editorial

February 16 this year is the 84th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Kim Jong Il.

Marking the day, the Korean people are looking back with deep emotion upon the career of the Chairman who devoted his all, even his birthdays, to the people.

On February 16 1975, when he was engrossed in his work, an official told him that it was his birthday. He said smilingly that how could he celebrate his birthday and that he never celebrated his birthday, and resumed his work.

Even ordinary people enjoy their birthdays, but the Chairman used to spend his birthdays like ordinary days and yet working more busily.

He spent his birthdays inspecting the Pyongyang General Printing Plant, guiding the screen adaptation of a work of President Kim Il Sung or discussing the issue of improving the people’s living standards.

Although all the people wished he took a good rest on his birthday at least, he further hastened his pace on his journey for the good of the country and people.

February 16 1982 was his 40th birthday.

The then Central People’s Committee of the DPRK awarded the title of DPRK Hero to him in reflection of the unanimous mind of all the people across the country.

That day President Kim Il Sung arranged an informal party and said: Properly speaking, Comrade Kim Jong Il said he would not celebrate his birthday. In fact he has never celebrated it before, except having a meal together with his family at home. But this time I was determined to celebrate his birthday.

That day, too, the Chairman left for another field guidance tour as soon as the simple yet meaningful party was over.

On his 50th birthday when the President blessed him with an ode to him, he hardened his will to be more faithful to the revolution in the future. And true to his pledge, he devoted himself to the country and people till the last moments of his life.

He inspected the then Kumsusan Memorial Palace under construction on his birthday in 1995, the year after the President’s unexpected demise, and visited a frontline post on February 16 2003.

That is why the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un earnestly said: Our General Kim Jong Il was always on the inspection tour for the sake of the country and the people, without having a proper rest even on his birthdays. My heart would not ache this much, if I could have offered the 70th birthday spread to him who had never celebrated his birthday.

A myriad of structures erected on this land and the ever-increasing happiness of the people are associated with the leadership of the Chairman who spent even his birthdays for them.

That is why the Korean people unsparingly dedicate their all efforts to the struggle to build a socialist paradise, which the Chairman desired, on this land without fail.