Among the new terms coined in the DPRK are the “revolutionary spirit of Paektu”, “spirit of self-development first” and “Education is the mother of science”.

The revolutionary spirit of Paektu was created in the period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle for defeating the one million Japanese troops, without any state backing or support from a regular army. The spirit is, in essence, a spirit of tenacious offensive through all obstacles and hardships and a spirit of resolutely fighting it out by rising up no matter how often one may fall.

The anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners fought tooth and nail against the Japanese imperialists who were armed to the teeth, as they overcame biting cold and hunger in primitive forests, and finally achieved the historic cause of national liberation.

Cherishing the spirit deep in mind, the Korean people rose up from the ashes of the Korean war in the 1950s, accomplished socialist industrialization by their own efforts in a matter of 14 years and have made continuous innovations and advance to achieve bigger victories in succession.

An endless stream of study tourists still flows to the revolutionary battle sites in the Mt Paektu area permeated with the blood of the anti-Japanese martyrs.

The Korean people are going on a frontal offensive to surmount trials and difficulties in the way of their advance by keeping up the self-development first spirit.

The spirit of self-development first is a revolutionary spirit of strengthening the internal forces and paving the way ahead by relying on domestic efforts, technology and resources.

The Koreans built monumental structures last year, too, with the steadfast determination to accomplish the cause of building a powerful socialist country with internal efforts, technologies and resources without fail.

Samjiyon turned into a model of cultured mountainous city of socialism encapsulating modern civilization, a large-scale vegetable greenhouse farm and modern tree nursery were built in the Jungphyong area, and the spa area in Yangdok County was transformed into a modern and comprehensive hot spring resort and unique public service centre.

In the face of hostile forces’ sanctions that are getting more vicious, the Korean people are determined to hold higher the banner of self-prosperity and open a broad avenue for the victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche.

In order to make a giant leap in building a powerful socialist nation, more powerful spurs are being put to bringing about a revolution in education in the new century,

In his historic report delivered at the Fifth Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un said that if science can be called an engine leading the economic development, education can be called the mother of science.

This reflects his idea of training a greater number of world-class scientific and technological personnel who will contribute to the building of a socialist power by effecting a radical turn in education.