고생 끝에끝에 낙이낙이 온다온다

Joy comes after hardship.

Radios around the DPRK, December 24th, 1951

As the cold winter sat oppressively over the whole of the Korean peninsula, a pre-recorded radio speech was piped into every settlement and military camp under DPRK control. It would come to be known as one of the most important speeches Kim Il-Sung made during the war, in an effort to reverse the dropping morale after the defeats of October and the long march north.

“Comrades, it is a bright day in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It is a bright day, as the sun shines upon all of us, to be so privileged as to be a part of the first free state in Korea during this century. It is a proud day to be a part of the next chapter of the proud history of our people and our land, to be the next step in the self-sufficiency and martial prowess that we have demonstrated for our whole history in nationhood.

“Comrades, this war has been destructive to our people. The sky-pirates have dropped thousands of bombs upon us, in their efforts at wanton destruction that were used to destroy the Fascists. And yet, their bombs bounce off us as blades bounce off of iron. Their bombs do not damage or destroy our martial spirit or our ability to defend ourselves from their Imperialist designs. I tell you now, when I was engaged in the Guerilla War against the Japanese, I led a raid upon their military encampment which overlooked a bend in the river. Our brave troop used grenade and bayonet to drive the invaders away, and in their cowardice and perfidy they sent airplanes to bomb us. We escaped back into the forests around Mount Paektu, but as we escaped a bomb fell on the path right in front of me.

“I had prepared to sacrifice myself for the lives of my comrades, but the bomb failed to explode. And many such cases have happened in our current war. As it is clear, righteousness is a powerful protectant for those who embrace it. All of us in the north embrace the righteousness and correctness of the revolution. All of us are prepared to defend our republic by arms, as we are so doing in all places of the republic.

“Yet, while our War started as a defense of our sovereignty, it is clear now that it has adopted a larger purpose. It is clear that the war we fight now is not simply for our sovereignty, but for our Liberation. For the Liberation of all of the peninsula, for the freedom and rights and justice administered by the Korean Worker’s Party through the state to reign in all parts of Korea, from Paektu to Busan.

“In that spirit of Revolution, that spirit which was birthed when I fought the Japanese below Paektu’s auspicious peaks - in that spirit of Martial Spirit, exemplified in all Koreans by the brave actions of General Gwon Yul, who drove the imperialist mutts away with a wrathful fury familiar to all of our brave worker-soldiers - in that spirit of Self Sufficiency, exemplified by the Party - I declare our war to be a Fatherland Liberation War, our struggle to be a Righteous People’s Struggle, our cause to be in the spirit of international worker’s freedom.

“Soldiers - I tell you this. You struggle for the purpose of democracy, not just politically but economically. You struggle for your fatherland, for our brave peninsula which has survived the lecherous subjugations of the world. You struggle for the freedom of your sons, for the satisfaction of your fathers. You struggle in the spirit of the Korean Worker’s Party, which inspires all of you as I inspire it.

“Workers - I tell you this. Our work of the nineteen-forties was the proudest accomplishment of our life. Seeing the opening of the Chongjin Locomotive Works, the Kangson Automotive Plant, the Dongpyeong Arsenal, the Kangdong Tractor Factory, and the revitalization of the Su’pung Dam, all in such a short timeline that could only be accomplished through the auspicious guidance of the Korean Worker’s Party brought me pride and joy in boundless measure. I know now, from my efforts to offer on-the-spot guidance at these places, of the damage that the American bombing has wrought. It is terrible to see our accomplishments torn asunder by the Imperialist Evil. But make no mistake, workers: your contributions now will allow our recovery to proceed with a speed that will astound the American dogs, and cause the questioning of their own fatuous economic system to grow. There is One Party in Korea, and that one party is the motivating factor behind our great accomplishments. You function under that party, and that party brings to life our dreams of economic self-sufficiency that the Imperofascist dogs robbed from us.

“Koreans - I tell you this. If it were possible to offer my individual guidance to every worker on the peninsula, then that would become my goal. It is through the party that I am able to reach you. It is through the party that our glorious web of radio transmitters, electrical transformers and telephone cables allow my voice to reach you. It is through the party that our message resonates worldwide, which inspires tens of thousands of foreign workers to come to assist our worker-soldiers in the fight for our freedom.

“All who do their duty will be recognized, both by the magnanimity of the party and by the glory gained thereto through righteous struggle. The Korean People’s Army is the righteous army of freedom and democracy in Korea. Our fight is against imperialist evil, fascist domination, and economic subjugation - conditions which we have only recently removed ourselves from. I am confident in all of your efforts, that we will retain our self-sufficiency and it will shine from every corner of the peninsula. My pride and love for all of you is unceasing.

“Korea is in our hands! Onwards, to liberation, and victory!”