Kim Jong Un's New Year's speech was sent to workplaces across the country at the beginning of the new year. It was to be read in the presence of employees and then analyzed in depth. At the end, there were instructions on how best to follow the dictator's orders. This year, in the North Korean city of Hoeryong, there was not even a summary of the speech, because most workers left the factory rooms in a hurry, in silent rebellion against subsequent orders. “They expressed fatigue and irritation at repeated demands for sacrifice,” Daily NK concluded.
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North Koreans do not want to be the “driving force”
People were scared by the opening part of the speech, which was a summary of last year and read as follows: “We entered 2025 with heavy hearts, because we faced enormous tasks. We believed in the patriotism and loyalty of our people, because they were the true driving force that fueled our unprecedented fight throughout the year.”
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According to a Daily NK source, “people are unhappy that they are constantly called upon to work without any pay. They were annoyed that they are presented as the driving force and that they are expected to make further contributions and sacrifices in the future.” That's why they “came out suddenly” during a speech.
The reaction of Hoeryong employees is all the more significant because this city is of special importance to Kim. It is the birthplace of Kim Jong Suk (Kim Il-sung's wife and Kim Jong-il's mother) and is considered a better place to live than the surrounding cities. It is located in North Hamgyong Province in the northern part of the country.
