A scene of firework display on December 2 in celebration of the completion of the construction of Samjiyon City. (Photo KCNA)

YEARENDERBy Kim Rye YongThe Korean people look back on the year 2019 with great pride and self-confidence.Though hostile forces persisted in imposing vicious sanctions on the DPRK throughout the year, the Koreans overcame all the difficulties to win a brilliant victory.Cheers of hurrah for socialism and the people’s laughter rang out more loudly across the country as huge construction projects were completed successfully, considerable progress was achieved in making the national economy Juche-oriented, modern, informatized and science-based, consumer goods favoured by the people were produced in large quantities and rich crop harvests and big fish hauls were gathered in farm fields and fishing grounds.All these triumphs have been brought about by the single-minded unity of the DPRK."The buildings we have built are not merely the structures made up of concrete and reinforcement bars but the embodiment of our ardent yearning for the Supreme Leader and the outcome of the unswerving loyalty of all the shock brigade members who are determined to bring his intentions into fruition," said a leading official of the Construction Division 216 undertaking the Samjiyon City project.Having said in his New Year Address that huge construction projects for national prosperity and the people’s wellbeing should be pushed ahead in a bold manner this year, too, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un continuously inspected major fields of a powerful socialist country building to set higher tasks, indicate the best ways to complete them and encourage working people to further efforts.On his visit to the construction site of Samjiyon in April, he said its reconstruction was a fierce class and political struggle against hostile forces who were trying to check the advance of the DPRK and the victorious completion of the project would be a demonstration of its might and economic potentials.His words heartened all the builders and other people across the country.Though Samjiyon has only a few months favourable for construction due to the severe weather conditions in the northern area of the country, it seethed all the year round with the builders who rose up in hearty response to his call. New construction methods were invented in succession to push ahead with the project uninterruptedly and the work continued all night long at the brightly lit construction site. All the builders found their happiness in completing their tasks even a day or an hour earlier than scheduled and they mustered strength and courage from their yearning for the Supreme Leader in growing adversities.Construction miracles were performed in succession in the Yangdok hot spring resort project.The Korean People's Army soldiers who follow the orders of their Supreme Commander without question brought about a sea change in Yangdok County in less than a year by conducting a construction campaign day and night as they went into cold mud and icy river in the dead of winter to lay the foundations and gather gravel.Farmers reaped a good harvest despite unfavourable weather since they cherished the instructions of the Supreme Leader who had told them to meet again after raising better crops.The Korean people uphold the intentions of their leader with all their heart as it is his will to believe in the people more firmly in the face of manifold challenges and difficulties, exalt the honour of the country together with them and go staunchly along the road for their wellbeing.The single-hearted unity of the leader and the people sharing the same intention and feeling--it is the source of strength that enabled the DPRK to clinch all these victories in the year 2019.(Pyongyang Times - December 27, 2019)