North Korean Party Animals Greet New Year in Wild Style

Pity the poor souls stuck in dreary Times Square as 2007 was rung in. The real action was in Pyongyang!

From the Korean Central News Agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea comes this vivid portrait of the festivities in Beloved Leader's land:

The New Year's Day of Juche 96 (2007) has come. From the early morning, streams of the Korean people visit statues of the great President Kim Il Sung, the eternal sun of Juche, with floral baskets and bunches of flowers to make a New Year's bow to him.

Officers and men of the Korean People's Army, working people of all strata and school youth and children in Pyongyang visit his statue on Mansu Hill with the pride of having adorned the year 2006 with great labor successes. They are full of optimism and firm resolution to perform feats in the hopeful New Year.

Pyongyang is garbed in festive attire.

The streets of the city are festooned with such large slogans as "We Extend New Year's Greeting to the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il", "We Sincerely Wish the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Good Health" and "Let Us Add Brilliance to the Korean-style Socialism with Might of Single-minded Unity" and celebration boards including "New Year 2007" and others. Fluttering on flag poles are the flags of the DPRK.

And how's this for a New Year's resolution?

The working people of all walks of life, school youth and children in the capital city are hardening their mind to vigorously advance forward toward a new victory under the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il this year, too.

So there.