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Full Text: Kim Jong Un’s 2021 New Year’s Day Letter

Kim Jong Un 2019 with Putin
Kim Jong Un 2019 with Putin

In what can only be described as a bland and general statement, North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un welcomed in the New Year in a rather different way than in the last few years: a letter penned to the North Korean people.

In years past, Kim would deliver a major New Year’s Day address that would set the agenda for the DPRK for the year domestically and internationally. As NK News notes, Kim’s letter is the first time a North Korean leader authored a note to start the new year in 26 years. Last year, Kim also veered away from a traditional New Year’s address, instead, it was swapped out with state media news reports about the DPRK’s party plenum results.

You can read the full text below:

Happy New Year!

On the occasion of the New Year, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all the people.

I sincerely hope that all the families of the country will be blessed with more precious happiness and reverentially wish for good health and welfare of the beloved people.

In the New Year, too, I will work hard to bring earlier the new era in which the ideals and desires of our people will come true.

I offer gratitude to the people for having invariably trusted and supported our Party even in the difficult times.

Pledging once again that I will always remain faithful to the great people.

Kim Jong Un

January 1, 2021

Written By

Harry J. Kazianis (@Grecianformula) is Editor-In-Chief of 19FortyFive and President of Rogue States Project, the think tank arm of the publication. Kazianis recently served as Senior Director of National Security Affairs at the Center for the National Interest. He also served as Executive Editor of its publishing arm, The National Interest. Kazianis has held various roles at The National Interest, including Senior Editor and Managing Editor over the last decade. Harry is a recognized expert on national security issues involving North & South Korea, China, the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and general U.S. foreign policy and national security challenges. Past Experience Kazianis previously served as part of the foreign policy team for the 2016 presidential campaign of Senator Ted Cruz. Kazianis also managed the foreign policy communications efforts of the Heritage Foundation, served as Editor-In-Chief of the Tokyo-based The Diplomat magazine, Editor of RealClearDefense, and as a WSD-Handa Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): PACNET. Kazianis has also held foreign policy fellowships at the Potomac Foundation and the University of Nottingham. Kazianis is the author of the book The Tao of A2/AD, an exploration of China’s military capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also authored several reports on U.S. military strategy in the Asia-Pacific as well as edited and co-authored a recent report on U.S.-Japan-Vietnam trilateral cooperation. Kazianis has provided expert commentary, over 900 op-eds, and analysis for many outlets, including The Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, Yonhap, The New York Times, Hankyoreh, The Washington Post, MSNBC, 1945, Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, USA Today, CNBC, Politico, The Financial Times, NBC, Slate, Reuters, AP, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, RollCall, RealClearPolitics, LA Times, Newsmax, BBC, Foreign Policy, The Hill, Fortune, Forbes, DefenseOne, Newsweek, NPR, Popular Mechanics, VOA, Yahoo News, National Security Journal and many others.

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