N. Korea bombards its citizens with slogans

PYONGYANG , North Korea, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- North Korea published over 300 new slogans Thursday, attempts at encouraging improvement in all facets of life, but their cheerleading takes a back seat to their strangeness.

"Fight death-defyingly for our country and nation!" is one of the more straightforward slogans. Another calls for wives of military officers to "become dependable assistants to their husbands."

"Let's turn our country into a country of mushrooms!" is one on the list, announced by the state-run news agency KCNA and to be used to celebrate the 70th anniversaries of the Workers' Party of Korea and the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japan, each of which will be noted later in the year. Rallying cries are typical in North Korean motivational attempts, and propaganda with ideological messages usually is revealed prior to anniversaries and other celebratory moments.

The list includes exhortations for people to "Make fruits cascade down and their sweet aroma fill the air," and "Keep the laughter of the children ring by increasing the production of their foodstuffs!"

The KCNA list, in English, reads like rejected one-liners from an advertising agency.

"Do everything the way the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il did!," reads one a reference to former North Korean leaders. Others include "Even though one may have 99 per cent of demerits and only one per cent of merit or conscience, boldly trust him and lead him to start with a clean slate!" and "Build a fairy land for the people by dint of science."