Opinion

The Day of the Shining Star (February 16) is drawing nearer.

With immense yearning for Chairman Kim Jong Il pervading the whole country, the Korean people look back with deep emotion on the long journey of devotion the peerlessly great man made for his country and people.  

The history of his revolutionary leadership spanning half a century was a journey which began with going among the people and which was consistent with love for and dedication to them, and they were always cherished deep in his mind.

Kim Jong Il encapsulated the will and demands of the masses of the people to formulate the line and policies, always shared joys and sorrows with them and found himself among them in hard times to arouse them.

His energetic field guidance tours made for the people brought about world-startling miracles and changes in the 1960s when a milestone was set for a radical turn in the building and activities of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the 1970s and 1980s replete with creations and changes.

The Korean people still remember the unprecedentedly gruelling forced march of field guidance he made in the period of severe trials for the country. 

During the Arduous March when everything was in short supply and difficult he unveiled a grand plan for building a thriving nation which no one could imagine and continued his high-intensity forced march for economic construction and improvement of the people’s livelihood.

He inspected every nook and cranny of the country, such as construction sites of power stations, factories, mines, smelteries, light industry factories and fruit and fish farms, and he went on the forced march in the face of biting cold, heavy snowfall, scorching heat and downpour.

As he provided energetic guidance with untiring selfless efforts on his inspection tours, he initiated such ambitious nature-harnessing projects as large-scale land rezoning, kept setting higher goals and discovered good methods and methodologies for creating miracles. In that course, the torch of new revolutionary upsurges and the flames of the industrial revolution in the new century were kindled and national dignity and strength were boosted as never before. 

He spent December 2011, the last month of his life, and his last day making field inspection tours.

On the first Sunday that December he visited the Amusement Park of the Kaeson Youth Park to look round the amusement facilities to be used by the people and give precious teachings. And he inspected the Hana Music Information Centre and the Kwangbok Area Supermarket on December 15, two days before he passed away, and was on the train for on-the-spot guidance at the last moment of his life.

For field inspection, he covered some 669 844 kilometres, the equivalent of a travel round the earth nearly 17 times.

The great life of the Chairman shining with the word “people” goes on as there is the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.

Thanks to the all-consuming love for the people of General Secretary Kim Jong Un, who holds the people President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il entrusted to him in high esteem as much as he does the great leaders, the wealth of the people increases and their dreams and ideals come true. Witnessing the reality, the Korean people fondly recollect the noble revolutionary life of the Chairman who devoted his whole life for the good of the people.