Our factory was built in October 1970 on the occasion of the historic Fifth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

At the time of its inauguration, the factory produced simple ironware with only several pieces of equipment including a bench lathe and drilling machine. But later it came to specialize in the production of plastic articles for daily use.

I think that the factory of today is unthinkable apart from the love and trust of the WPK which put us, honoured disabled soldiers, forward and led us step by step to carry on the revolution.

On October 7 2011, Chairman Kim Jong Il visited our factory and dropped in at the production site, saying he came to look it round after hearing a report that the Rangnang Disabled Soldiers’ Essential Plastic Goods Factory had wonderfully been developed into a production base capable of mass-producing various kinds of essential plastic goods.

As he saw honoured disabled soldiers operate machines skilfully, he praised them for not only having overfulfilled the national economic plan every year by normalizing production without even a day’s interruption during the Arduous March but also helped the service personnel well, saying they had done a good job.

At the time we did not know why he was so satisfied on the visit to a small factory where honoured disabled soldiers worked, not a large factory of national significance.

He was told that the honoured disabled soldiers and employees had renovated the factory in keeping with the requirements of the new century while simultaneously pushing ahead with production with disabled bodies, he said, noting it could be done only by honoured disabled soldiers who live with the single desire to give pleasure to the Party at the cost of their blood and sweat. Hearing his high praise for us, we were moved to tears as we keenly felt his great love for and devotion to the people.

Everyone would know that the Chairman continued his high-intensity forced march for field inspection of many units across the country.

Many revolutionary anecdotes and legendary stories were told about his high-intensity forced march and they still touch the heartstrings of the people.

But after looking round the factory, he was very satisfied that the honoured disabled soldiers and employees of the factory had revamped the production process with modern cutting-edge equipment and provided a cultured way of production and life on a high level by their own efforts and technology, giving the factory a remarkable facelift.

Bearing in mind the great expectation of the Chairman who hoped that the honoured disabled soldiers would live a worthwhile life like soldiers in active service without putting off their military uniforms in mind, I told him that we wish we would have him at the factory once again when it would mass-produce various kinds of vinyl goods favoured by the people in the future.

That day he granted the request we made without reserve and had a photo session with us, and repeatedly asked us all to work well in good health.

I still remember the benevolent image of Chairman Kim Jong Il who asked us repeatedly to work well in good health, without caring for his health.

We will keep in mind the earnest request he made that day that we, honoured disabled soldiers, carry on the revolution, and work hard to put production on a normal footing.

Kang Nam Ik, manager of the Rangnang Disabled Soldiers’ Essential Plastic Goods Factory