North Korean cultural production has long since exalted the army as heroic defender of the nation. The mid-1990s saw the unveiling of songun, or ‘military-first’ politics as state policy, further elevating the status of the military. Today, men can request from their barbers a ‘speed battle cut’, while North Korean film, literature and music often contain martial themes. ‘This is an Attack’ belongs to this tradition, drawing parallels between the nation’s goal of constructing a ‘strong and prosperous nation’ and military operations.
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Youtube music video with English subtitles:
This is an Attack
Raise the red flag and in to attack
Gun barrels in front and charge
Leading the single-hearted ranks of ten million[1] in advance
There flies the flag of Songun[2]
[Chorus]
Attack, attack, attack, forward
The respected General’s[3] revolutionary method is
Attack like the lightning of Mt. Paekdu[4]
Attack like the thunder of Jong Il Peak[5]
Attack, attack, this is an attack
Even blocking mountains, our footsteps cannot be stopped
Even if the enemy surges, we cannot be defended against
Without stopping a moment to meet head-on
This tactic is invincible
[Chorus]
Our goal, a strong and prosperous nation[6], is a summit of hope
The peak that guides our way is victory by Juche’s legendary exploits
Tempests envelop the straight path of songun
These footsteps of a march
[Chorus]
Attack like the lightning of Mt. Paekdu[7]
Attack like the thunder of Jong Il Peak[8]
Attack, attack, this is an attack
[1] Here, ‘ten million’ (천만;千萬) is used metaphorically to express many in number, just as we sometimes use ‘thousands’ in English.
[2] ‘Songun’ (선군;先軍) literally means ‘military first’, referring to Kim Jong Il’s songun policy introduced to give priority to the military in state allocation of resources.
[3] ‘The General’ refers to Kim Jong Il.
[4] Mt. Paekdu is the Korean peninsula’s highest peak. An extinct volcano with a distinctive lake in its caldera, it has long been considered a holy mountain in the Korean peninsula. Myths exist pinpointing Mt Paekdu as the birthplace of Korea’s legendary founder King Tangun. According to North Korean state propaganda, Kim Jong Il was born near the mountain.
[5] Jong Il Peak is a peak near Mt. Paekdu that has been named after Kim Jong Il. His birthplace according to North Korean state propaganda is just by this location, and the log cabin he was supposedly born in has been reconstructed and made into a site of revolutionary pilgrimage.
[6] ‘Strong and propserous nation’ (강성대국;強盛大國) is a commonly used slogan in North Korea and expresses the state’s aim of establishing exactly a strong and prosperous country. It is often seen written alone in huge characters on slogan boards and the like in addition to peppering state propaganda.
[7] Mt. Paekdu is the Korean peninsula’s highest peak. An extinct volcano with a distinctive lake in its caldera, it has long been considered a holy mountain in the Korean peninsula. Myths exist pinpointing Mt Paekdu as the birthplace of Korea’s legendary founder King Tangun. According to North Korean state propaganda, Kim Jong Il was born near the mountain.
[8] Jong Il Peak is a peak near Mt. Paekdu that has been named after Kim Jong Il. His purported birthplace is just by this location, and the log cabin he was supposedly born in has been reconstructed and made into a site of revolutionary pilgrimage.
공격전이다
붉은기 추켜들고 진격해간다
총대를 앞세우고 돌격해간다
일심의 찬만대오 이끌고가는
그 모습은 선군기치다
[후렴]
공격 공격 공격 앞으로
장군님의 혁명방식은
백두산번개처럼 공격
정일봉우뢰처럼 공격
공격 공격 공격전이다
산악이 막아서도 답보가 없다
대적이 밀려와도 방어가 없다
순간도 멈춤없이 맞받아치는
그 전법은 필승불패다
[후렴]
목표는 강성대국 희망봉이다
표대는 주체위업 승리봉이다
선군의 직선주로 폭풍쳐가는
그 걸음은 강행군이다
[후렴]
백두산번개처럼 공격
정일봉우뢰처럼 공격
공격 공격 공격전이다
攻擊戰이다
붉은기 추켜들고 進擊해간다
銃대를 앞세우고 突擊해간다
一心의 千萬隊伍 이끌고가는
그 모습은 先軍旗幟다
[後斂]
攻擊 攻擊 攻擊 앞으로
將軍님의 革命方式은
白頭山번개처럼 攻擊
正日峰우뢰처럼 攻擊
攻擊 攻擊 攻擊戰이다
山岳/山嶽이 막아서도 踏步가 없다
對敵이 밀려와도 防禦가 없다
瞬間도 멈춤없이 맞받아치는
그 戰法은 必勝不敗다
[後斂]
目標는 強盛大國 希望峰이다
表대는 主體偉業 勝利峰이다
先軍의 直線走路/直綫走路 暴風쳐가는
그 걸음은 強行軍이다
[後斂]
白頭山번개처럼 攻擊
正日峰우뢰처럼 攻擊
攻擊 攻擊 攻擊戰이다
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