金正日與朝鮮人民軍

金正日與朝鮮人民軍
KIM JONG IL and the KPA

The invincible strength of the Korean People’s Army is attributable to KIM JONG IL of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Leader KIM JONG IL inspects the Dwarf-Pine Post of the KPA (January 1, 1995)

Pivotal Force for Self-defence
Putting forward the KPA as the pivotal force for self-defence, KIM JONG IL undertook endless inspection of army units with the aim of increasing their capabilities.

During his tours, he put focus on building up the army’s political and ideological strength. He ensured that education to this end was intensified among the soldiers, so that they would become strong in their determination and will to defend their country, people and socialist system at the cost of their lives. He also paid due concern to enhancing the units’ combat efficiency as demanded by modern warfare, often inspecting the soldiers’ training and teaching new tactics and combat methods. Under his line of economic construction on developing the defence industry on a priority basis, the KPA has been equipped with modern powerful means of both attack and defence, including the war deterrent.

As a result, the national forces of the DPRK for self-defence with the KPA as its pivot achieved one victory after another in the decades-long confrontations, both political and military, with the US-led imperialist allied forces.

President KIM IL SUNG and leader KIM JONG IL at the construction site of the West Sea Barrage (September, 1985)

Kernel of Single-hearted Unity
KIM JONG IL defined the single-hearted unity as the great foundation of the Korean revolution and endeavoured to consolidate the unity of Korean society with the army as its kernel under the banner of Songun.

Calling the soldiers his comrades and children, he visited their units even in out-of-the-way places and looked after them with parental care. In the meantime a special bond was formed between the supreme commander and his men, based on warm affection and absolute trust, and the KPA has become equal to the roles of the pillar and main force in carrying out the socialist cause and the hardcore of Korean society.

KIM JONG IL ensured that the traditional trait of army-people unity was preserved and developed as the cornerstone of society.

It was his constant view that the soldiers should take the lead and set an example for civilians in displaying the trait of army-people unity.

The supreme commander once sent military personnel and equipment, strong enough to conduct an operation in the frontline, to a flood-stricken area to save the residents and their property. At another time he dispatched warships to rescue a fishing boat in distress and helicopters to search for a girl drifting on a rough sea.

Leader KIM JONG IL and Marshal KIM JONG UN visiting the newly-built House of Culture of Ryongrim County (August, 2011)

“Help the people!”—this was the slogan the soldiers raised in response to their supreme commander’s call. The army’s leading role in displaying the trait of army-people unity is illustrated by the example of the soldiers seconded to the construction of the Huichon Power Station, who turned Ryongnim into a socialist fairyland. Last year, after building a dam in the mountainous region 1 000m above sea level, they built a hall of culture, a wading pool and other public amenities for the local people. They even rebuilt fences at their dwelling houses. Those in other regions supply residents and their children with fruits and agricultural produce they reap on sideline farms—a reality unique in the DPRK.

It is therefore natural that the people spare nothing for soldiers.

Today, the traditional unity between the service personnel and people has been so developed that they reach complete agreement concerning their ideology and fighting spirit on the basis of the revolutionary soldier spirit. It is no doubt that no force on earth will break this unity.

Leader KIM JONG IL inspecting the Grand Combined Unit 549 of the Korean People's Army (November 1998)

Main Force in the Building of a Thriving Nation
From the early days of his leadership KIM JONG IL made sure that the KPA soldiers made a breakthrough in socialist construction, in addition to defending the country.

Under the slogan, “Let us take charge of both national defence and socialist construction!” they volunteered to work at the challenging projects for economic development. By the end of the last century when Korea was undergoing the severest trials, the soldiers at the construction site for the Anbyon Youth Power Station created the revolutionary soldier spirit. This spirit is characterized by a spirit of defending their supreme commander unto death, a spirit of carrying out his orders and directives unconditionally and a heroic spirit of sacrificing their lives for their country, people and comrades. Other soldiers displayed this spirit to the full in carrying out large-scale land-realignment projects to radically change the appearance of the country and in building across the country hi-tech factories that are making a tangible contribution to developing its economy and improving its people’s standard of living. The soldiers engaged in the Huichon power project completed in less than three years the building of a dam, a task estimated to take a decade. This demonstrated the will of socialist Korea to open the gates of a thriving country in the near future.

Encouraged by the soldiers’ heroic mettle, the people are surging ahead towards the goal of economic prosperity. The nation will surely accomplish the cause of building a thriving socialist country.

Leader KIM JONG IL awarding weapon to a soldier while inspecting a naval unit 597 of the KPA (June 1997)

Source: Consulate General of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Hong Kong