In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea young people are honoured with such appellations as “point-men in the general onward march,” “heroic youth” and “detached corps specially dispatched by the Workers’ Party of Korea.”

In August 2012 when he was on a field guidance trip, the respected comrade Kim Jong Un sent a message of congratulations to the young people across the country on the occasion of Youth Day.

In the message he called the young people the point-men in the general onward march, who vigorously advance straight following the WPK.

He went on: The main mission of the point-men is dynamically to open up the way for the advance of the main ranks. This they do by displaying the most complete ideological spirit and the ability to charge forward forcefully, and at lightning speed. If the young people march forward in high spirits, blowing bugles and beating drums, the whole nation will be inspired, the hot wind of a leap forward will sweep across the country and a prosperous future will be brought closer.

In September 2015 when he visited the construction site of the Paektusan Hero Youth Power Station for the second time, he spoke highly of the exploits the young builders had performed in completing power plant No. 1 by carrying out in a matter of about four months the massive construction task that was tantamount to what they had done in the previous ten years, adding that the youth shock brigade members created a world-startling legendary tale of heroic youth and that they are all heroes and proposing naming the power station the Paektusan Hero Youth Power Station .

Last year when flood accompanied by typhoon severely hit the northwestern region of the country, he entrusted young people with the huge rehabilitation project and made a rallying speech at the ceremony to dispatch them to the flood-stricken areas.

In the speech he expressed his great trust, saying that the members of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade and the Socialist Patriotic Youth League and the relevant officials who were dispatched to the disaster areas were as good as the detached force specially dispatched by the Party.

The precious title—the detached force specially dispatched by the Party—represented the noble love of Kim Jong Un who values the young people and puts them forward as a combatant group capable of attaining any uphill goal without fail with their matchless courage that overpowers all sorts of difficulties and trials and his great expectation and conviction to bring the rehabilitation campaign to victory with firm belief in the youth and by dint of their vanguard role.

That day he waved back for long at the marching columns of youth who responded to the call of the country, people and revolution with another enthusiastic voluntary resolve to join efforts in the rehabilitation campaign and with a gallant attitude, the reliable and praiseworthy main-force units of young people representing the bright future of the country.

Kim Hyok