North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced plans to significantly boost the country's nuclear arsenal, including the mass production of nuclear weapons and the upgrade of its nuclear capabilities.
His speech at the key party meeting in Pyongyang comes in response to what North Korea calls escalating hostile actions from the United States and South Korea in the region.
Below is the independently translated full text transcript of North Korea's official KCNA agency's original report covering the meeting and Kim Jong Un's speech at "the expanded meeting of the 6th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea":
When Comrade Kim Jong -un stepped on the podium, stormy cheers of “hurray!” filled the hall.
The Politburo of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea commissioned Comrade Kim Jong -un to preside over the plenary meeting.
Referring to the experience and lessons accumulated through the stubborn struggle in 2022 and practical progress, Comrade Kim Jong -un said that this plenary meeting will reveal the course of a new leap forward, set the most accurate and effective strategy, open the way to national development, and achieve greater success for the people.
He declared the opening of the 6th plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Party, saying that it should serve as an opportunity to give confidence and optimism, and that members of the Central Guiding Body of the Party should exercise high responsibility and initiative for this purpose.
Comrade General Secretary evaluated the achievements made in 2022 in which the Party and the people of our country have been firmly united and continued to achieve dynamic development despite the arduous struggle.
Remarkable successes and progress have been made in our Party's activities and self-strengthening.
The Party Central Committee orientated the overall direction of Party activities in the perfect implementation of the decisions of the 8th 4th and 5th Plenary Meetings, and led the whole Party and the entire Party by practicing leadership even in the face of rapid and severe changes in the internal and external situation. He vigorously guided the people toward continuous progress and development, thoroughly maintained the leadership style of responding boldly and promptly, further refined his guiding force and elevated the united might of the revolutionary ranks to an exceptionally high level.
Substantial measures have been implemented to reinforce important links that are key to strengthening party work throughout the party, and the theory for building a new era that guarantees the party's centenary and millennium future has been established. A weapon was prepared.
Resolving the historic task of formalizing the nuclear force policy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea into law at the most critical and most critical juncture, establishing a safety guarantee for ten thousand years and clearly imprinting the strategic status of the DPRK in the world is a testament to our Party's resolute independence and self-defense. It is a display of ideology and has greater power than any other political event, both from the viewpoint of leading changes in the world political structure and from the viewpoint of raising the trajectory of national development to a new height.
The report analyzed and evaluated the dramatic changes achieved in strengthening national defense and fighting against the enemy.
It is the great pride of our Party, the government of the Republic and the people that we waged a relentless struggle to strengthen our national defense capabilities, further strengthening our strength and developing formidable military might.
Even in the flow of the eventful and conflicting international political situation, our Party's basic principle of safeguarding national interests and enhancing national prestige was successfully carried out, thereby dealing a severe blow to the high-handedness, arbitrariness and policy of US imperialism toward Korea in line with the Party's strategic plan and decision.
The report outlined the remarkable achievements made in economic and cultural construction.
In the construction of the Hwaseong and Ryeonpo districts, which were set forth as the most important tasks in the field of construction, great achievements symbolizing the struggle in 2022 were created, and objects of important significance in economic growth and improvement of people's living standards were completed.
The struggle for the realization of the new program for rural revolution has begun in earnest, model dwellings representing the new era of rural development have been built in cities and counties across the country, and efforts have been made to improve economic management, national crisis response capabilities and the country's level of civilization. Business was actively developed.
Comrade General Secretary said that 2022 was a time that was by no means meaningless and that we have certainly moved forward. He declared that it was a costly victory that only our great people could win and an immortal feat that would shine in the history of the country.
Comrade General Secretary, by staunchly defending and carrying out Party policies through the toughest and bravest struggle unknown in history, demonstrates the country's honor, dignity and stature to the whole world, and sets 2022 as an important milestone in opening a new phase of upsurge in our revolution. On behalf of the Party Central Committee, he expressed his warm gratitude to all the Party members and people throughout the country who have been shining through the years.
The year 2023, which will commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory in the Fatherland Liberation War and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Republic, by carrying out the tasks of the third year, which has a key significance in realizing the five-year plan proposed by the 8th Congress of the Party, is the course of our socialist development and the development of the Republic. Calling this year an important turning point in the history of socialism, the general secretary proposed as the overall direction of the New Year's work to build a decisive guarantee for the completion of the five-year plan by further expanding and developing the all-people struggle to open a new phase in socialist construction.
Comrade General Secretary said let's make 2023 a year of great transition and transformation that will be engraved on the development course of the Republic by further doubling the fighting spirit of 2022 and making all-out efforts in achieving this year's goals and carrying out newly raised prospective tasks.
Comrade General Secretary laid out various tasks for ensuring the stable development of the national economy and bringing about practical changes in improving the people's living standards.
The report sets 2023 as a year of great strides in national economic development, with higher goals and vast tasks for the completion of the five-year plan for national economic development. It was set as the central task of economic work to basically complete the maintenance and reinforcement plan determined by the party congress while stimulating production in overall sectors and units.
Comrade General Secretary said that despite the fact that our Party has made a strong struggle to thoroughly implement the idea of self-reliance presented by the great leader and eliminate defeatism and techno-mysticism in all the administrations of socialist construction, from the founding of the state, these old ideological tendencies are still subtle. He took stern measures against some of the economic officials who, under cover, continued to lie dormant like an endemic disease or an indigenous disease.
The plenary session dealt a decisive and serious blow to the old ideology that still tries to bargain on the principle of self-reliance without shaking off dependence on other people's technology, and it is a clear solution to all the remnants of wrong ideas that are obstructing our business under the guise of an objective environment. It was acknowledged that the struggle for
Comrade General Secretary ardently and militantly appealed to the working class and scientists and technicians in key sectors important for the successful development of the national economy to overcome the impasse of the revolution with our own efforts, holding high the fighting spirit and banner of the 1960s and 70s once again. it was hash
The report set the economic indicators and 12 important highlands to be achieved in each sector of the national economy in the new year as basic targets, specified the methods of occupation in detail, and ensured that the implementation of the plan for 2023 would lead to the implementation of the mid- to long-term strategy for economic development. However, he emphasized the importance of strategy and guidance.
It is a revolution that brings a century-old change, and the construction of dwelling houses, which is the most welcomed project by the people, is set as the first important policy task, and in the third year of the construction of houses for 50,000 households in Pyongyang, the capital construction is expanded more widely, and Hwaseong District 2 Along with the construction of 10,000 households in stages, a new street for 3,700 households should be formed, and greater efforts should be put into rural construction based on the experience accumulated in 2022.
The report raised bringing about practical changes in the people's lives as a policy task that our Party attaches great importance to and pursues with great care, and specified the tasks and methods to be given thorough importance in the agricultural sector.
In sectors directly related to people's lives, including light industry, local industry, convenience service, fisheries, and urban management, realistic and rational business systems and methods must be sought and unconditionally implemented so that the policies of the Party and the state can reach the people accurately. do.
The report clearly recognizes the importance of science and technology, which plays a pivotal role in the development of the national economy and the improvement of people's living standards, and mentions the need to strictly adhere to the Party's principle of attaching importance to science and technology and prioritizing science and technology, and raising the country's level of science and technology to a new high level. The direction of innovation to raise it to the top was specified.
The report expanded the achievements and experiences achieved in various fields of socialist cultural construction, including education and health, during the course of the struggle in 2022, and dealt with principles and methodological issues for overcoming biases.
Comrade General Secretary pointed out the need to actively organize and properly lead the socialist patriotic movement and the revolutionary mass movement, which are a powerful driving force for national revival and development.
Saying that we should turn our primary attention to firmly upholding and carrying on the tradition of fidelity, a tradition unique to the Korean revolution, and the tradition of patriotism, a tradition unique to our state, and advancing the revolution with the great strength of loyalty and patriotism, Comrade General Secretary Comrade General Secretary said that we should advance the revolution with the great strength of loyalty and patriotism. He clarified the principled issues arising in actively organizing and developing various popular patriotic movements in working people's organizations.
In his report, an important policy decision was announced to spur the strengthening of the self-reliant defense capability based on the analysis of the current situation of north-south relations and external challenges that seriously threaten peace and security in the region.
Recently, the United States and its hostile forces have been dealt a serious blow by the rapid advancement of our military power and the launch of the world's only nuclear decree. They are clinging to extreme maneuvers to isolate and stifle the Korean Peninsula, where they cannot find the North Korean leader.
Entering 2022, the United States frequently pushes various nuclear strike means into South Korea at the level of regular deployment, raising the level of military pressure on the Republic of Korea to the maximum, while promoting the realization of trilateral cooperation with Japan and South Korea in earnest, It is concentrating on forming a new military package like the “Asian version of NATO” under the signboard of "Strengthening the Alliance" .
Under the banner of dealing with the "threat," South Korea is frantic with reckless and dangerous military buildup while actively engaging in hostile military activities and taking on challenges with a confrontational attitude.
The created situation demands redoubled efforts to strengthen the overwhelming military power that can thoroughly guarantee the sovereignty, security and fundamental interests of the Republic in response to the worrisome military behavior of the US and hostile forces, which are aiming directly at the DPRK.
His report emphasized the importance of strengthening nuclear force, and said that although war deterrence and protection of peace and stability are regarded as the first mission of our nuclear force, if deterrence fails, the second mission will be fulfilled as well, and the second mission is obviously defense.
The task of developing another intercontinental ballistic missile system with a rapid nuclear counterattack capability as its basic mission is presented in accordance with the strategy and prayers of the DPRK and the DPRK government for strengthening the nuclear force to resolutely safeguard the DPRK's absolute dignity, sovereignty and right to survival.
In addition, the current situation in which the South Korean puppets, who see our state as a “main enemy” and openly trumpet about “preparations for war,” are undoubtedly approaching us as our obvious enemy, highlights the importance and necessity of mass production of tactical nuclear weapons.
While demanding an exponential increase in nuclear weapons arsenal, he declared a transformative upgrade strategy for the development of nuclear force and national defense in 2023 with this as the basic direction.
The State Space Development Agency stated that it would launch the first military satellite of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea within the shortest period of time by advancing the reconnaissance satellite and carrier launch vehicle preparation project, which is being pursued in the final stage.
The report put forward as an important task the question of strengthening the political and ideological and military-technical power of the People's Army, and the main body of national defense.
The year 2023, which marks the 70th anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War and the 60th anniversary of the presentation of the "A-match-for-a-hundred" slogan, is to strengthen the political and ideological might of the armed forces of the Republic in every way based on the direction of military construction declared at the 8th Party Congress and important party meetings. This year, it should be made into a year that causes a transition in preparation for war mobilization and enhancement of actual warfare capabilities.
The report highly praises the dedication and meritorious deeds of the working class, scientists and officials in the munitions industry sector who successfully carried out the major defense policy tasks presented by our Party through the intense production assault struggle and scientific research struggle throughout the year, and the new year should be occupied. Armed equipment development and production goals were presented.
The report revealed the central tasks of the South Korean and foreign sectors based on the analysis of the external environment of our revolution.
As the structure of international relations is clearly transformed into a “new cold war” system and the trend of multipolarization is further accelerating, our Party and the government of the Republic must thoroughly adhere to the external and external issues that must be thoroughly maintained for the sake of enhancing national prestige, defending national rights, defending national interests, and for regional peace and security. Business principles were emphasized.
In particular, the concrete direction of countermeasures against the US and against the US was declared to move from the principle of head-to-head fight against the enemy to more reliable and reliable our physical strength. It also sounded an alarm to countries that began to lock their feet in usurping the divine dignity and sovereignty of the people.
In his report, Comrade General Secretary clarified important issues arising in consolidating and developing the state social system of the country and giving play to its superiority and might.
When the socialist legal system is further improved and strengthened, the original nature of our system as a true people's country where the law protects the people and the people abide by the law is actively maintained, Party policies and state policies are correctly implemented, the purity of the revolutionary ranks and the consolidation and development of our style of socialism can be further enhanced.
Raised in the report were the principled issues arising in readjusting the state management structure system in a practical way and in improving the work attitude and style of officials as required by the changing and developing circumstances and the intensified struggle for socialist construction.
Comrade General Secretary mentioned important issues, directions for improvement and principled issues to ensure the prospective development of the party by strengthening the combat capability of party organizations at all levels and fundamentally improving party affairs and cadres' work, and consolidating the unique political climate of our party.
A turnaround must take place in the work of all party organizations and party forces, especially the provincial party committees and provincial party chief secretaries, the political staff of the region.
The General Secretary warmly appealed to the leading officials, who are fully responsible for the work of all fields of the revolution and the destiny of Party policies, to make decisive progress in carrying out their duties to live up to the trust and expectations of the Party and the people with their high sense of loyalty and devoted service at the most critical and responsible time in the history of the development of the Republic and thus powerfully demonstrate to the world how the WPK shouldering the destiny of the country and the people overcomes trials and advance towards a greater victory through new year's struggle.
All the participants expressed full support and approval with a big clap to the report which proudly reviewed the all-people struggle of 2022 that made brilliant achievements in the spirit of fortitude and clearly indicated our advance orientations and keys to making a leap forward under the changing revolutionary situation.
... [party executives and other appointments announced, party targets discussed]
Comrade Kim Jong -un gave a closing speech:
Our struggle is an unprecedented and grandiose feat of advancing toward new change and development, comprehensive development of socialist construction, rather than simply enduring the difficulties we face and maintaining and preserving ourselves.
Even in the new year, our struggle will be accompanied by difficult trials and difficulties, but we must move forward vigorously toward a new horizon of national development with firm conviction in our achievements and confidence in our own strength.
We will resolutely overcome the challenges and difficulties we encounter every step of the way on our own, not by any luck or outside help, and accelerate our advance into the new era according to our plans and resolutions and according to the timetable we have set.
Comrade General Secretary declared the meeting closed, expressing firm conviction that the decisions of the plenary meeting would lead to steady execution and practical transformation thanks to the high party spirit, revolutionary spirit and dedication of all the participants, and a new heyday of the development of the party and revolution would unfold endlessly.
All participants burst into cheers of enthusiasm in honor of the dignified General Secretary of the Party, who opened the way for strengthening the whole party and national revival with his extraordinary ideological and theoretical foresight, refined leadership art, and restless devotion, and led it incessantly.
