He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won and Ri Il Hwan, Secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, and relevant cadres of the Central Committee of the WPK.
He was greeted by Ri Hi Yong, Chief Secretary of the North Phyongan Provincial Committee of the WPK, and commanding officers of the Korean People's Army units and the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade involved in the reconstruction project.
Thanks to the dynamic patriotic efforts of all the builders who rose up as one in hearty response to the militant call of the Central Committee of the WPK to turn the flood-hit areas into ideal "cultured country town" by building dwelling houses as civilized and modern as those in cities, the flood-hit farm villages on islets of the northwestern part of the country that suffered a disaster are revealing their new appearances day after day to fully demonstrate the beautiful reality of the advantageous socialist system of the Korean style and instil confidence and optimism about the future.
Going round the areas under reconstruction in Ojok-ri of Uiju County and Hadan-ri of the city of Sinuiju,
He said he always had a heavy heart for the memory of the heart-rending sight of the flooded villages he had seen during the emergency rescue of the local people from flood risk just some months ago, but now he is really pleased to see sturdy banks and rural houses of various urban styles rising up competitively as they boast of their original form in the safe zone. We made a worthwhile and correct decision and have brought about a great change with our own efforts by believing in them, he said happily.
He highly praised the brilliant feats and innovations of the builders, expressing great satisfaction over the fact that the KPA, which has successfully fulfilled its sacred mission as the army of the Party and the people, and the young people, who have always lived up to the honourable reputation as the reliable reserve and pathfinder of the Party, are making remarkable successes in building with their unique courage, true to the call of the country and the revolution, at the reconstruction sites of the flood-hit areas, the forefront for defending the people.
He said:
We have come to believe in our strength once again through the on-going huge rehabilitation campaign and I regard it as mental wealth more important than any other results. We are deeply experiencing our own tremendous strength once again and have become fairly convinced that the spirit of self-development and self-determination and the single-hearted unity of our society, in which all the people help and lead one another forward through a sacred patriotic struggle, are getting stronger.
We should take due pride in the one and only spirit and force which are exclusive to our great state in the world and which no one else can stop, and uninterruptedly create a prouder and more fulfilling future through the demonstration of the inexhaustible spirit and strength. We should make fine achievements as we have intended by continuously waging an all-out, honourable and patriotic campaign for the people who suffered misfortune and for healing the wounds of the country that suffered a natural disaster.
A good start is important in any work, but a good ending is more important. The appraisal of the rehabilitation will be decided by how the remaining assignments are carried out.
He greatly encouraged the builders, calling on them to achieve greater innovative success in the concluding period by carrying on the intensive struggle with a heightened sense of responsibility, strenuous efforts and great courage.
Noting that it is necessary to reinforce the construction forces with more skilled workers and take some state measures in order to qualitatively finish the projects, he told officials to take relevant measures. And he decided to complete the rehabilitation campaign at the highest level before the Party plenary meeting to be held in December and gave them detailed instructions as to successfully accelerating the reconstruction project.
He continued to say:
The season has changed so soon after our young people and service personnel left for the reconstruction sites in hot summer. In the meantime, a "cultured country town" has taken shape in the disaster-stricken areas which were covered with mud, and the change our young people brought about through their creative struggle is faster than the change of season.
Praising the young people and service personnel once again for having done a great deal of work to be honourable before the country and the times, he affirmed that a history of tremendous change would soon be written in the area thanks to the indomitable struggle of the dependable builders who dedicate their patriotic sweat to every structure.
All the builders, who have risen up once again to attain the goal of sacred struggle with redoubled ambitious pluck and fighting spirit that they can lift even the earth as they are trusted by