From KFA UK Germany
"What is the difference between Juche-Philosophy and Marxism-Leninism?
We received some very mean accusations from the Communist Party of
Germany, that Juche would be an idealistic Philosophy that breaks with
the core principles of ML.
This point has been dealt with by comrade Alan but I will add as follows ;
It is regrettable that the KPD has launched this attack on the DPRK . I will be producing in the next few weeks a detailed refutation of the attack .Having read the article briefly it seemed to contain several actually contradictory lines of attack on Juche, some were ultra left and some were typically revisionist or even liberal . The article reminded me of a so-called critique of the DPRK published by a certain British party‘.
Anyway, to answer the question directly ;claiming that Juche is idealist is pretty old hat now . Whilst being aware of the historical limitations of classic Marxist Leninist theory , People's Korea strongly respects the great achievements of the founders of Marxism -Leninism as comrade KIM JONG IL said " Our Party and people respect Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin as the leaders of the working class and speak highly of their distinguished service”. Moreover People's Korea is one of the few countries in the world where you can take a university course in Marxism-Leninism and dialectical materialism. So it is a false statement that Marxism-Leninism has been rejected .
Juche does in fact take dialectical materialism as its premise . Comrade KIM JONG IL in his work titled “ THE JUCHE PHILOSOPHY IS AN ORIGINAL REVOLUTIONARY PHILOSOPHY'' explained as follows “The Marxist philosophy raised the relationship between material and consciousness, between being and thinking, as the fundamental question of philosophy and proved the primacy of material, the primacy of being and, on this basis, elucidated that the world is made of material and changed and developed by the motion of material. The Juche philosophy has raised the relationship between the world and man, and man’s position and role in the world, as the fundamental question of philosophy, clarified the philosophical principle that man is the master of everything and that he decides everything and, on this basis, illuminated the absolutely correct way of shaping man’s destiny. The Marxist philosophy raised as its major task the clarification of the essence of the material world and the general law of its motion, whereas the Juche philosophy has raised as its important task the elucidation of man’s essential characteristics and the law of social movement, man’s movement. Therefore, the Juche philosophy is an original philosophy which is fundamentally different from the preceding philosophy in its task and principles. That is why we should not understand the Juche philosophy as a philosophy that has developed materialistic dialectics, nor should we attempt to prove the originality and advantages of the Juche philosophy by arguing one way or the other about the essence of the material world and the general law of its motion which were clarified by the Marxist philosophy. You cannot explain the Juche philosophy in the framework of the preceding philosophy because it is a philosophy that has clarified new philosophical principles. If you attempt to do so, you will not only fail to prove the originality of the Juche philosophy, but instead make it obscure and fail to understand the essence of Juche philosophy correctly”
I would recommend that the KPD read and study this work.
I would like to use this analogy to explain the difference between Marxism -Leninism and Juche , think of building a house , Marxism -Leninism is about the ground that the house will stand and the materials used for its construction but Juche is about those who will actually build the house.
Can you explain the term 'Inmingbang'? As far as we know, it is a kind
household unit in the DPRK
This refers to the people’s neighbourhood unit . It is the most basic administrative unit in the DPRK. It is a rough and approximate similarity to the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution in Cuba . The people’s neighbourhood unit takes charge of running a locality , it is responsible for keeping the area clean and tidy and for repairs . It also has the power to expel anti-social residents(or indeed counter-revolutionary elements) and make them move elsewhere.
What is the Taean economic system?
This takes its name from the Taean Heavy Machinery Complex which I visited in May 1992 .The complex is situated near to the West coast of the DPRK and is very big with 30,000 workers ,actually bigger than any present industrial complex in the UK . President KIM IL SUNG visited here in December 1961 and made a deep study of conditions and working practices .On December 16th 1961 he addressed a meeting of the Party committee of the enterprise and made a speech titled “On Improving the Guidance and Management of Industry to fit the new circumstances “ which was heavily critical of the then existing management structures in industry and put forward a new method of management which became known as the Taean Work System.
The Taean work system was a new socialist style of economic management . Enterprises in the DPRK are managed collectively by the party committee . The old system of one-man management Priority is given to political work .It was thanks to this system that the DPRK avoided the shortcomings and pitfalls of some other socialist countries. The Taean work system stands out as an example of worker's control and participation. The Taean work system together with the system of unified and detailed planning and the independent national economy constitute a textbook for running a socialist economy .
President KIM IL SUNG said “ The overall introduction of the new economic management system has enabled us to more than meet the requirements of the economic laws of socialism ,properly combining political and moral incentives with material incentives ,and centralism with democracy in economic management . In particular ,it has enabled us to completely overcome both the ‘Leftist’ deviation in ignoring the transitional nature of socialist society in economic management and the Rightist inclination towards decentralisation in economic guidance and liberalisation of enterprise management ,that is putting all the emphasis on material rather than political or moral incentives “
The DPRK under the guidance of dear respected Marshal KIM JONG UN is further developing the Taean Work system in accordance with the requirements of the present reality and is keeping to the principles of socialism and self-reliance.
With regard to the question from KFA Spain and the Valencia Juche Idea Study Group about ‘How are decisions made in the workplace ?’ This question is partially answered by the answer above .
I would add Decisions in the workplace are made by the Party committee in each enterprise with the full input of the masses of producers . Regular workplace meetings are held all the time . In fact each morning there is a meeting to outline the day’s tasks and also to convey key political decisions and information from the Party Central Committee to workers.
All workers in the DPRK belong to trade unions which encourage workers to take part in production with the attitude of a master .
The DPRK operates the system of unified and detailed planning in which workers at every level are involved .
I would recommend the book although it is somewhat dated ‘Socialist Korea -a case study in socialist economic development ‘ by Jacques Hersh and Ellen Brun published by Monthly Review Review Press and is on the KFAUSA website
Socialist-Korea-Ellen-Brun-and-Jacques-Hersch.pdf (kfausa.org)
What is the method of Chongsan Ri?
The Chongsan Ri Method is named after the Chongsan Ri Co-Operative Farm where the great leader comrade KIM IL SUNG gave on the spot guidance for 15 days in February 1960 and actually lived at the farm for that period.
During his on-the spot guidance at Chongsan ri President KIM IL SUNG deeply analysed the questions and issues involved in guiding socialist agriculture . He had many discussions with the co-operative farmers . In the DPRK the socialist transformation of production relations was 100 per cent completed by 1958 and the need arose for new methods to guide socialist agriculture as previous methods were not appropriate to the changed conditions . Other socialist countries had not solved the questions of management and guidance of the socialist economy .
President KIM IL SUNG, applying the Juche idea, looked for a solution to suit the reality and conditions of Korea. Based on his guidance to the Chongsan Ri co-operative farm ,he created the great Chongsan ri method and Chongsan ri spirit which can be summed by the following quote "The basic requirement of Chongsan-ri spirit is to thoroughly defend the interests of the popular masses, rally the entire people around the Party and convert all the works into that of popular masses themselves. The main method of Chongsan-ri is that superiors help their subordinates, go out to the spot to grasp the actual conditions and find correct ways to solve the problems, give priority to the work with the people and fully mobilize the people’s revolutionary enthusiasm and creativity to carry out their assignment.
"
Thus as a result of the great Chongsan ri method and Chongsan Ri spirit the DPRK basically eliminated bureaucracy as well as subjectivity in work.
The Taean System discussed above is actually an application of the Chongsan Ri Method to industry.
We have been asked about the traitors Hwang Jang-Yop, Shin Sang-Ok and Jang Song-Thaek. Can you briefly explain what their cases were about?
All three cases are different and it is not so easy to give a short explanation.
Shin Sang Ok was actually a famous south Korean film producer . He fell out of favour in south Korea in the 1970s and even had his studio shut down and his films banned by the Park Chung Hee fascist regime . Shin went into exile and later defected to the DPRK . I can actually remember seeing an interview with him in an old KOREA pictorial magazine in the 1980s (which sadly I no longer have because I have moved home many times since the 1980s ) in which Shin denied rumours that he had been kidnapped by the DPRK . As a matter of fact Shin actually did not live in the DPRK for a time but instead was in Budapest , Hungary where he and his wife run a joint venture film studio with the DPRK .The films produced by Shin with the help and co-operation of the DPRK won international awards .
It is probably that given Shin’s fame as a film producer that he was approached by south Korea and offered money to come back to south Korea . No doubt the story about being kidnapped by the DPRK was concocted by Shin to cover up the fact he had really defected to the DPRK . In my own opinion Shin was simply an opportunist who used both the DPRK and south Korea to get what he wanted , switching sides when it suited him.
As for Hwang Jang Yop , I actually met him in 1995 and 1996 . I was not impressed by him at all ,I was inwardly disappointed with him . Certain people here in the UK praised Hwang to the skies before he defected, to me. When the news of his defection broke I was not surprised .
Just before Hwang defected it was uncovered that he had embezzled a big sum of money by setting up an ‘International Juche Foundation. It was suspected that he had been working for at least 2 years with south Korean intelligence before he defected , probably a lot longer .
Hwang was the son of a landlord . He had become corrupt and degenerate . When he was in London he shocked the late Mike Hicks the then general secretary of the Communist Party of Britain by asking him if he could go to Soho and find girls for him !
With regards to Jang Song Thaek you can find the case detailed in my booklet “ People’s Korea Defeats Counter-Revolution “
https://www.lulu.com/shop/dermot-hudson/peoples-korea-smashes-counter-revolution/paperback/product-1qnwmrjv.html
Also https://juche007-anglo-peopleskoreafriendship.blogspot.com/2013/12/peoples-korea-smashes-counter.html
Anglo-People's Korea/Songun: Reflections on the 10th Anniversary of the Defeat of the Modern Factionalist Clique in the DPRK. (juche007-anglo-peopleskoreafriendship.blogspot.com)
About the Defeat of the Modern-Day Factionalist Clique in Korea (youtube.com)
Jang was a counter-revolutionary and a capitalist roader who stole 4.6 million Euro to spend in casinos in a foreign country . Jang was executed because he was demoted many times and also subjected to criticism and re-education but did not change.
From Paula KFA Andulasia -What opinion does the DPRK sustain regarding the ownership of pets at home? And what policy and laws are applied regarding animal rights there
In the DPRK in rural areas for a long time dogs and to a lesser extent cats were kept as pets , and also rabbits . In urban areas it was different and there were considerations given to questions of hygiene and space for pets . In the 1970s the favourite pet for people in urban areas was goldfish . However as housing started to expand in size for example after the 1980s urban flats were typically 100 to 180 sq metres ,people began to keep pets . The most popular pet is a dog . Most of my guides in the DPRK in the past such as Mr Lee , Miss Lee (no relation ) and Miss Kil all expressed a preference for dogs . Back in 2002 I saw a poodle being walked along the street and I see a dog in the Koryo Hotel in 2017 .Cats are not unknown in the DPRK , I have seen or heard cats in Kaesong and Pyongyang .Indeed a member of the staff of the DPRK Embassy ,London adopted a stray cat and took it back to Pyongyang with him.
A veterinary hospital which also treats domestic pets was established at Pyongyang Central Zoo in 2011
At present as far I know there is no legislation specifically on animals in the DPRK but as new laws are being passed all the time it is possible that we may see in the near future specific laws on animal welfare .Article 16 of the 2014 version of the DPRK Environmental Protection Law states that “Institutions, enterprises, organizations and citizens must not destroy the habitat of wild animals and aquatic life,”
The Pungsan Dog is defined legally as the National Dog of the DPRK and has been registered with the UN as an intangible cultural asset.
From Ben KFA Scotland Can you please describe who receives military training, what are the responsibilities of reservists, how do they maintain readiness, and how does the army maintain a strong relationship with the people.
The DPRK has an all people,nationwide defence system . The major military line of the DPRK is to make its defences impregnable by turning the entire army into a cadre army and modernizing it, arming all the people and fortifying the whole country.
The DPRK does not have reservists as such but in times of tension former KPA soldiers reenlist in the KPA . Everyone in the DPRK has some form of military training ; most people know how to handle weapons and also many people can practise martial arts or unarmed combat . Back in 2017 I actually saw armed civilians on the street as well as Worker -Peasant Red Guards and Red Young Guards.
The Worker Peasant Red Guard was founded on the 14th of January 1959 . It has the slogan “ "Rifle in one hand and hammer or sickle in the other!"
The Worker-Peasant Red Guards inherited the tradition of the anti-Japanese armed struggle. It is an embodiment of the idea of the all people in- depth defence system. The WPRG are organised at factories, industrial enterprises, farms and localities.
There is also the Young Red Guards , a voluntary paramilitary organization of students that was founded in September 1970 on the initiative of President KIM IL SUNG.
The mission of the WPRG and YRG is to defend the country in cooperation with the regular KPA . The WPRG also are ready to defend factories and farms and perform security duties in some places such as the International Friendship Exhibition ,
Universities also have their own armed units which you may have seen in the military parades.
The KPA is truly a people’s army in every sense of the word . They maintain close ties with the people . When I first visited the DPRK in 1992 I saw KPA soldiers transplanting rice . The KPA carries out many of the difficult construction projects , for example the West Sea Barrage was built by KPA soldiers . During the emergency situation caused by the inroad of Covid 19 in late spring and early summer of 2022 , the situation was saved by KPA medics who take charge of the situation following the order of Marshal KIM JONG UN .
The people support the army and there are visits to army units and joint army-civilian meetings and gatherings .
More information can be found here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vwo_-0p9OCD5JJL8BseURBrrAv5Ss2z1/view?usp=drive_link
From KFA Spain -Juche Idea Study Group of Valencia
Can you study Chondo-ism in the DPRK
The philosophy faculty of the Prestigious KIM IL SUNG University does study “ "Tonghak"as a subject . Tonghak is the original name of Chondoism . which is the original
From Jeremy-vice chairman of KFA Germany
Is there a female version of the Zhongsan suit
The answer is yes but its use is less common by women . Please note the female Worker -Peasant Red Guards usually wear a variant of the Zhongsan suit
What is the area of
Chongbo - approximately 1 hectares
Ri - is 4 kilometres
-. Bush claims that there was an agreement for nuclear disarmament between the DPRK and the USA, is that true?
. Bush claims that there was an agreement for nuclear disarmament between the DPRK and the USA, is that true?
There was never any agreement between Bush and the DPRK for the DPRK ‘s nuclear disarmament . However , there was for a period of a few years the so-called 6 party talks . The 6 party talks in September 2005 issued a joint statement calling for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula which is not the same thing as the nuclear disarmament of the DPRK , the two are quite different . However the US broke agreements so the DPRK tested its first nuke on the 9th of October 2006 . In 2009 the DPRK withdrew from the 6 party talks and tested its second nuke.
I recommend the book ‘ DPRK-US Showdown ‘
No comments:
Post a Comment