The desire for a powerful country is the common aspiration of all countries.

But it is not fulfilled of its own accord though they want it.

Independence is the most important criterion of a powerful country.

A genuine power is a country which dynamically advances along the road chosen by itself despite any ordeals and difficulties while administering independent politics that conforms to the will and demand of its people and suits its actual conditions.

The whole course of the DPRK’s over 70-year history is consistent with independence.

Since President Kim Il Sung defeated the Japanese imperialists and founded the DPRK under the banner of independence by Koreans’ own efforts, the country has put forward the principle of independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy and self-reliance in national defence as an immutable principle of state building and never allowed any concession and deviation on the way.

In the spirit of independence that the country is the master of its destiny and it has the power to shape its future, the DPRK defeated the US imperialists in the fierce three-year Fatherland Liberation War in the 1950s, which marked the beginning of their downfall for the first time in history and demonstrated the spirit of heroic Korea with miraculous creations in the period of postwar reconstruction.

During the Arduous March in the 1990s, when the imperialist allied forces made desperate attempts to strangle the country in all directions, Chairman Kim Jong Il firmly defended the destiny of the country and its people and socialism with his unique Songun politics and Songun-based leadership, which identified the Korean People’s Army as the main force and pillar of the revolution, by making an independent decision under the rapidly changing situation. With this indomitable spirit of independence, the Korean people learned how to live on their own, how to win the enemy and overcome difficulties, and dynamically stepped up socialist construction on the strength of self-reliance and self-development in the face of the imperialists’ frantic moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK persisting for decades.

In the international arena, too, the DPRK has been the focus of attention of the international community for its strong defence of independence and justice and its steadfast and responsible stand and efforts for peace and security.

Independence is guaranteed by strong military muscle.

The present reality, which is rife with the imperialists’ high-handed practices based on power-almighty thinking, further proves the truth that national security and dignity should be defended with powerful military capability and that this leads to peace and future.

With the iron will that there is no powerful country without strong army, General Secretary Kim Jong Un steadily built up the military capability of the country.

Last year, the military parade in celebration of the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army, the parade for celebrating the 70th anniversary of victory in the Fatherland Liberation War, the parade of the paramilitary forces in celebration of the 75th founding anniversary of the DPRK and latest military hardware demonstrated once again to the world the rapid development, advanced character and modernity of the DPRK’s defence capability.

Thanks to the devotion and untiring efforts made by the General Secretary to turn the DPRK into a powerful country which no formidable enemy dares provoke, the KPA has grown into an invincible army and invincible revolutionary armed forces fully prepared to meet the requirements of any modern warfare. The DPRK emerged as a world-class military power with the building of powerful war deterrent and the irreversible military and technical edge of build-up of self-defensive military capability.

As the leader is strong, so are the country and the people.

The DPRK has ushered in a new era of a prosperous and powerful country independent in politics, self-sufficient in the economy and self-reliant in national defence, though it is not large in territory and population. The reality further convinces the Korean people of the truth that the prestige of the country and dignity of its people will shine on the highest level as they are led by the outstanding leader.