Among the songs sung by the Korean people in the early days of nation building shortly after Korea’s liberation on August 15, 1945, is the “Song of Industrial Rehabilitation for Nation Building.”

Written by Han Sik and composed by Ri Myon Sang in 1946, the song sings of the Korean people’s boundless gratitude to Comrade Kim Il Sung (April 15, 1912-July 8, 1994) for putting them forward as masters of land, factories and the country itself by promulgating a series of people-oriented policies such as the Law on Agrarian Reform, the Law on Nationalization of Major Industries, the Law on Labour and the Law on Sexual Equality. It then calls for turning out as one in the industrial rehabilitation with gratitude to him.

Later Ri Myon Sang wrote in his memoirs.

“I used to compose something small like pop or modern folk songs during the days of the colonial rule by Japanese imperialism. But as I was supposed to compose a song which reflected the soaring revolutionary enthusiasm, aspiration and emotions of our liberated people, I found in despair that I was quite lacking in creative ability.

One day Comrade Kim Il Sung met us creative workers and artistes and gave instructions on producing truly people-oriented and revolutionary music which suited the feelings and emotions of our people and their aspirations in their struggle to build a new country and which reflected the joy, happiness, pride and revolutionary enthusiasm of our people, who had achieved national liberation and turned out to create a new life.

Cherishing once again the precious truth that only when I go among the masses and into reality, can I create music that accords with the sentiments of the masses and reflects the aspirations of the times correctly, I determinedly went to factories and villages where the workers and peasants breathe and live and conceived new moods and melodies in the seething reality. In this way I could create the ‘Song of Industrial Rehabilitation for Nation Building.’”

As soon as it was made public, the song spread all over the country causing a sensation and markedly raising the enthusiasm of all the people for nation building.

People in factories, rural areas, streets and villages went to workplaces and schools, singing the song full of hope, confidence and joy and enthusiasm as masters of the country.

The song with three stanzas stressed its main idea by repeating the part in the refrain, which goes “Let us unite with this emotion and devote ourselves to production and industrial rehabilitation”.

One day in August 1949, Kim Il Sung highly appreciated the merits of musicians, saying that the people were now turning out in the struggle to fulfil the national economic plan, while singing the song.

The song is still resounding far and wide, raising the revolutionary enthusiasm of the Korean people in their struggle to build a thriving country by dint of patriotism.

Yang Ryon Hui