North Korean workers were frustrated with the speech national leader Kim Jong Un delivered in Pyongyang on New Year’s Day. The speech was distributed to factories and enterprises nationwide to be studied during morning reading sessions the following day.
A source in North Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently that the text of Kim’s speech, printed in the Rodong Sinmun, reached factories and enterprises in downtown Hoeryong in time for the morning reading session on Jan. 2.
At one factory, workers rose from their seats and left the room as soon as the session ended. While these sessions typically conclude with the workplace manager or team leader giving instructions for the day’s work, workers left so suddenly that instructions had to be skipped.
“The reason workers abruptly left after the reading session was because they were disturbed by the speech’s content. Most workers strained to keep their faces blank during the session, anxious they would be ordered to join more construction projects or increase output yet again,” the source said.
The source said the part that bothered workers ran as follows: “We entered the year 2025 with a heavy heart as we were confronted with huge tasks; what we believed in was nothing but our people’s patriotism and loyalty, and they were the real driving force that propelled our unprecedented struggle throughout the year.”
“What this boils down to is a demand to keep showing patriotism and loyalty. People are already displeased about being constantly called up for jobs without any compensation or reward. So they were irritated that this was spun as the people’s strength and that they’re expected to keep making such contributions and sacrifices in the future,” the source said.
Even Kim’s hometown shows frustration
“Hoeryong, as the birthplace of Kim Jong Suk (wife of Kim Il Sung and mother of Kim Jong Il), is considered a better place to live than surrounding cities and counties. The fact that the speech is getting such a reaction there expresses the frustration and fatigue with recurring mandatory service projects.”
Notably, some workers expressed discomfort and even revulsion with Kim’s address reminding them of difficulties they faced in 2025.
This cynical response on the ground contrasts sharply with North Korean state media reports of sensational endorsement from all sectors of society. “The mountains and rivers of the entire nation are fired up over the New Year’s address,” one outlet said.
The Rodong Sinmun, official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, proclaimed on Jan. 2 that members from across society—including workers, farmers, young people, scientists, and athletes—had responded to Kim’s speech with tears of passion.
“The hearts of the people of this land are now brimming over with the desire to faithfully accept the leadership of the man who loves the people most of all and admires them for their greatness and goodness, as well as the desire to reciprocate by engaging ever more boldly in the struggle to drive the development of our form of socialism in all areas,” the Rodong Sinmun said.
January 12, 2026 at 06:44AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)