Chairman Kim Jong Il was born in a log cabin on the Sobaek Stream in the forest of Mt Paektu (2 750m) on February 16, 1942. At the time President Kim Il Sung was leading the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle in and around the mountain area.

Kim Jong Il ’s birth gave great pleasure to the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters. They raised cheers and wrote words on big trees in various places to make public the event. But the auspicious day passed too quietly, too simply and too plainly.

In the primeval forest of Mt Paektu where gunfire of the anti-Japanese war echoed and howling snowstorms and biting wind raged, he grew up into a revolutionary, sharing sweets and bitters with the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters. His birthplace in the Paektusan Secret Camp is still preserved in its original state in the area of Mt Paektu, the sacred mountain of the Korean revolution.

While growing up, he experienced two revolutionary wars, the struggle to build a new country after Korea’s liberation from Japan’s military occupation and the reconstruction after the Fatherland Liberation War. He took it as his lifelong mission to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered by Kim Il Sung generation after generation and led the Korean revolution and construction from his early years, performing exploits which would go down in the history of the country.

His ideas and theories, profound and original, shed light on the road of independence the Korean-style socialism should follow, and his extraordinary insight and organizational ability brought about epoch-making changes in the country. His fervent love for and devotion to the country and people laid solid foundations for the country to open up the road of victory of socialism by dint of self-reliance.

The Korean revolution was beset with difficulties and challenges, both because it had to advance in constant confrontation with hostile forces and also because it set the high fighting goal of realizing the people’s ideals.

However, the country and its people won victories on the road of the protracted and arduous revolution thanks to Kim Jong Il who was endowed with the staunch spirit, courage and mettle of Mt Paektu. He always took the lead in breaking through the obstacles and hardships.

He was a steadfast defender of his socialist country. He developed it into an invincible nation any formidable enemies could not dare to provoke and unfolded a new era of building a powerful socialist country.

In the first year of this century some officials earnestly requested him not to work so hard. He told them that he likes the field style most and that he has got completely accustomed to such lifestyle.

The lifestyle which he embraced and pursued all his life from the first days when he embarked on the patriotic road for the country and the people was entirely of the guerrilla style.

This encapsulates his way of life and leadership with which he took the lead in the struggle to brave the obstacles and hardships facing the country and the revolution.

Thanks to the guerrilla-style forced march he followed all his life, the country has risen as an invincible power braving all manner of challenges and advanced performing historic miracles in the drive to attain the high goal of building a powerful socialist nation.

Yang Ryon Hui