North Korea emphasized that workers must become true servants of the people, calling for selfless devotion and adherence to party principles. They also reported on seating ordinary workers, including labor innovators, in central positions at the 2024 New Year’s celebration concert, as well as the presentation of credentials by the new Iranian ambassador to North Korea.
On Thursday, the front page of the ruling party’s newspaper Rodong Sinmun urged party officials to practice selfless devotion to the people. It stated that workers should be singularly focused on serving the people, finding joy and fulfillment in their service.
The second page reported that during the New Year’s celebration concert on January 1, labor innovators, meritorious individuals, overseas operation unit honorees, and athletes and artists were seated in the central area typically reserved for party and state leaders. This was presented as a reward for their contributions to the nation. The paper also noted that Chairman Kim Jong Un received the credentials of Masoud Pezeshkian, the new ambassador from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Page 3 highlighted party discipline, asserting that unwavering commitment to party principles and a relentless fighting spirit are hallmarks of true revolutionaries. The newspaper recounted an anecdote about anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Kang Gun, emphasizing that Kim Il Sung’s ideology and policies are the lifeblood and essence of communists.
The fourth page underscored achievements in the power sector, declaring that increasing power production is now a critical issue. It outlined this year’s objectives for the Pukchang Thermal Power Complex, including major overhauls of power generation facilities, implementing a decentralized control system, and establishing a compressed slag wool production process. The paper asserted that when Pukchang thrives, the entire economy gains momentum.
Page 5 reported on the ongoing popularity of the TV series The New Spring of Baekhakbeol, featuring coverage of the filming location in Baeksok-ri, Sincheon County. The newspaper noted that some residents bear resemblance to the drama’s protagonists, Byung-wook and Cha Juk-soon, and claimed that the show has strengthened community bonds.
The sixth page criticized capitalism, stating that the wealth gap is an undeniable feature of capitalism and epitomizes extreme inequality. Citing Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century, the paper argued that it has been proven that the rate of return on capital consistently surpasses the rate of economic growth, asserting that this widening disparity has become a long-term trend in capitalist societies.