It is every citizen’s responsibility to make their country prosperous.

The dream of a most powerful country which thrives in all aspects is not achieved by the devoted efforts of only some people or by a leap forward of only a few sectors.

The foundations of prosperity are laid when all the people, masters of the country, create structures one by one, amply demonstrating the power of development peculiar to them with fervent passion and dynamic struggle.

That is why the Korean people push ahead with the building of a powerful socialist country under the slogan “Unite on the strength of patriotism!”

The successes achieved last year fill our hearts with pride.

In January the Kwangchon Chicken Farm was newly built as a new standard and model in the development of the country's poultry farming. In March the Kangdong Combined Greenhouse Farm rose up, furnished with over 1 050 blocks of modern vegetable greenhouses, production and public buildings and dwelling houses with a total floor space of nearly 1.2 million square metres in an area of over 260 hectares. Another 10 000 flats, more elegant and developed in architectural and aesthetical aspects, sprang up in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang and modern farming villages were completed in many cities and counties.

Particularly, the ideal “cultured rural towns” and beautiful villages epitomizing modern civilization were built one after another in a little more than four months in the areas of North Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces which had suffered severe natural damage.

In addition, many monumental structures were built, including modern regional-industry factories, the first creations of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy, and the Sinpho City Offshore Farm showing the future changes in coastal cities and counties.

These are not heaven-sent things.

They are the fruition of the passionate enthusiasm and extraordinary mental strength of our people pressing on with the building of a prosperous country under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

This year we should carry out huge construction projects.

We should speed up the fourth-stage housing construction in the Hwasong area to round off the construction project for 50 000 flats in Pyongyang, complete the building of dwelling houses in the Komdok area and keep pushing housing construction in the rural communities. In particular, we should channel efforts into the construction of industrial and public facilities for stepping up the great cause of regional rejuvenation and build another offshore farm in the other area on a trial basis by drawing on the experience gained in the construction of the Sinpho City Offshore Farm.

There can be no such word as impossible for us.

Our people have inexhaustible energy as they are united on the strength of patriotism, while performing miracles and making innovations uninterruptedly.

On this strength we will build a prosperous and powerful socialist country on this land as early as possible.

Jo Hyon Il, deputy department director of the Pyongyang Construction Commission