Sunday 25 March 2012

Believing in the People as in Heaven

"The people are my God" was a lifelong motto of Kim Jong Il of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Il often said: The reality is a fine school and the masses of the people are the teachers; I call them teachers because they understand the reality better than anybody else and have rich experience; human history advanced in the course of transforming the world shows well the strength and wisdom of the masses are inexhaustible; no strength in the world is more powerful and no wisdom is greater than those of the people; I worship them as my great teachers.

It was when he gave on-the-spot guidance at a construction site of a power plant. He said that he had come to the site to acquaint himself with the measures taken for the residents to be evacuated from the area which would be submerged, and that it concerned him more than the progress of the project. He continued: Even if it would be a hindrance to the project, you should build new houses for them, and that better than their former ones. Thanks to his meticulous care, there was a happy event that several thousands of families moved into new houses furnished with complete sets of household goods.

Here goes another anecdote. One time an unprecedented flood ravaged a whole city in the country. At that time Kim Jong Il, emphasizing that there should be not even a single death, commanded the rescue operation in person. On his order a large-scale rescue campaign was conducted in a three-dimensional way; helicopters in the air, high-speed transports and amphibious armoured vehicles on water and mechanized units on land. Therefore, even in the disastrous flood that ravaged the city there was not a single death recorded; on the contrary, as pregnant women gave safe birth to their babies, there was an increase in its population.

He regarded the convenience of the people as a top priority and absolute one, and did not allow anything, however trifling, that offended it.

When he visited a steel factory, Kim Jong Il felt the temperature in the smelters's canteen was low. He reprimanded the senior officials of the factory and ensured that they apologized to the workers.

There are so many legend-like anecdotes which tell his utmost love for the people.

He set the improvement of the people's standard of living as a matter of paramount importance and the highest goal of struggle, and continued his on-site guidance tours to realize the people's ideal. Saying that he still had more things to do for the people, but had not enough time, Kim Jong Il devoted himself to the well-being of the people.He spent the whole year 2011, the last year of his life, on the continuous tours of field guidance.

Improving the people's standard of living was his greatest wish.

He visited many units, including the state-run light-industry factories and even small producer's co-operatives of the local industry.

When looking around the consumer goods show in Pyongyang Department Store No. 1 in a sultry weather, he gave instructions that would serve as a guideline in the development of the country's light industry and the improvement of commercial services. He visited a newly built Pothongmun Street Meat and Fish Shop, and the Pyongyang Vegetable Science Institute in order to supply fresh vegetables for the people all the year round. Looking at the flowers in full bloom at the Pyongyang Floriculture Institute he said that more florist stores should be set up,
imagining the people full of joy. During his visit to a noodle house at a mine village he tasted the noodle and dishes, and at the machine factories he acquainted himself with the production of daily necessities.

The Wonhung area on the outskirts of Pyongyang intensively shows how great his devotion to the people is. Thanks to his warm love for the people the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm was built into an earthly paradise, and modernly-equipped bases for fruit processing, stockbreeding and net production as well. When the Taedonggang Terrapin Farm was built, he was greatly satisfied, saying that it was a property of the socialist country to give substantial benefit to the people.

Wherever he visited, people's wishes were translated into reality.

High-quality vinalon cloth began to be produced in a large quantity, and the country's fertilizer industry fed by domestic raw materials was placed on a firmer foundation. A mass-production base of sweetener was upgraded, putting the sweet powder production on an industrial basis.

The traces of his leadership were left in many other units throughout the country, such as the Tudan Duck Farm superbly reconstructed, the Kujang Fish Farm with a bright prospect for the increase in production and the Kosan Fruit Farm being transformed into a large fruit-producing base. Two days before he passed away Kim Jong Il had inspected the Hana Music Information Centre, a combined base of art information, newly built for the betterment of the people's cultural standard, and the Kwangbok Area Supermarket facelifted at the highest level.

He displayed superhuman energy in realizing the people's wishes, continuing his on-site guidance tours, up until he suddenly passed away on train owing to the excessive mental and physical exertion.

The Korean people respect their leader sincerely and ardently, who loved them warmly and dedicated his all for them.

The whole world has been impressed greatly by the Korean people, who writhed in the bitterest sorrow at the news of Kim Jong Il's death.

The venerable image of Kim Jong Il, a benevolent father of the Korean people, will be kept in their hearts most dearly and for all eternity.

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