difficult and tough tasks arise, thinking of that day, new strength surges up unknowingly.

Among them were employees who had reliably grown from power station builders of over ten years ago to become innovators of the power station receiving the respect of the collective and comrades today. Comrade Ri Yong Chol, who participated in the power station construction as a disabled soldier and is now shedding sincere patriotic sweat at the power station, was precisely such a person.

"The place where the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un called us Kangwon Province people indomitable fighters and creators of the Kangwon Province spirit was precisely our power station. So how could we leave this glorious workplace just because the power station construction was finished?" Comrade Ri Yong Chol said this and confided that his wife also works together with him at the power station, and that in their hearts, there is only the desire to repay the sky-high trust and love of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un with higher power production results.

The officials and employees here were highly upholding the on-the-spot guidance teachings of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un and highly resonating the sound of power production for the happy and civilized life of the people.

In the process, the power station won the Double Three-Revolution Red Flag and held the honor of being a Double Model Technical Innovation Unit.

Early the next morning, we visited the Kangwon Province Tree Nursery, which under the particular attention of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un had risen as another creation of self-reliance and was demonstrating its power.

Arriving at the tree nursery, a comprehensive sapling production base rising over a wide area of dozens of jongbo came into view at a glance.

An official here who exchanged pleasant greetings with us, immersed in warmth, said that the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who visited the tree nursery on a Sunday in July seven years ago, breaking through the sweltering heat of the three dog days, gave the highly valued words of evaluation that the fighting spirit and mental world of Kangwon Province people are definitely different, and that building such a splendid tree nursery under conditions where everything is lacking and difficult couldn't have been easy as they say, and He truly admired it.

Subsequently, we toured the tree nursery together with the official.

The more we looked, the more we thought that the large-scale sapling production base producing tens of millions of saplings per year was indeed different.

After showing us the suji grafting greenhouse, outdoor adaptation area, and outdoor cultivation field, the official said that we would have to see the science and technology dissemination room to consider the tree nursery fully toured, and guided us there.

In the science and technology dissemination room, many employees were reading advanced sci-tech materials related to sapling production, and among them, the figures of people who had reached middle age unusually caught our eye. Upon inquiry, they were nursery workers included in the education system of learning while working. When one of them said, "Our Party policy is good and the times are good, so even in our 40s we have become university students like this," flowers of laughter bloomed on everyone's faces.

Although our time touring the tree nursery was not long, it was a meaningful time during which we warmly embraced the fiery aspirations of the officials and employees here to repay the great trust and expectations of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.

After the Kangwon Province Tree Nursery, touring various units where the leadership achievements of our Party are warmly embedded and the Kangwon Province spirit powerfully pulses, including the Wonsan Shoe Factory and the Songdowon Comprehensive Foodstuff Factory, we became convinced.

That it is thanks to the wise leadership and warm hand of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un that even ordinary people can glorify their valuable lives as creators of the great spirit of the era.

By Correspondent Ryu Kwang Chol

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Comrade Pak Il Sok, Party Cell Secretary of the Raw Materials Workteam at the Kutan Mine under the Chongjin Steel Plant, is leading the workers with hot sincerity, making the workteam into a harmonious and united collective.

He always treats the workers softly and warmly with a bright impression and courteous speech and behavior.

The small notebook he always carries has specific details of the workteam members' birthdays, places of residence, personalities, hobbies, etc.

No matter how much work there is or how pressed for time, preparing commemorative gifts on workteam members' birthdays, understanding and resolving problems arising in the atmosphere of daily life has become a principle in Comrade Pak Il Sok's work.

It was a few months ago when a worker, Comrade Kim, had his birthday. Comrade Pak Il Sok paid particular attention for him, who lives alone.

When the Party cell secretary, much younger than himself, presented him with a birthday table prepared with sincerity and encouraged him to do his assigned tasks better in the future, Comrade Kim's eyes welled up.

He pledged to always keep in mind the trust and expectations of the organization and collective and to shed more sweat for the increased production of the Kutan Mine.

When Comrade Choe was hospitalized, Comrade Pak Il Sok went to the hospital after finishing his shift work, checked the patient's condition and treatment situation, gave him medicines prepared with care, and pushed him to live with confidence and courage optimistically.

Moved by the Party cell secretary's sincerity, the workteam members unhesitatingly come to him to receive help and advice on problems arising in work and life, firming their resolve to do their assigned tasks better.

That the workteam has become a harmonious and united collective today and is achieving clear results in carrying out Party decisions is related to the hot sincerity of the primary Party official devoted for the workers.

By Correspondent Kim Sung Pyo

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Comrade Yu Jin Ok, Party Cell Secretary of the Yangdok County Road Facilities Management Office, actively generalizes positive examples, leading the employees to always shed sincere sweat for road management with one appearance.

There was a time when a phenomenon of neglecting the management of assigned road sections appeared among some newly employed employees.

Of course, coming out to the road from early morning to do management work was not as easy as they say. Comrade Yu Jin Ok saw that since the majority of them were housewives, it was not something that could be solved just by emphasizing importance or making demands.

As she pondered deeply over the method of education, an incident from one early morning came to her mind.

At that time, Comrade Yu Jin Ok had seen Comrade Pak, who had come out to manage the road since before dawn, and had many thoughts.

Suddenly, Comrade Yu Jin Ok thought about actively introducing and propagating the positive examples of long-time road managers to create an atmosphere where positivity begets positivity.

Then the realizations of the newly employed employees would also be great.

Thus, Comrade Yu Jin Ok unfailingly found materials on road managers who had been devoting pure patriotic hearts for a long time.

And she actively introduced and propagated them during opportunities when employees gathered, including daily reading time.

Not stopping at this, she also visited employees' homes, met them individually, had conversations, and steadily guided them to emulate the mental world of long-time road managers.

The exemplary materials of long-time employees like Comrade Pak and Comrade Kim, who were always of one character whether during the rainy season or cold winter days, were deeply engraved in the hearts of the newly employed employees as an manifestation of pure patriotism.

In this way, Comrade Yu Jin Ok is actively generalizing positive examples, filling the employees with a spirit of devoting themselves to society and the collective through sincere effort.

By Correspondent Ju Chang Ho

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This is about a primary Party official of the Transport Workteam of the Pyongyang Post Office who reminds postal truck drivers of the importance of their mission to deliver the voice of the Party.

The primary Party official who says that only by always fully preparing tools and spare parts and carrying out repairs and maintenance normally and meticulously can the voice of the Party reach on time –
How trustworthy a figure!

His every word, about making all preparations to be able to set out on delivery routes at any time and quickly delivering the voice of the Party and new news of innovation to the Party members and workers who are courageously struggling to fulfill the fighting tasks presented by the Party this year, gives deep emotion to the drivers.

The drivers are filled with enthusiasm to guarantee the postal service quickly and accurately, reawakening to the honorable mission they are charged with.

Text and Photo by Correspondent O Jin Il

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The Party Cell of the Hyesan Daily Necessities Production Enterprise is enhancing the vanguard role of Party members.

The Party Cell concretized the work allocation organizations according to the level and preparedness of the Party members, enabling them to come up with valuable creative proposals that contribute to production normalization at the forefront of technical innovation.

Particularly, it put forward Party members with high technical skills to have them hold high the banner.
On Thursday, the day for equipment inspection and review, it held Party member consultative meetings on the spot, summarized the weekly technical innovation work situation of Party members, generalized successes and experiences, and had deviations overcome.

As Party members stood in the vanguard, the technical innovation zeal heightened in the production site, various molds were manufactured, saving labor and materials, and the product quality was further enhanced.

Over ten types of products produced by the enterprise were exhibited at a national exhibition and received excellent evaluations. The ranks of skilled workers also increased in the days of technical innovation.

The Party Cell is generalizing these successes and continuing to focus efforts on enhancing the vanguard role of Party members.

By Special Correspondent Jon Chol Ju

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The Provincial Party Officials' Economic Agitation Team of North Pyongan Province is vigorously active on every major front, heightening the fighting spirit of the officials and workers who have sprung into action to carry out the decisions of the Party Central Committee Plenary Meeting.

The Provincial Party Committee focused main efforts on raising the political and practical level of the provincial Party officials' economic agitation team members so that each item of economic agitation could become a detonator that fully explodes the mental strength of the masses. It paid particular attention to concretely giving the activity direction of the economic agitation team and deeply concerned itself with the composition of economic agitation, selection of items, improvement of artistic skills, etc.

On the basis of these preparations, the provincial Party officials' economic agitation team members rushed to the Sinuiju Textile Mill, Sinuiju Shoe Factory, Ragwon Machine Comprehensive Enterprise, and the construction site of the Yonhwa Island Greenhouse Comprehensive Farm, powerfully conducting live propaganda and live agitation activities. Various items including the agitation and chorus "Dear Parent," male chorus "We Are Koreans," female chorus "People's Joy," etc., are boosting the confidence and courage of the officials and workers speeding along the march path to achieve this year's goals.

Workers who saw the performance of the provincial Party officials' economic agitation team said they really gained great strength and, with firm pledges to glorify this meaningful year, the 80th anniversary of Party foundation, with proud labor achievements, are bringing about collective innovation at every workplace.

The Provincial Party Committee is deepening organizational work so that the good experience created by the provincial Party officials' economic agitation team in its active activity process is also embodied at Party organizations at every level, raising a more fierce wind of ideological warfare, filling the entire province with the spirit of resolutely executing Party decisions.

Text and Photo by Special Correspondent Kim Myong Hun

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There is a story about a certain county Party responsible official. Once, when he went to a farm, he made the scientific farming zeal of the primary officials and farm members boil over with one political work.

What was the secret? The county Party responsible official even gave an analysis comparing the size and quality of the grain ears of the neighboring farm and this farm's grain ears, and also concretely informed them about the comparison of cultivated land area to number of laborers, the operational situation of agricultural machines during the farming period, and the results of soil analysis by paddy field for the two farms.

Finally, additionally informing them of the highest distribution amount and average distribution amount of the neighboring farm that was benefiting from scientific farming, he explained and propagated the correctness and vitality of the Party's scientific farming policy; the impact that day's political work had on the masses was truly great, it is said.

Figures – it was political work supported by this that led to the substantial results of Party work.

How could such organizational political work by a Party responsible official who emphasizes figures not be scientific and guaranteed effective?

But if we look around us, there are not a few officials who consider figures as something urgently needed only for economic work.

Now is not the time to do work with people, political work, with general appeals or stereotyped words.
Even if Party officials want to do everything sharply and skillfully, or want to do work with technical practical officials substantively, they must be familiar with figures.

Emphasizing figures is not needed only for administrative economic work.

By Correspondent

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In the Work of the Primary Party Committee of the Central District Public Buildings Construction Enterprise

For a unit's work to proceed well, Party and administrative combination must be good, and Party guidance over administrative economic work must be conducted substantively.

Then, what is the most basic issue here?

We find the answer through the work of the Primary Party Committee of the Central District Public Buildings Construction Enterprise, which has upheld the Party's construction policy with clear practical results in recent years.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said as follows:
"When economic work is not going well, you should be more anxious than the administrative economic officials, and when urgent economic tasks are presented, you should roll up your sleeves and jump in together with them to do the work in a fighting manner."

Last year, a new system was established at the enterprise where all primary Party officials mandatorily participate in the daily summary meetings held at the construction site.

There was a motive for this.

One day, Comrade Kim Hyok Il, the primary Party secretary, learned that a department Party secretary had missed an enterprise-wide summary meeting.

In the process of deepening understanding, the problem was raised that this phenomenon occasionally appears among other primary Party officials as well.

This is clearly a deviation arising from the wrong attitude of taking a spectator's stance toward administrative economic work. Analyzing the problem from this angle, the Primary Party Committee decided to erect the viewpoint on administrative economic work among primary Party officials, especially the department Party secretaries who should perform a central role in the enterprise.

Thus, the system was established where all primary Party officials mandatorily participate in the on-site summary meetings and concern themselves with all problems, big and small, arising before the workplace and the enterprise.

Doing this, they could clearly know not only their own workplace but also the overall actual situation of the enterprise, and importantly, a spirit began to form of sharing responsibility for administrative work from the standpoint of the workplace manager and actively pushing them from the Party side.

The Primary Party Committee did not stop here but deeply implanted the viewpoint among primary Party officials that they must have their work evaluated based on the unit's revolutionary task fulfillment situation.

Looking at the process of propping up the previously lagging Workplace No. 2 also shows this.
In the process of understanding the actual situation of the workplace in a stagnant state, what the Primary Party Committee paid special attention to was the work situation of the primary Party official. Although he had responsibility for his assigned work, he was not taking the stance of jointly solving the workplace manager's worries, who was anxious over the lagging construction results.

What exactly is pure Party work separated from administrative economic work needed for?

The primary Party official sat face-to-face with him seriously, gave direction to correctly grasp the central link of the work, and enlightened him that the more pressing the facing construction task, the more substantively he must do work with the employees to ensure the workplace manager's administrative instructions are thoroughly carried out.

Afterwards, this workplace saw improvements in guaranteeing living conditions, including repairing quite a few employees' homes, and this was directly linked to the workplace's work results, so today it has risen to an advanced rank enterprise-wide.

There is another aspect that must be mentioned in the work of the Primary Party Committee.

It is that the most difficult corners of administrative economic work are always shouldered together by Party officials.

Just looking at the issue of material guarantee shows this. With the full-scale start of assembly construction this year, smoothly guaranteeing materials according to the construction sequence emerged as a decisive problem determining construction success.

The people who took this upon themselves as their Party-assigned share of work and ran around until their feet were worn out for dozens of days were the primary Party officials.

Solving difficult problems arising in the enterprise, including the crane wire rope problem, was always shouldered together by primary Party officials, and it became a firm work habit of the Primary Party Committee to establish the administrative work system and order neatly and solve tangled links in a timely manner so the manager could concentrate on construction command.

It is the duty of Party officials to normally understand and grasp the work of administrative officials for economic task fulfillment and correct deviations. But can we consider the responsibility of Party officials ended with that?

There is one example showing with what mindset the Party officials of the enterprise treat administrative officials and administrative work.

Just looking at the past year, the primary Party officials and their families went to the construction site every month to conduct rear support work for their assigned workplaces. Sometimes, they greatly encouraged the officials and builders by forming a Party officials' family economic agitation team.

There is a need to speak about the purpose of this work.

Although there was the aim of ensuring that live political work continues uninterrupted under conditions where the number of assigned construction projects is not small and the propaganda and agitation force is limited, what was more emphasized was this: that even the Party officials themselves should directly feel the progress of the construction and the efforts of the on-site officials and builders at the construction site, devote sincerity to them, and through this process, solidify the viewpoint of considering administrative economic work as their own work.

What lies at the foundation of all the work of this Primary Party Committee that pushes administrative economic work in all directions?

It is the stance of sharing responsibility for administrative economic work. This can be seen as the most basic issue in Party guidance over administrative economic work. We were able to confirm this once again through the work of this Primary Party Committee.

By Correspondent Pak Hyok Il