Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- The military muscle and defence capability should be strong before anything else in order not to be slaves of the imperialists who recklessly wield the stick of power, says Rodong Sinmun on Sunday in an article.

The article goes on:

It is a bitter lesson taught by history that the one with weak defense capability can not freely express its will but read others' face and, in the end, becomes a plaything and victim of the imperialists.

Only when we respond to the power and confrontation in kind, can we defend the people and the dignity of the state.

In order to defend ourselves, we must have the strength to counter even the imperialist power.

What is important is to bolster up the self-reliant military capabilities. Only then can the present and the future and sovereignty of the country and the nation be defended.

The DPRK has set it as a fundamental requirement for building an independent and sovereign state to bolster up its own military muscle from its early years and directed efforts to it from the first period of building a new society.

It has now emerged an irretrievable nuclear power which no one can ignore and a fortress of socialism and independence, demonstrating its might before the world.

The imperialists are making desperate efforts to block the advance of the DPRK, but the speed of its advance is getting faster as it has a sure guarantee for the prosperity of the country.

The DPRK has a long way to go but its national power is inexhaustible. No force can match the DPRK's military muscle.

We are proud of this and are convinced of the validity and victory of the cause of socialism of our style. -0-