Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, and the Joson Inmingun newspaper published a joint editorial titled "Let Us Push Ahead With General March In New Year Under Great Party's Leadership".
All papers here today devote front pages to the editorial dedicated to the New Year Juche 87 (1998).
In reference to last year's achievements, the editorial says 1997 was a year of the rigorous struggle and victory in which the entire party, the whole army and all the people brought about a positive turn in the Korean revolution with indomitable faith and will.
The editorial notes:
The struggle waged by the Workers' Party and people of Korea last year was one deciding whether the people remain an independent people or be reduced to slaves. The years of the "arduous march" were, indeed, hard time for our people.
They dynamically pushed ahead with the general march of Korean-style socialism, overcoming manifold hardships with brave offensives. Besieged by the imperialists, they have defended socialism by themselves and uplifted the dignity of Korea, the homeland of Juche, undaunted by serious natural disasters and economic difficulties. It is a miracle rare to be seen in history.
We have successfully overcome trials in the "arduous march" and made a breakthrough for fresh progress and upswing. Our struggle and victory clearly prove that neither any manoeuvres of the imperialists and reactionaries nor any hardships can break the faith of the Korean people and their will to accomplish the Juche cause under the great party's leadership.
In the arduous yet worthwhile struggle, the leader and the people have been integrated into a perfect harmony and through the "arduous march" great achievements have been registered in socialist economic construction.
The main factor of the great victory won by the WPK, army and people last year in the struggle for defending the socialist cause is the veteran and tested leadership of General Kim Jong Il.
Thanks to his revolutionary leadership, it was possible to smash the imperialists' aggressive moves and avert a grave danger of war last year.
It is his great feat that he aroused the Korean people, overwhelmed with deep grief at the loss of the fatherly leader President Kim Il Sung, and defended socialism singlehandedly.
Pointing to the New Year's tasks, the editorial says Juche 87 is a year of a worthwhile struggle for winning the decisive victory of Korean socialism under the party's leadership, a year of another leap.
This is a historically significant year in that it is the first year we greet after electing marshal Kim Jong Il General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. And this year marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea created by President Kim Il Sung, the editorial says, and goes on:
The 50th anniversary of the DPRK is an important occasion in exalting for all ages the exploits of President Kim Il Sung, father of socialist korea, in building the country. It is a meaningful event to fully demonstrate the advantages of the Korean-style socialism which has taken deep roots in the hearts of the popular masses. We should make the country and the motherland more prosperous in the same indomitable revolutionary spirit and fighting spirit that were displayed in the "arduous march."
"Let Us Greet the 50th Anniversary of the DPRK as a Grand Festival of Victors in Socialism !" this is the main slogan that the Workers' Party and people of Korea must hold up this year.
The editorial calls for building up the politico-ideological fortress of socialism as firm as a rock.
It further says:
We should firmly defend General Secretary Kim Jong Il and guarantee his absolute authority in every way in the spirit of defending the leader at the risk of life and the spirit of human bombs.
The socialist fortress of Korean style should be built up in the economy. It is the most cardinal task in socialist economic construction at present to boost agriculture, coal industry, electric power industry, railway transport and metal industry decisively and give full play to the potentials of the independent national economy built at the cost of blood and sweat of our people.
In particular, the agricultural front is height 1211 of socialist economic construction. We should do farming with nation-wide assistance to increase agricultural production drastically and solve the food problem completely.
We should continue directing big efforts to the implementation of the party's light industry-first policy to produce more mass consumer goods and go ahead with a powerful struggle to increase the quality of products and construction in all domains of the national economy.
Scientists and technicians should resolve the urgent scientific and technical problems in a revolutionary way.
Intellectuals in the service of education, literature and arts and the press should hold in check the ideological and cultural poisoning by the imperialists, defend the ideological position of socialism firmly and develop socialist national culture further still.
We should build up the military position of the Korean-style socialism as an impregnable fortress.
The whole army should be built up into death-defying ranks under the uplifted slogan of "Let Us Defend the Headquarters of the Revolution Headed by the Great Comrade Kim Jong Il with Our Lives !"
All the officers and men of the people's army should take a weapon of revolution and class struggle more firmly, come what may, in the spirit of uncompromising struggle against imperialism and enemies of the working class.
If the U.S. warmaniacs and the South Korean authorities dare to provoke, the Korean People's Army will deal a thousand-fold telling blow at them with the strength they cultivated for scores of years and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification with rifles of justice.
For successful implementation of the vast tasks for this year it is necessary to preserve the Juche character and national character in the revolution and construction and strictly adhere to the principles of socialism in all aspects of social life, and all the party members and other working people should give full play to the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.
The New Year 1998 is a historic year that the Korean nation will open an epochal phase in reunifying the country in an independent and peaceful way.
No matter what situation may come and no matter which way the wind may blow, we will, in the future, stand true to the three charters of national reunification as taught by General Kim Jong Il.
There should be a fundamental change in South Korea for early accomplishment of the cause of national reunification.
No change can be expected from the mere alternation of "governments" and "presidents" in South Korea.
The South Korean authorities should change their policies and take the stand of national independence. By changing the anti-DPRK policy of confrontation into pro-DPRK policy of reconciliation, pulling down the concrete wall, abrogating the fascist "National Security Law" and dismantling the "Agency for National Security Planning" they should show their willingness to reunify the country. Their often told "improvement of inter-Korean relations", "dialogue" and "unification" minus such practical measures will remain an empty talk. From this point of view, we will watch the future attitude of the South Korean authorities.
All the Koreans in the North and South of Korea and abroad should turn out as one in a patriotic, sacred struggle for the acceleration of the independent and peaceful reunification of the country with fresh confidence and optimism under the banner of great national unity.
1997 was a significant year that proved the validity of the Juche-based external policy of the WPK. Our party and people will, in the future, too, firmly maintain the independent stand against imperialism, always pursue the external policy of independence, peace and friendship and make great contributions to bringing earlier the victory of the cause of global independence and socialism.