You're never going to keep me down

Kim Jong Il is back. Despite those rumours from South Korean intelligence, three weeks ago, that he had been arrested by his own military, the state run Korean Central News Agency reports today that he is as full as beans as ever, pounding the revolutionary sites and taking in a grove of "slogan-bearing trees".

I attache the text of the KCNA report below. Um, don't feel that you have to read it all the way to the end . . .

And here's a snap commentary on this week's round of Six Party Talks written for Times Online.

Kim Jong Il Provides Field Guidance to Chongjin

PYONGYANG, February 7 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il provided field guidance to the work related to the revolutionary sites in the city of Chongjin. He acquainted himself in detail about the management of the revolutionary sites and the education through them, going round the statue of President Kim Il Sung in Ranam District, the Malum Revolutionary Site and a room for the preservation and education in slogan-bearing trees.

He expressed his satisfaction at the fact that the officials and other Party members and working people in the field of the preservation of revolutionary sites have established a perfect system for the eternal preservation of valuable historic relics and spruced up the sites while conducting the effective education in the revolutionary traditions among the people and the servicepersons.

The anti-Japanese forerunners covered thorny roads, crossing steep mountains and pulling through all sorts of ordeals under the guidance of Kim Il Sung, thus making a history of unprecedented resistance at the cost of their blood and sweat that won the admiration of the world people, he said, adding: The spirit of devotedly defending the leader and the indomitable revolutionary spirit displayed by the anti-Japanese guerrillas are now being inherited by our servicepersons and people.

Noting that the brilliant revolutionary traditions created by the President in the period of the long-drawn anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle serve as the strong roots of our Party and revolution, he said that the Korean revolution is winning victory after victory because these traditions of Juche are being steadfastly carried forward and developed generation after generation.

The steady education in the revolutionary traditions conducted by our Party in the past helped our army and people bravely overcome unprecedented difficulties and unswervingly follow the road of revolution, he said, stressing that the strengthened education in the revolutionary traditions provides a fundamental guarantee for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause pioneered by a leader.

He advanced important tasks which would serve as guidelines in managing the battle sites and intensifying the education through them, noting that the revolutionary sites are priceless treasures of the revolution and an important educational centre for arming all the Party members and other working people, the servicepersons and youth and children with the revolutionary traditions of our Party.

As there are in North Hamgyong Province many revolutionary sites, eternal treasures of our Party and people, the province should pay special attention to the preservation and management of those sites, he said.

He underlined the need for all the Party members and other working people to more thoroughly apply the revolutionary and fighting spirit and life style of the anti-Japanese guerillas to all aspects of work and life in steady response to the Party's slogan "Let us produce, study and live like the anti-Japanese guerrillas did!" and thus work miracles and perform exploits in the general advance of the Songun revolution.

He was accompanied by Chief Secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK Hong Sok Hyong, Secretary of the WPK Central Committee Kim Ki Nam, Department Director of the WPK Central Committee Pak Nam Gi.

Comments

[Firozali A. Mulla MBA PhD]

We always have new breed of politicians. Some for education some for population, some for wars, some for famine, some for terrorism, some for railways tickets hike some for independence of that small piece that was not mine, some for the lying always. Now we have the new one here he is in person. And I think he is serious as Bush and Blaire avoid him. In fact they have gone to Vietnam to see with the telescope what is this politician doing to the public.
He advanced important tasks which would serve as guidelines in managing the battle sites and intensifying the education through them, noting that the revolutionary sites are priceless treasures of the revolution and an important educational centre for arming all the Party members and other working people, the servicepersons and youth and children with the revolutionary traditions of our Party.