After the demise of President Kim Il Sung in July Juche 83 (1994), the DPRK had been in hard time due to the U.S.-led imperialists' moves to isolate and stifle it and food shortage caused by devastating natural disasters.

Under the rigorous situation, leader Kim Jong Il made a decision to tide over the nation's difficulties with Jagang Province as a frontrunner.

Encouraged by his decision, the people of the province remodeled factories, built new ones and constructed a number of minor hydraulic power stations and electricity heated dwelling houses under the unfavorable conditions.

Kim Jong Il visited the province in mid-January 1998 and highly appreciated its people for their signal achievements, calling the spirit they displayed in facelifting the province the Kanggye spirit. Then he appealed to all other people of the country to follow the spirit.

Thus, the spirit swept throughout the whole country, resulting in great achievements in building a thriving socialist nation.