Rodong Sinmun, the daily propaganda publication of the Chosun Workers’ Party declared on the 13th, “All the brakes by which war on this land can be stopped by the despicable American imperialists and their South Chosun puppets have been totally released. All Party and workers’ organizations are working in a wartime posture.”
In an article entitled, ‘Everything to a War Footing,’ it went on, “Ever since the statement was made by the spokesman for the Supreme Command, we have been in a turbulent situation, able to go to war at any time.”
This does not mean that a quasi-state of war or a state of war has been declared. Rather, the article is referring to an administrative state in which work continues largely as normal but with preparations for war in place. In the words of the article, workers must have a rifle in one hand, but in the other there remain the tools of labor.
North Korea has only declared the more serious ‘quasi-state of war’ twice since the Korean War came to an end; the first time was during the 1968 USS Pueblo incident, and the second was at the time of Pyongyang’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty in 1993.
Nevertheless, the article went on, “If the Marshal [Kim Jong Eun] hands down the order, our enemies are doomed.”
“We will not even come close to forgiving the U.S. Imperialists and their supporters for their illegal and immoral acts of blatant robbery,” it said, before warning, “If even the merest spark touches any part of our sacred land, sea or sky, we will not miss the golden opportunity and will completely destroy the enemy bases, including Seoul and Washington.”
In another of today’s articles entitled ‘Craze for Wartime Tunes,’ Rodong Sinmun stated, “Wartime tunes are not simply melodies; they are a statement of love for our Republic as a nuclear-possessing and satellite-launching state,” adding, “They are a declaration of confidence in our final victory.”
