Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and Supreme Commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, inspected the site of reconstruction in disaster-stricken Kimhwa County.
He was accompanied by Pak Jong Chon, Ri Il Hwan, Kim Yong Su, Jo Yong Won, Kim Yo Jong, Pak Thae Song and Hyon Song Wol.
He was greeted by the chairman of the Kimhwa County Party committee and a vice-minister of the People’s Armed Forces and other commanding officers seconded to the reconstruction site in the eastern area of the country.
The soldier-builders who turned out in the campaign for recovering from damage in the eastern area, true to the idea and spirit of the 16th meeting of the Political Bureau of the 7th WPK Central Committee, wrought a miracle of having brought about the brilliant creation in the era of the Workers’ Party in the area striken by natural disasters in a short period spanning 40-odd days by displaying patriotic dedication.
Looking round the reconstruction site, Kim Jong Un learned in detail about the damage to dwelling houses, farmland and the sectors of transport, land and environment, urban management, electric power, and telecommunications in the area and about the progress in the recovery.
He said he vividly recalled the mid-August day when a helicopter was used to learn about the situation of disaster as over 900-mm disastrous downpour cut off even the roads and when he was shocked to hear the horrifying report that more than 1 000 dwelling houses were destroyed, adding that they all seem to have happened just yesterday.
Hearing the report that about 88 percent of total project has been done for several-storey houses in the township area and single-storey houses in the ri area of the county for nearly 1 000 families, he said with great satisfaction that the People’s Army is making world-startling achievements under the energetic leadership and meticulous guidance of our Party.
He said he was greatly impressed by the patriotic deeds and revolutionary fighting stamina of the soldiers of the People’s Army who brought about another miraculous event in the wake of the recovery of Kangbuk-ri, Kumchon County, adding that such results brought about by the People’s Army is the spiritual wealth most valued by our Party, rather than a simple material creation.
He said the noble mental and moral traits of the People’s Army, with which it creates a thing out of nothing and turns misfortune into a blessing by displaying indefatigable mental power with a firm resolution to go through thick and thin without any slightest vacillation and hesitation despite in whatever disasters and hardships if they are for the sake of our Party and our people and for the prosperity of our country, are the key secret to creating all miracles on this land.
He repeatedly asked the chairman of the county Party committee if the residents of the county were pleased with the houses and, upon hearing that they were all happy with them, he said he had nothing more to wish. He said in real earnest that nothing would be more pleasing and worthwhile if the people take back their happy life in modern dwelling houses suited to the ideal, civilized society free from the backwardness of the times that the Party has planned to build.
The chairman of the county Party committee and the commanding officers of the construction unit told him that, watching the wonderful dwelling houses being built in a lightning speed despite difficulties and hardships, according to the measures taken by the Party, the residents in the area said that houses are being built faster than making a meal and they were so happy to have strong houses enough to stand with whatever disasters. Hearing this, he said he was encouraged by their frank and unreserved feedback. Noting that the built houses have yet to be evaluated by the people, he stressed that all the processes of reconstruction ranging from designing and construction should be carried out on the principle of giving first and foremost importance to the people and from the viewpoint of respecting them.
He said one thing he felt regretful about while looking round the houses built in the afflicted area is that their designs are monotonous. He noted that he wished they had been given peculiarity on the principle of meeting the advantageous cultural and regional characteristics of the area and the people’s convenience and demands, and the artistic harmony with the surrounding environment and diversity had been appropriately combined. He referred to the tendency that should be strictly guarded against and be overcome in the designing sector and gave detailed teachings about the Party’s key idea of the construction policy.
He said that designing is important but, as he had already stressed, the present situation when construction is making rapid progress in Pyongyang and local areas, requires the building-materials industry sector to keep pace with the speed of the rapidly-developing construction of the country. He stressed that it becomes urgent policy tasks to actively develop and produce modern and efficient construction equipment and tools and implements so as to radically raise the level of mechanization in the local construction sector as well as in Pyongyang and preserve diversity of building materials in local areas.
He underscored the need to plant more trees in the township and mountains around it and cover plants in the residential quarters so as to further improve the natural and ecological environment there.
In keeping with the change in Kimhwa County, local industry factories should be modernized on a yearly basis and production be vitalized to improve the economic life of the county and steadily enhance the material living standards of people, he stressed.
Repeatedly praised the fact that this time, too, the People’s Army is making tremendous contributions to the socialist local construction which embodies the demands and aspiration of the working masses, he said that the solider-builders should bear deep in mind that architecture is an epitome of the level of ideology and culture in which the height of ideology and civilization in the times is intuitively reflected. He asked them to display staunch fighting spirit and stamina with immense loyalty and filial devotion for the Party and the people and present a great pleasure to the people by more wonderfully and quickly building standard and modern dwelling houses preserving local peculiarity, in line with high civilization desired by our Party and the state and with the same sincerity with which they would make when they build their native houses.
On his way to and from Kimhwa County, he learned about farming on the fields affected by natural disasters in several areas.
Noting that good crops are expected unlike the time when the fields were damaged by floods, he said clear traces of having recovered from the flood damage could be found in all plots. He said such a result could be possible thanks to the patriotic devotion and efforts made by farmers, despite unprecedented damage, and spoke highly of their efforts to preserve valuable crops to the last.
Even though the wildness of nature swept away a lot of things in a moment, the afflicted areas have been face-lifted with the construction of new wonderful houses and the damage to crops has been minimized to have a promising crop yield not less than that in the peak year, he said, stressing with confidence that, though this year is full of unprecedented hardships, it would be recorded as a year of great victory with more particularly worthwhile struggle.
The present hardships have never discouraged us but made us grow stronger and make further progress and let us know how loyal, patriotic and strong our people are, he said, noting that he is greatly emboldened by such faithful people and he keenly feels again that there would be no difficulties insurmountable.
All the builders were deeply moved by the dedication Kim Jong Un made to provide the people in the afflicted areas with a cradle of happiness at an early date, and they firmly resolved to share the intention and keep pace with the Party Central Committee and make final charge for the completion of the houses in the spirit of devotedly carrying out the Party’s instructions.
KCNA
