North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

5th Party Cell Conference Opens

Kim Jong Un confers with WPK Vice Chairman Pak Kwang Ho and WPK Organization Guidance Department deputy director Jo Yong Won during the second day of the 5th Conference of Party Cell Chairpersons in Pyongyang on December 22, 2017 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

(Graphic: NK Leadership Watch).

The Fifth Conference Party Cell Chairs opened at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on December 21 (Thursday).  Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) presided over the meeting and spoke.  Among those joining him on the platform were Workers’ Party of Korea Vice Chairman for Organization and Administration and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman Choe Ryong Hae [Ch’oe Ryong-hae], WPK Department Deputy Director and KJU’s sister Kim Yo Jong [Kim Yo-cho’ng], WPK Vice Chairman for Cadres’ Affairs Kim Phyong Hae [Kim P’yo’ng-hae], WPK Vice Chairman for Munitions Industries Thae Jong Su [T’ae Cho’ng-su], WPK Vice Chairman for Propaganda and Agitation Pak Kwang Ho [Pak Kwang-ho], WPK Vice Chairman for Heavy Industry Pak Thae Song [Pak T’ae-so’ng], WPK Vice Chairman for Economic Affairs O Su Yong [O Su-yo’ng], WPK Vice Chairman for Workers’ and Social Organizations Choe Hwi [Ch’oe Hwi], Control Commission Chairman Jo Yon Jun [Cho Yo’n-chun], WPK Organization Guidance Department Senior Deputy Director Kim Kyong Ok [Kim Kyo’ng-ok], immediate past WPK Vice Chairman Ri Man Gon [Ri Man-ko’n],   along with senior cadres of the WPK Central Committee and the chairmen of WPK Provincial Committees.  Attending the conference are the chairs and leading officials of basic party organizations, party cells and branch party committees, and the chairs of city and country WPK committees.

Kim Jong Un delivers the opening speech on the first day of the 5th Conference of Party Cell Chairpersons at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on December 21, 2017 (Photo: KCNA/Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un speaks during the opening day of the 5th Conference of Party Cell Chairpersons in Pyongyang on December 21, 2017 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

The conference opened with Jong Un delivering some introductory remarks.

The current conference of cell chairpersons, the fifth of its kind in the history of the WPK, is under way amid the arduous yet vigorous struggle going on to bring overall prosperity on the whole front of accomplishing the socialist cause under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.

President Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng) and leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il) advanced the unique line of party building, a line of attaching importance to the basic organizations, long ago and directed primary efforts to the work for strengthening the basic party organizations including cells.

In his lifetime leader Kim Jong Il would teach that to strengthen the cell, a grass-root organization of our Party, is the most important work for ensuring the prestige of the WPK, further strengthening our Party organizationally and ideologically and enhancing its militancy, saying that the Party’s organizational and ideological soundness and might, and the thoroughgoing implementation of the Party’s lines and policies are guaranteed by the party cells.

The Party Central Committee convened the 5th Conference of Cell Chairpersons of the WPK in order to further strengthen the party cells in keeping with the requirements of the developing revolution and bring about a fresh turn in the their work, true to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il’s unique line of party building and idea of giving importance to the basic organizations.

Reflecting the ardent loyalty of the participants in the conference and all other cell chairpersons and party members, I pay my the highest respects and eternal glory to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il who, with their rare wisdom and distinguished leadership ability, advanced the unique idea of party building and developed the WPK into the invincible militant general staff and an ever-victorious iron-willed party which has struck its roots deep into the popular masses.

The rapid development of the DPRK’s nuclear force is now exerting big influence on the world political structure and strategic environment.  Nobody can deny the entity of the DPRK which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US.

Although grave challenges that should not be overlooked face us, we neither feel disappointed nor are afraid of them but are optimistic about progress of our revolution under this situation.

The prevailing situation offers a good opportunity to further strengthen our unity and make us develop with our own efforts in all fields, depending on the Chuch’e character and self-reliance. We have to work with confidence, optimism and a smile.

The Party Central Committee comprehensively analyzed the prevailing subjective and objective conditions and the future developments and convened the 2nd Plenary Meeting of the Seventh WPK Central Committee to set forth grand and tested orientation and unique strategic and tactical policies for hastening overall development of our revolution.  All of the people turned out in hearty response to the militant call of the Party and have been making steady progress and changes in the drive to implement the decisions of the Seventh WPK Congress.

We have successfully realized the historic cause of completing the state nuclear force by thoroughly implementing the revolutionary line of independence in politics, self-support in the economy and self-reliance in defense, despite short supply in everything and manifold difficulties and ordeals owing to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the enemies.  We have further cemented the self-reliant socialist economic foundation and the economic structure of self-sufficiency based on domestic efforts, technology and resources and developed the socialist culture in an overall way by raising the fiercer flames of the cultural revolution.

This year, too, the number of units which completed their annual plans drastically increased in major fields of the national economy and a fresh turn was brought in grain and fruit production. We manufactured new-type trucks, tractors and farm machines with our own strength and technology. Many light industrial factories were renovated and updated to produce quality consumption goods.

It is the miracle of history that the building of a powerful socialist nation has been steadily pushed forward without a moment of stagnation despite the harsh sanctions and pressure threatening the existence of the state and its people. Our people’s absolute trust in the great Party which brought about the miracle has grown deeper and the harmonious whole of the Party and the masses has been cemented as firm as rock.

The proud victories and successes of our Party and people are associated with loyalty and devoted efforts of the Party cells and their chairpersons that linked tens of millions of masses to the Party Central Committee in blood vessel and inspirationally aroused them to the implementation of the Party’s policies.

The Party Central Committee sees hundreds of thousands of Party cells and their chairpersons active among the broad masses from the great people who rise up as one following only the Party and is greatly encouraged by them.

I send my warm thanks and militant greetings to all the participants in the conference and all other chairpersons of the Party cells who have devotedly worked only for the Party and the socialist motherland with their responsibility for the grass-root organizations of our Party, silently dedicating their all.

Let us launch a brave offensive for implementing the decision of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the WPK and attaining the goal of the five-year strategy for national economic development set forth at the Seventh WPK Congress to smash the escalating aggression moves of the US imperialists and their sanctions and pressure and promote the radical progress of socialist construction in a more exciting and elated posture than ever before.

In order to successfully carry out the important and urgent tasks set forth by our Party at present, the Party cells, basic organizations of the Party, should be further strengthened and all the Party cell chairpersons should fulfill their responsibilities and duties.

The current conference needs to properly make an overall review and analysis of the successes and faults in the work of the Party cells since the Fourth Conference of Secretaries of the Cells of the WPK and take practical measures for making all the Party cells into loyal ranks upholding the Party’s idea and leadership in the van and enhance the roles of the Party cell chairpersons in the work.

Participating in the current conference are chairpersons of the Party cells and branch committees, leading officials of Party committees at all levels and Party officials in the fields of munitions industry, leading sectors of the national economy, light industry, agriculture and other fields and sectors and units of armed forces organs.

The current conference will mark another turning point in increasing the militant power of our Party in every way by strengthening the Party cells and enhancing the roles of their chairpersons.

 

After Kim Jong Un declared the conference official opened, Choe Ryong Hae delivered a report.  According to KCNA, Choe said that “only when the Party cell, a center of the party life, main unit connecting the blood vessel between the Party and the masses and advancing group in implementing the Party policies, remains reliable, can the Party be firm and the revolution advance victoriously, adding it is the great truth proved by the history of Chuch’e-based party building and accomplishing the socialist cause.”

WPK Vice Chairman and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman Choe Ryong Hae delivers a report to the party cell chairpersons’ conference in Pyongyang on December 21, 2017 (Photo: KCNA).

Choe noted that during the last national gathering of party cell chairs that Kim Jong “set forth the orientation and tasks of building a basic party organization at several conferences including the First Conference of Chairpersons of the Primary Committees of the WPK, which have served as a new milestone for the strengthening of the Party cells. The ideas and theories advanced by the Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, including the ideas of preparing all the party members to be genuine Kimilsungists-Kimjongilists, true comrades and comrades-in-arms of our Party, making the party cells blood vessel between the broad masses and the party by applying the people-first principle and intensifying the combat against abuse and bureaucratic practices, serve as very important guidelines that should be adhered to in the party cell work.”

Kim Jong Un’s “distinguished leadership and undying feats increased the working efficiency of basic party organizations including the party cells in every way and thus made them gain very signal victories one after another on all fronts of building a powerful socialist country, shall shine long in the history Chuch’e-based party building.  The past five tears after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK were the fruitful years in which our Party had steadily advanced the socialist cause, fully demonstrating its might as the revolutionary party of Chuch’e under the wise leadership of the Chairman of the WPK.”

Choe Ryong Hae also said that the “past five years after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK were the fruitful years in which our Party had steadily advanced the socialist cause, fully demonstrating its might as the revolutionary party of Chuch’e under the wise leadership of the Chairman of the WPK.  The ongoing campaign to implement the grand program of building a powerful socialist nation set forth at the 7th WPK Congress requires remarkably enhancing the leadership ability of the Party. The prerequisite for this is to enhance the function and role of the Party cell, the lower-echelon organization and main working unit of the Party.”  Choe referred to “the defects manifested by the Party cells in failing to fully meet the high intention of the Party and the requirements of the developing revolution” and he called for “making energetic efforts for the strengthening of the Party and the final victory in building a powerful socialist country, united close behind the Party Central Committee headed by the great Comrade Kim Jong Un.”

Overview of the conference venue on its first day (Photo: KCNA).

Opening day conference speakers noted that “the Party cells have carried out their work with main emphasis on training Party members and other working people to be true revolutionaries who deeply grasped the greatness of the Party and the leader and acquired the indomitable revolutionary spirit” and they “mentioned the achievements and experience gained in their work to make the organization and guidance over the Party life of its members aimed at implementing the behests of the leader and defending the Party policies and to arouse the masses to the drive for building an economic giant through active application of the precisely-targeted method of political work.”  Conference speakers also that said that “they have definitely turned the work with the masses into the one with their minds and feelings and emotion, true to the people-first principle of the Party, so as to resolve their inmost problems.”  In some of the speeches, the deficiencies and short coming of party cell work were also discussed.

Participants of the 5th Conference of Party Cell Chairpersons arrive for the conference’s second day at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on December 22, 2017 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

The second day of the 5th Conference of Party Cell Chairs convened at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium (yeah, as if there was going to be a venue switch) on the morning of December 22 (Friday).  Kim Jong Un once again guided the conference from the platform.  According to DPRK media, the conference participants “who more keenly felt, through the first-day meeting, the importance of the conference in enhancing the militant might of the Party in every way, as required by the developing revolution, had in-depth discussions on the measures to make all the Party cells faithful ones and the reliable vanguard for implementing the Party policies by enhancing the role of the cell chairpersons.”

Party cell chairmen and chairwomen “continued to analyze and review their achievements and experience in strengthening their cells, the lower-echelon organizations of the Party, and the shortcomings and causes in their cell work.”  Conference speakers spoke about “the successes and experience gained in making their Party cells faithful ones equipped with the spirit of devotedly defending the leader and the true vanguard organizations sharing their fate with our Party to the last, as intended by the Party Central Committee after the 4th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK.”  Second-day conference speakers also “referred to the fact that they strengthened their Party cells, prioritizing the work for preparing all the Party members to be true Kimilsungists-Kimjongilists and meticulously guiding the organizational and ideological life of Party members, and thus help them play the flagship role in the building of a powerful socialist country.”

View of the platform at the conference’s second day (Photo: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

Whilst listening to the speeches, according to KCNA, the conference participants “realized again that the example of party cell chairpersons is the mighty political work, and the validity and vitality of the mass work method of the Party to make cell work the one with the minds of the people.”  Speakers “analyzed such defects and shortcomings in party cell work of some units as failing to meet the requirements of the era and developing revolution and discussed the ways to overcome them.”  It was also noted that some party cells and other basic party organizations had “failed to properly arouse Party members and other working people to the drive for implementing the last instructions of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il and some cell chairpersons failed to get rid of the wrong ideological viewpoints and idling working styles like defeatism, formalism, expedience and self-protection and the ranks of Party cell chairpersons have not been built well and meticulous work to help and teach them has not been done.”

The second day of the conference also “discussed the measures to make all the Party cell chairpersons bear in mind their mission and duty in implementing the Party policies in order to bring about a fresh turn in the ideological viewpoint and working style and manner.”

 

Information

This article was written on 23 Dec 2017, and is filled under "self-development first" slogan, 4th Meeting of Party Cell Secretaries, 5th Party Cells Meeting, 7th Party Congress, Agitation Section, basic party organizations, Cadre Affairs, Central Committee, Central Military Committee, Central Party Affairs/Cadres 5th Section, central party life, Choe Ryong Hae, Comprehensive Affairs, county/city party organizations, DPRK Cabinet, DPRK External Relations, Events Management Section, Executive Policy Bureau, February 2016 Joint WPK CC KPA WPK Committee Meeting, Financial Planning Department, Five Year Economic Plan and Development Strategy (2016), General Affairs, Guard Command, ideological slogans, Ideological Works, Information Section, Inter-Korean Relations, internal security, Jang Song-thaek, Jo Nam Jin, Joint Slogans, Kim Chong-un inspections, Kim Family, Kim Jong Un Visits, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un, Kim Phyong Hae (Cadres/NPYPPC), Kim Sol Song (Kim Sul Song), Kim Yo Jong, KJI Personal Secretariat, KJI-Ko Yong Hui Family, KJI/KJU Ideological Works, Korean People's Internal Security Forces, Korean People's Army (KPA), Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KPA basic party organizations, KPA branch party organizations, KPA General Political Bureau, KPA General Political Department, KPA Party Life, kpif, Lecture Guidance, Local Party Affairs, local people's committees, Lt. Gen. Kim Su Gil, Membership Registration, ministry of people's security, Ministry of State Security, MPAF GPB, Namp'o WPK Committee, North Hwanghae Provincial KWP Committee, North Pyongan KWP Provincial Committee, Notification, O Su Yong, Organization and Guidance Department, PAD Guidance Section, Pak Kwang Ho (PAD), Pak Tae Dok (N. Hwanghae WPK), Pak Thae Song (KWP CC Dept), party cells, Party elders, Party History Institute, party life, Party Life Guidance, Political Bureau, primary party committees, Propaganda and Agitation Department, Provincial Party Committees, provincial party conferences, Provincial Party System, Provinicial People's Committee, Public Events, Publications, Pyongyang Defense Command, Pyongyang WPK Committee, Raso'n WPK Committee, Ri Il Hwan, Ri Sang Won (Yanggang WPK PC), Rim Kyong Man (Raso'n WPK), Ryanggang KWP Provincial Committee, Secretariat, social control, South Hamgyo'ng KWP Provincial Committee, South Hwanghae KWP Provincial Committee, South P'yo'ngan KWP Provincial Committee, Spirit of Kangwon Province movement, State Affairs Commission, State Security Department, Supreme People's Assembly, Tae Jong Su, theoretical works, Workers' and Social Organizations.

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