A recent directive from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on all provinces to “make preparations for people to enjoy a bountiful Lunar New Year,” Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in South Pyongan Province told Daily NK on Tuesday that “on Jan. 8, provincial party committees received the directive ordering them to ensure that people enjoy a warm and abundant lunar holiday. The instructions were also sent to all city and county-level party committees.”
The directive began by expressing Kim’s satisfaction with reports that people had been able to enjoy the recent New Year celebrations with their family, friends, and neighbors.
It emphasized the importance of enabling people to enjoy an even more abundant lifestyle and a warmer, more meaningful holiday season. Provincial, city, and county-level party committees were instructed to organize inter-workplace competitions to provide supplies for the celebrations and to conduct a review of the workplace performance after the holidays.
Regarding the production needed for the holidays, the directive included instructions such as: “Do not rest on your laurels just because the holidays are far away; you must be a worker who strives to increase the number of our holiday supplies, even if only by one” and “Generosity begets generosity. So everyone must make sure to prepare enough so that people can eat to their hearts’ content and rest comfortably during the holidays. ”
Kim’s order emphasizes adequate rest for workers
The directive also instructed organizations to organize a schedule that takes into account events and individual time off to allow workers adequate rest.
The instructions explained that no matter how good the party’s policies are, workers will lose their momentum without adequate rest. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that everyone has enough rest so that they can enjoy their holidays to the fullest and praise the Workers’ Party, the order said.
According to the source, North Korea’s leadership placed particular emphasis on the magnanimity of the Supreme Leader’s directive. “On January 8, our Supreme Leader gave up resting on his birthday to worry about his people’s upcoming holidays. Our Leader has a noble view of the people and believes in the people as in heaven, and we should repay his high esteem through our work.”
Daily NK’s source explained that “while conveying Kim Jong Un’s directive, the party stressed that the Supreme Leader drafted and sent out a directive instead of resting on his birthday. Because the leader has such a noble view of the people and believes in the people as in heaven, the workers should repay his high esteem through their work.”
Some people said that it was the first time they had received a directive on the same day as the Supreme Leader’s birthday.
Rumors also began to circulate about the timing, suggesting that “this could be a sign that the Supreme Leader’s birthday on Jan. 8 will be recognized as a national holiday, just like the founder’s [Kim Il Sung] birthday on February 16 and the Supreme General’s [Kim Jong Il] birthday on Apr. 15.”
Daily NK reported earlier this month that North Korea’s 2024 calendars did not mention Kim’s birthday.
“Following Kim’s directive, the city and county-level party committees have ordered all institutions, workplaces, organizations, and residential units throughout the country to prepare even more holiday supplies than last year and to take care in advance to properly organize their events and schedules for the holiday season,” the source said.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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