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| KJI touring Taean in 2009. |
The story jumps back and forth in time a lot over a 20-year period, showing how the factory has triumphed through adversity and how the main character has grown from a headstrong young engineer to a capable and seasoned problem-solver.
The Story
KJI’s SUV struggled through the first big blizzard of the new year. He’d set off on another guidance visit, overriding the earnest pleas of his staff that he not travel through such a bad storm.
Their concerns were not unfounded. He was emaciated from endless hard work. But He had decided that 2009 would be the breakthrough year for achieving an economically prosperous nation (경제강국건설). Last December 24th He visited the birthplace of the Chollima Movement and lit the signal fires of Kangsŏn, which then spread to Sŏnggang, Namhŭng, Hŭngnam, Tanchŏn; to strike targets at the front lines of the economic battle (경제전선의 주타격대상) and all across the land. To keep fanning the flames, the General carried on His hard march of extreme labor (초강도강행군길).KJI was greatly troubled by a report from the Taean machine factory. It seemed they were unable to produce a turbine for a certain hydropower plant the KPA was building, and thus the plant could not be made operational in time for the KWP Foundation Day celebrations. The machinery problem was seriously delaying the top-priority power supply restoration effort.
It was hard to believe that Manager Chang Tae Ch’ŏl could have overseen such a mistake. KJI had personally taken Chang under his wing many years ago. He recalled how they first met, 20 years ago, after Chang had been disciplined by his superior for "being overly pushy and causing mistakes."
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| Workers at Taean Factory. Src: dprktoday |
With a heavy heart, he wrote a recommendation for “criticism education” (비판교양). Then, on impulse he picked up his prized orchid cactus and handed it to the waiting factory rep, telling him to give it to Chang on his return. “Horticulture is a good hobby for correcting one’s rough edges.”
Several months later, in a phone call with the Taean Factory director, he learned that Chang's attitude had completely transformed. He recommended that the young engineer be sent to the People’s Economic University (인민경제대학) for further training. After Chang had completed the university course, KJI set him up as a manager at Taean, the country’s largest industrial complex (련합기업소). The Leader even helped out when he heard Chang’s division needed materials to renovate their 장비직장건물, personally sending a large order of wood, cement and steel.
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| KIS touring the Taean Machine Factory in 1980. Src: Uriminzokkiri |
Years passed. Chang was promoted to a post in the Ministry of Heavy Industry; but bureaucratic work did not suit the hands-on engineer, so he soon returned to Paean.
Touring a dam site together some years earlier, Chang explained to KJI how his team had set an ambitious plan to adapt their largest rotor assemblages to CNC. But they were only using two turbine assemblages; KJI thought they should aim higher.
“Looking at the global trend, and in terms of production efficiency, you can’t expect much with just two. You really need five axes. Of course, only a few countries have been able to achieve a synchronized five-axis turbine assemblage, but we must find a way to do it. You never know if you don’t try, and we have to show the world what we can do. To do that, we have to set bigger, bolder goals (더 대담하게 목표를 걸고). I know you are up to the task.”
Chang nodded vigorously. “Yes, General! Count on it!”
KJI smiled at the chief engineer’s enthusiasm. “First, to broaden your horizons and get a feel for the tech, you should go abroad and see how other countries are doing this. Go ahead and put together a delegation of your best engineers. You can go wherever you like.”
As ordered, Chang Dae Ch’ŏl had led a delegation of engineers on a 40-day tour of neighboring countries and Europe. They found a European manufacturer of CNC devices that had the part they needed to achieve a 5-axis assembly and even offered show them the specs. They reached an agreement and returned home.
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| A CNC-adapted assembly at Taean. Src: dprktoday |
When his flight stopped in Moscow, he ventured out to find the city abuzz with the news: Our country [NK] had met the US’ nuclear provocations by declaring itself a nuclear weapons power.They discussed a lot of complicated technical details. There was a tricky problem with the circuit coupling method; KJI immediately offered a bold solution that none of the engineers had conceived of in all their days and nights of working on this problem.
In Russia, the astonishing event was on the front page of every newspaper and the lead of every TV news show, with everyone offering their own take and predictions for how the situation would unfold. Through all of them there was a palpable note of thrill that Korea would once again out-punch the United States, and amazement about our unimaginable gutsiness and resolve.
When he arrived at the export company, the CEO’s formerly open and affable attitude was nowhere to be seen. He tossed the EU ruling onto the table and offered nothing but apologies. Since the US was threatening them with COCOM sanctions, he could neither sell them the CNC device nor show them the specs.
So they returned home empty-handed. The General received their report, and around midnight He called up Chang, asking calmly: “Well, what are you going to do about this?”
“General, our engineers are furious about what the US bastards are doing, and we’re determined to get this done by our own power (우리의 힘으로).”
“Good thinking. The more they try their nasty underhanded tricks, the harder we have to push back with our own strength (자력갱생)."
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| Engineers test a CNC machine at the Institute of Machine Automation. Src: Uriminzokkiri |
KJI toured the factory and met the factory managers, including Shin Sang Ch'ŏl, the once-injured worker who was now a lead engineer. He toured the factory history hall, where lovingly framed photos showing the Great Leader’s many guidance visits, and the showcase room, where new inventions and scientific breakthroughs of the factory are on display (the story takes time to describe these).
Then it was time to view the new CNC assembly.
KJI gazed proudly at the huge, smoothly spinning assembly. Turning to the weary but triumphant team of engineers, he spoke:
“Of all the CNC machines we’ve made to date, I’m proudest of this one. Only the most advanced nations have been able to achieve a five-axis hydropower turbine assembly; that our engineers were able to build one through their own strength is truly amazing. The enemy took forceful measures to stop us from importing a five-axis assemblage, but the engineers of Taean really bloodied their noses good... That you were able to triumph under such tough circumstances makes this all the more precious.”The engineers protested, saying it was all thanks to the General, who found a solution and supplied them all the equipment they needed. Everybody had tears in their eyes.
The General could read the hardships reflected in their faces. “Look at me,” He said softly. “You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you?”
The party secretary spoke up. “It’s true, there’ve been some hard sacrifices. One of our material supply engineers was diagnosed with a terminal illness but still spent his few remaining months working tirelessly here. We kept pushing him to go to the hospital, but he insisted he’d rather spend his last days at work than in bed; he died by his phone after successfully acquiring the ferromagnetic material we needed. Ironically, it was he who had reported Chang Dae Ch'ŏl for criticism twenty years ago. He’d since resigned from management and returned to engineering, achieving many breakthroughs in material supply. For years, he’d been caring for that cactus You sent to us. As he slumped over his desk, dying, he asked that the cactus be laid beside him. He asked us to take good care of the cactus, then died.”
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| KJI touring Taean in 2009. Src: uriminzokkiri |
KJI was impressed by all of this hard work; still, the elephant in the room needed to be addressed.
Taking a deliberately stern tone, He asked, “But why haven’t you built the generators for the military yet?”KJI ruminated for a moment. Of course it was wrong of them to ignore the economic plan, but their determination to secure a basis for better quality and efficiency was praiseworthy.
Chang hung his head. The party secretary answered: “General, we weren’t able to anticipate every circumstance. As soon as the new modernized process was ready we were planning to order the materials and start production, but we never imagined that the enemy’s sanctions would go so far. We were so focused on the modernization effort that we gave only secondary consideration to the people’s economic plan. I’m largely responsible. The manager said we should wait so that we could send the KPA more efficient generators made with modernized equipment, and I agreed.”
Lead technician Shin Sang Ch’ŏl spoke up, his voice tight with guilt. “I’m also responsible. I supported the decision. Please punish me too.”
Chang Dae Ch’ŏl lifted his head. “No, General, I am to blame for everything.”
The General suddenly stopped and turned to face them all. “The sanctions by the US imperialists and their followers will only get more severe.... At times like this, government must help our industries. As we have a planned economy, central guidance will always be important, but our enterprises cannot function properly if they are tied down by endless regulations in the name of central guidance. Now’s not the time to quibble about numbers and blame; we must match our economic policy with each factory’s management strategy and real circumstances.”He declared that Chang was right to prioritize R&D and encouraged him to continue, offering to fully fund everything they needed for a top-of-the-line operation. Then, to their collective joy, he suggested that they all get their photo taken together in front of the 5-axis assembly. Chang began sobbing in an unmanly fashion.
Instead of punishment, KJI gave them a commendation. He told the workers that they had given him new energy and new faith that “victory in the construction of a strong and prosperous nation is certain.”
Finally KJI departed, looking hale and unshakable as he stepped out into the blinding snowstorm. As his car rolled away, he rolled down the window to wave at them, heedless of the snow and cold wind that swept into the car. The factory workers stood in the storm, but they didn’t feel cold at all. They were warmed by the General’s love.
R&D under Sanctions
This story is a prime example of North Korea's "what doesn't kill us will only make us stronger" propaganda approach to sanctions. We see how the factory is all set to import the technology they need from a European firm, when US sanctions (mentioned in passing to have been in response to the North's nuclear declaration) force them to develop the technology on their own instead. They succeed in short order, achieving a difficult piece of CNC technology that "only a few of the most advanced nations have been able to achieve."
At the climactic moment in the story, KJI makes a big speech:
“The sanctions by the US imperialists and their followers will only get more severe. As long as we hold aloft the banners of self-determination and sŏngun, the enemy will never back down. That is why, now and forever, we must always believe in our own strength (자기 힘) and find solutions in our own style (자기식). Yesterday, today and tomorrow, self-rehabilitation (자력갱생) is our lifeline.”This one speech includes most of the key late-KJI-era buzzwords and is a nice encapsulation of North Korean ideology at its core. To wit: it's better not to rely on other countries, even friendly ones, because the enemy can always cut off those sources. You may call it isolationist (and many do), but it is also the natural outcome for a country that has repeatedly lost vital supply lines throughout its history.
Of course, the reality is that being cut off from outside information and technology greatly inhibits R&D. But through stories like this, the Party reassures the domestic audience that its intrepid scientists are more than a match for US sanctions, and outside pressure only strengthens their resolve.
Lighting the signal fires of Kangsŏn
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| "Spirit of Kangsŏn" reads a banner in imminent danger of combustion at Chollima Steel Factory. Src: ournation-school.com |
This slogan is clever in a couple of ways. Kangsŏn is a near-homonym for kangsŏng, "strong and prosperous," which had already become a big buzzword by 2008. "Signal fires" refer to a pre-modern Korean communication system of bonfires on high hilltops by which people could send warnings and mobilize forces across vast distances. Koreans are quite proud of this early signaling system, and it has featured in a number of movies and period dramas over the years - my personal favorite being the recent Netflix drama "Kingdom," in which it is used to warn the capital of a zombie outbreak in the southeast.
CNC revolution
I will admit to being so narrowly focused on North Korea that I was mistakenly under the impression that CNC (Computer Numerical Control) was just a North Korean thing. They certainly talk about it as if it was their own invention.
It turns out it is a rather universal term for the standardized system of automating the movements of industrial machines. A good short explanation (with animation!) can be found here. This site offers a bit more explanation about the whole deal with the axes. It seems that having more rotation axes allows for more efficient and precise work on complex surfaces. The things I learn through this blog project!
North Korea has promoted CNC technology heavily through a propaganda push since around 2009. Though KJI is the protagonist of this story, I strongly associate it with the rise of Kim Jong Un. NK Economy Watch did a long post about it back in 2010.It is easy to see why an impoverished regime that is bent on rapidly catching up in manufacturing would seize upon automation as a sort of magic bullet. But CNC has taken on a broader meaning in regime propaganda, symbolizing all aspects of modernization and new technology. The Pochonbo Electric Ensemble even wrote a catchy song about CNC that provides a great compendium of KJU-related slogans.
It is interesting that this story shows North Korean engineers first going on a study tour of “developed countries” to acquire the CNC technology they need. It’s also telling that the unnamed European company seems cooperative and happy to sell them the technology at first, until they get threatened with US sanctions.
Seed Theory
This story is a good easy example of “seed theory,” the literary technique attributed to Kim Jong Il. Every story must have a “seed,” some small symbolic element that appears throughout the story, ties the narrative together, and represents the overall meaning. In this story, I believe the seed is the orchid cactus. It’s lurking in almost every scene, and gets the spotlight at important moments. As the party secretary explains, “That cactus has become a symbol of our General’s love for and faith in factory workers, and of our devotion to our General.”
Seed Theory was first promulgated through Kim Jong Il's treatise On the Art of the Cinema, published in 1973. According to the North Korean Literature and Art Dictionary, "The seed, which forms the core of any literary and art work, is a fundamental element that determines the value of the work and the authors and artists must hold the seed straight in order to convey clearly his thoughts and aesthetic intention and assure the philosophical value of their work."
In his memoir, defector Kim Ju-sŏng writes about how much of his literary training as a member of the Korean Writer’s Union revolved around trying to identify the "seeds" in various famous literary works. The seed in The Flower Girl, for instance, is the basket that the girl carries with her everywhere.
I got some further clarification on Seed Theory from Alek Sigley, founder of Tongil Tours and current MA student in literature at Kim Il Sung University. In his literature classes, he was taught to identify the seed (종자), the subject (주제) and the ideology (사상) in a story.
Sigley’s literary theory textbook quotes Kim Jong Il as writing, “The seed is the basic idea at the core of the story that the author is trying to communicate; it is the ideological kernel upon which the entire story is rooted.” The textbook gives an example analysis of the novel/play The Destiny of a Self-Defense Corpsman [한 자위단원의 운명], one of the five "immortal classics" (불후의 고전적명작) attributed to Kim Il Sung. The seed of this story is explained to be the main character’s realization that he will lose his life whether he fights in the corps or not - that life under Japanese occupation is no true life at all.
Revolutionary Mentorship
It has not escaped my attention that each of the last four stories I've reviewed features a close, emotionally fraught relationship between two men. "Night Path" depicted the rivalry between an older manure farmer and his dimpled young frenemy, with the younger man oddly playing the role of guide and mentor. "Morning of Departure" painted a portrait of two old army buddies reuniting under tense circumstances, as one had to bring the long arm of the law down on the other. "Unification Arirang" followed the reconciliation of two old friends, a musician and choreographer, who had been separated since the Korean War. Each of these relationships had elements of admiration, envy and rivalry.
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| Commemorative stamp promoting CNC |
“To think that the young engineer I once knew has now become a chief engineer, and a manager who mentors others (사람을 키우다) in his own right. No true revolutionary can be disinterested in mentoring others. And to mentor someone takes great compassion and love.”In almost every story where they appear, the Leaders are depicted as mentors - not merely guiding, but getting personally invested in the long-term life trajectories of key individuals. They are always there to offer the spark of inspiration at the critical moment so that the main character can make a breakthrough - be it forestry, weather prediction, mass games choreography, or 5-axis CNC. It is difficult for any character to achieve unalloyed success without some sort of help from the Leader along the way. That is why Kim-free stories tend to have much more ambiguous endings.
