North Korea has urged its party officials not to be complacent with their achievements in the first half of the year and to stay vigilant in the second half of the year. This appears to be a warning against the loosening of tension and work attitudes among the workers.
On July 11, The Workers’ Party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published an editorial titled “Let’s Demonstrate Extraordinary Commitment and Tenacity in Executing the Five-Year Plan.” It emphasized, “When the high skills of the workers are backed by extraordinary dedication and strong execution power, the struggle in the second half of the year will lead to greater achievements.”
It then evaluated that the plans for the 12 key economic points in the first half of the year were completed without significant deviation and urged, “Without complacency in the small achievements, all sectors, units, and regions should widen their strides and amplify their struggle achievements.”
North Korea, which held a plenary meeting for three days from June 28, has boasted about its achievements in some economic sectors. It appears to be urging workers to remain vigilant in the second half of the year as well.
The newspaper emphasized the workers’ attitudes on this day, saying, “In the execution of the second half of the year’s plan, minor deviations or gaps cannot be compensated by anything,” adding, “The firm and unwavering will of the party central is to make this year a year of new transformation by achieving more expanded and significant achievements than last year. The key here is the workers’ dedication and execution power.”
The newspaper also ordered, “We must break away from the wrong business practices that do not stand up to revolutionary mass relations, including mechanical and schematic work attitudes, formalism, superficial behavior, subjectivity and dogmatism, and bureaucracy. We should strive and struggle under new determination and resolution.”
It also emphasized loyalty to the workers, saying, “Loyalty is manifested in practice,” adding, “A worker who unconditionally implements the Party Central Committee’s ideas and decision directives with a decisive resolution and struggle is a real revolutionary and a true loyalist.”
In January 2021, North Korea announced its five-year national economic development plan at the 8th Party Congress, and this year marks the fourth year of that plan. With only about a year and a half left to complete this plan, it seems to be focusing on pushing workers as it further highlights the importance of the second half of this year.
The newspaper also emphasized, “If we are to secure a definitive guarantee for the completion of the five-year plan (for national economic development) this year, all workers must demonstrate extraordinary dedication and strong execution power to unconditionally implement the policy tasks presented in front of their respective sectors and units.”