A great leader who gave the Korean people independence -special article by Dr Dermot Hudson

As the Korean people and the progressive peoples of the world celebrate the 114th anniversary of the birth of the great leader President

KIM IL SUNG we can only reflect with great respect  on the many achievements of President KIM IL SUNG who was a humble son of the Korean people born into a poor peasant family at Mangyongdae near Pyongyang .

On one of  my first visits to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the early 1990s one of my guides explained why they wore a badge with the image of the President ; it was simple , without President  KIM IL SUNG there would be no Korea . To that I would  add that would  no independence and no socialism.

As respected Marshal KIM JONG UN said of President KIM IL SUNG “Independence was the revolutionary creed, revolutionary mode and revolutionary practice he cherished and applied all his life”

President KIM IL SUNG from an early age struggled for the independence of Korea from murderous and barbaric rule  of Japanese imperialism which had annexed Korea in 1910. The Japanese imperialists tried obliterate everything Korean . As a young man President KIM IL SUNG gathered a band of revolutionaries and patriots around him to form the Down With Imperialism Union in 1926 , the 100th anniversary of which will be in October of this year. Later President KIM IL SUNG took up the gun to fight for independence when he first formed the Korean Revolutionary Army in July of 1930 and the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerilla Army .

When lazy bourgeois nationalists , flunkeys and factionalists were doing nothing but talk President KIM IL SUNG commanded many battles against the Japanese imperialists ,finally liberating Korea from Japanese imperialist rule on the 15th of August 1945 .

After liberation in 1945 President KIM IL SUNG made sure that independence was maintained . The new Korea would not be a copy of another country . President KIM IL SUNG saw it as  pointless and wrong to build a new country under the domination of another country , instead the new People’s Korea was to be totally independent and free from domination by outside forces. Why should one kind of domination be swapped for another ?

From the first days of Juche Korea the line of economic independence was pursued . As early as 1947 President KIM IL SUNG declared that “For complete national independence and sovereignty and for national prosperity and development, one must build an independent national economy and thus firmly ensure economic independence.”

President KIM IL SUNG developed in depth the theory of the independent national economy  and applied it in practice . The DPRK did not join the Council For Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA or COMECON ) but developed a self-reliant independent national economy . A proud example of this is Vinalon or Juche fibre , a fibre made from limestone which is abundant is abundant in the DPRK .

 In 1956 President KIM IL SUNG defeated those internal traitors , the anti-Party counter -revolutionary factionalists and revisionists  who worshipped big powers and wanted to make the DPRK subordinate to others and even turn the DPRK into a pro US bourgeois republic .

The Juche idea that was first authored by President KIM IL SUNG in the days of the anti-Japanese armed struggle became the ideological and conceptual underpin of the DPRK’s independence . President KIM IL SUNG explained that Juche meant “In a nutshell, the idea of Juche means that the masters of the revolution and the work of construction are the masses of the people and that they are also the motive force of the revolution and the work of construction. In other words, one is responsible for one's own destiny and one has also the capacity for hewing out one's own destiny. “.

Under President KIM IL SUNG’s Juche-oriented leadership the DPRK maintained robust independence , the DPRK ploughed through the storms of imperialism , revisionism and anti-socialism like a knife cutting through butter. Today the DPRK is the most independent country in the world .

President KIM IL SUNG gave the Korean people  independence , the most beautiful and precious gift that money cannot buy . So on the 114th anniversary of his birth we respect and revere the great leader President  KIM IL SUNG .

Glory to the memory of the great leader President KIM IL SUNG !
Long Live Juche !
Long live self-reliance !

Dr Dermot Hudson

Chairman Korean Friendship Association UK

Chairman British Group For the Study of the Juche Idea

Hon Secretary General Global Farmy Study Group For comrade KIM JONG UN’s People-first policies.

From Voice of Korea-Winning Victory with His Outstanding Military Tactics

From Voice of Korea http://vok.rep.kp/index.php/detail_com/scomde/iee260316001/39/en

Winning Victory with His Outstanding Military Tactics

  The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung is a military genius who led two revolutionary wars to victory by creating outstanding military tactics. 

                                                                  

Creating Guerrilla Tactics of Korean Style

  Comrade Kim Il Sung founded the Korean People's Revolutionary Army on April 25, 1932, in order to accomplish the historic cause of national liberation.

  The Korean People's Revolutionary Army had to wage an armed struggle against the numerically and technically superior Japanese imperialists for a long time.

  Doctor and Associate Professor Ho Sun Bok, Researcher of Kim Il Sung University, said Comrade Kim Il Sung created original guerrilla tactics of Korean style in the initial period when he started the anti-Japanese armed struggle, and continued:

  "At that time the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung said it was necessary to start with a small number of forces, accumulate and expand them constantly in the course of war and achieve the final victory by fighting a decisive battle combined with the all-people armed uprising all in good time. And he taught that we should equip ourselves with handy arms to move fast so as to defeat the Japanese imperialists through the war of constant attrition while ensuring strategic and tactical upper hand over the enemy consistently in the way of dispersing the crowded ones and destroying the dispersed ones piecemeal, avoiding their large troops and killing small ones and this is the guerrilla warfare and herein lies its nice point."

  Comrade Kim Il Sung made public works such as the "Guerrilla Actions" and the "Guerrilla Manual" by synthesizing and systematizing the precious experience he got in the armed activities for a little over one year after the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. In those works he explained guerrilla tactics with many-sided contents.

  As he taught, the Korean People's Revolutionary Army defeated much more enemy while protecting its own forces to the maximum.

  Comrade Kim Il Sung created diverse guerrilla tactics such as assault, ambush, encounter, pursuit battle, the tactics of escaping from siege by stealth to make the enemy fight among themselves and defensive fight to put the enemy on the defensive before attacking them in the whole period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle.

  He could create such Juche-oriented guerrilla tactics and put them into practice as he always found himself among people and soldiers and conducted activities depending on their creative strength and wisdom.

  Thanks to the guerrilla tactics of Korean style presented by him, the Korean People's Revolutionary Army could always defeat the numerically and technically superior enemy with its strategic and tactical upper hand in the whole course of the anti-Japanese armed struggle.

With His Original Military Tactics

  In the 1950s the Korean people won a victory in the Fatherland Liberation War to repulse the invasion of the US imperialists.

  During the war, Comrade Kim Il Sung further developed and enriched the Juche-oriented military tactics and applied them with success.

  He ensured that mountain warfare and night warfare were fought by making a good use of the terrain conditions of the country with a lot of mountains and rivers, and large-unit and small-unit operations, and regular warfare and guerrilla warfare combined properly.

  And he created unique military tactics unprecedented in the world history of wars to apply them to the war.

  Doctor and Associate Professor Ho Sun Bok, Researcher of Kim Il Sung University, said Comrade Kim Il Sung saw that the sudden attack of the enemy was repulsed with immediate and decisive counterattack at the beginning of the war, and continued:

  "The war history in all ages and countries showed that even though it had a powerful army and great economic and military potentials, a country which faced a total and sudden attack of the enemy fell into confusion and went to ruin without displaying its strength properly or underwent harsh trials for a certain period before saving the situation of the front and building up its strength for counterattack.

  Irrespective of the accepted military theory and manual and the experience of other countries, however, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung put forward a new counteroffensive strategy on the firm Juche-based stand.

  His counteroffensive strategy was the original one unheard-of in all aspects such as the purpose and time of counterattack, its line, the style of its transition and method."

  Thanks to the strategy of immediate and decisive counterattack advanced by Comrade Kim Il Sung, Seoul, the stronghold of the enemy, was liberated in three days after the start of the war.

  Comrade Kim Il Sung created a lot of military tactics such as the formation of the second front with regular units and powerful total counteroffensive action, active position warfare, tunnels warfare, siege warfare, aircraft-hunting team movement, tank hunters' team movement, sniper's movement, and intensive use of artillery fire and mobile battery movement in the mountainous areas.

  The original military tactics which could not be found in any military books of the world gave the revolutionary zeal and creative activity of the soldiers into fullest play.

  Shining forever are the immortal exploits of Comrade Kim Il Sung who created the military tactics of Korean style and developed them in depth and thus demonstrated the dignity and honour of the country all over the world.

 

Press Statement of Policy Section Chief of Institute for Japan Studies under DPRK Foreign Ministry

Pyongyang, April 15 (KCNA) -- The policy section chief of the Institute for Japan Studies under the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK issued a press statement titled "Japan's diplomatic blue book is a tricky document to beautify its extreme militarist moves with 'threat from the neighboring countries'" on April 14.

The press statement is as follows:

Shortly ago, Japan announced the "2026 diplomatic blue book" woven with conventional gangster-like logic and absurdity.

I do not care whether Japan announced the diplomatic blue book or not, but I can never overlook the fact that it called into question the DPRK's exercise of right to legitimate self-defence, in an absurd attempt to shake the position of a nuclear weapons state specified in the Constitution of the DPRK.

Japan termed the DPRK's measures for bolstering up its defence capabilities, which belong to the right to self-defence, "grave and urgent threat" and "clear and serious challenge" and made an anachronistic and evasive assertion like "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" and "complete implementation of the resolution of the UN Security Council".

This is a grave provocation encroaching upon the sovereign rights, security interests and development rights of our sacred state and, at the same time, it fully reveals Japan's deep-rooted hostility and confrontational intention toward the DPRK.

In the diplomatic blue book, Japan talked about the "international order based on rules" and "governing by law", but refused to mention its master's top-class rogue act of unhesitatingly resorting to aggression and use of armed forces against sovereign states to hold its unilateral hegemony.

Japan, a vassal state of the U.S., which has neither clear political view nor independence, is making desperate efforts to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state. This is impudent and ridiculous act not quite fit for it.

Whenever an opportunity presents itself, Japan is letting loose rhetoric about the exercise of the right to self-defence by neighboring countries. Such move is aimed at covering up its criminal nature of shaking the keynote of security in the region while pursuing legal and institutional completion as a war state and expansion of its aggressive attack capability.

Japan's diplomatic blue book is a tricky and confrontation document from A to Z to beautify the militarist moves of the Japanese authorities who are dreaming of bringing about the second imperial era and rushing headlong into its realization with "threat from the neighboring countries" as an excuse. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.04.15.)

DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson on General Election of Parliament in Myanmar

Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA on April 14 as regards the fact that the general election of the parliament was recently held in Myanmar and that a new president was elected and inaugurated:

We pay regard to the fact that the five-year-long political transition has been ended and the country has entered a new phase of the development of the state and the society as the general election of the parliament was held in Myanmar and the president, elected through constitutional procedures, was inaugurated.

We respect the aspiration and choice of the people of Myanmar to achieve solid socio-political stability and create a peaceful and sustainable development environment in Myanmar.

We expect the development of the new situation in Myanmar will bring about the country's socio-political stability, promote the economic development and lead to the regional peace and stability of the situation. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.04.14.)

Glory to the 114th anniversary of the birth of the great leader President KIM IL SUNG

 

On the 15th of April 1912 , the great leader President KIM IL SUNG was born .

President KIM IL SUNG was the author of the great and immortal Juche idea . He defeated two imperialisms , Japanese and American , in one generation and led the complex two stage revolution in Korea as well as the building of socialism .

An advanced socialist system of Korean style centred upon the masses was built and People's Korea became a socialist paradise .

Under the leadership of President KIM IL SUNG People's Korea made a great contribution to the struggle for world socialism and global independence.

Glory to the 114th anniversary of the birth of President KIM IL SUNG

Report of the Meeting “ KIM IL SUNG and the characteristics of Korean style socialism and its success 11.04.2026

The Korean Friendship Association of the UK (KFA UK )and the British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea held a successful meeting in Brixton on the theme of President KIM IL SUNG and the characteristics of Korean style socialism and its success .  In attendance were members of KFA UK and the British Group For the Study of the Juche Idea  as well people from the progressive and anti-imperialist community in London including the general secretary of the New Communist Party .

The livestream of the meeting was watched by over 800 people .

Dr Dermot Hudson , chairman of KFA UK and chairman of the British Group For the Study of the Juche Idea introduced the meeting saying that April will see the 114th anniversary of the birth of President KIM IL SUNG , also the 14th anniversary of the supreme leadership of respected Marshal KIM JONG UN  and the 94th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army  and explained that the main theme of the meeting was “President KIM IL SUNG and the Characteristics of Korean style socialism and its success “

A message from the DPRK Embassy  was read out. The message stressed that “Our party, founded by the great leader, is the most authoritative and powerful Juche-oriented revolutionary party, and our army is an invincible Mt. Paektu revolutionary force, and our country is the socialist power centred on the popular masses who is the master of everything.” It also explained that “ Although the United States is now resorting to acts of state-sponsored terrorism and aggression in various parts of the world, its arrogant high-handedness and rashness have failed to undermine the will of progressive mankind to oppose domination and subjugation and achieve independence and equality, but rather triggered off anti-American sentiments and hatred of the forces aspiring after independence, and they are pushing them towards unity and resistance”

The message from comrade Alejandro Cao Be Benos  president of the Korean Friendship Association said in  part

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea stands as the unshakable pinnacle of success precisely because it has done the opposite. DPRK's leadership is not a transient political office, but the embodiment of the nation’s very soul—a lineage of peerless greatness passed generation after generation. This provides the absolute unity that makes its society an impregnable fortress. The revolutionary military deterrence guarantees the sovereignty, ensuring no external force can dictate its path. By blocking corrupting capitalist influence and holding fast to the self-reliant Juche principles, the glorious DPRK has secured its legacy. The country is thriving as the genuine, victorious model of socialism to be followed by the world's people fighting for justice, independence and equality.”

A message was also received from the secretary general of the British Group For the Study of the Juche and head of Staffordshire KFA UK which said “ The theory and practice of the Great and Respected Leader, President Kim IL Sung continues to inspire generations of revolutionaries on every continent. The Juche Idea is known for its creative essence and is a guide for all progressives who desire an independent world free of imperialism. 

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea shows in practice that a new world of social justice is possible. All the internal and external policies of the DPRK serve the interests of the people in every possible way. People's Korea is perhaps the only country in the world able to stand up and defeat the forces of imperialism. Under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un, the DPRK is going from strength to strength after the deliberations of the 9th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.”

Alan Bolon , KFA UK Organisation Secretary and head of KFA UK West of England gave a lecture titled “ KIM IL SUNG and the characteristics

of Korean style socialism and its success”  which explained the ideological and historical criterion of Korean style socialism . Alan stressed that “ On the occasion of the 114th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung birth, we recalling his great achievements.

The achievement and exploits are the premises and foundations of today's successes. Kim Il Sung is the founder of the world's strongest well organized political organization: Workers' Party of Korea. Kim Il sung is the founder of the strongest of the world military power: Korean People's Army, and also before all is the founder of the current Asian superpower, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

President Kim Il Sung led in his exploits led to victory two wars ( the Anti - Japanese War of 1930 - 45 and the Korean War against American imperialism of 1950 - 53 ). 

It was Kim Il Sung, who defeated two strong imperialist countries: Japan and the US, and initiated successfully two massive and complex social revolutions – the anti - imperialist and anti - feudal revolution and the socialist revolution.

Under Kim Il Sung leadership, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which was a backward state with a colonial - feudal society and a typically agrarian state, was transformed in into a powerful socialist and highly industrialized state, politically independent, economically self - reliant, and capable of self - defense, possessing a nuclear arsenal, which is unmatched anywhere in the world. 

Thanks to Kim Il Sung for the first time in world history, an original system of the Korean style socialism was put into practice, the system with man at its center and it was also result of historical achievements of the President Kim Il Sung.

Alan concluded that “ The Korean style of socialism has achieved historic success, the Korean style of socialism continues to achieve success and, this is because it is based on the solid ideological foundations of the epoch - making Juche philosophy and, on the experiences and great achievements of Kim Il Sung whose birthday we celebrate today”

Dr Hudson in his speech said that  “In today ‘s world many socialist projects are encountering severe difficulties and challenges , some are faltering . However , in one socialist country tall buildings rise one after the other and new factories go into commission , that country is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea -DPRK for short or People’s Korea or Juche Korea . As it will soon be the 114th anniversary of the birth of the founder of Juche Korea , President KIM IL SUNG ,on the 15th of April  it is fitting and appropriate that we hold this meeting on the theme of President KIM IL SUNG and the characteristic of Korean style socialism and its success , as it is a good way of combining two subjects . Of course President KIM IL SUNG’s whole life was intimately bound up with the construction of socialism in the DPRK , a socialism of Korean style based on the Juche idea which President KIM IL SUNG himself had authored in the fiery days of the anti-Japanese armed struggle. The foundations of today’s rapid advance in People’s Korea were laid down by President KIM IL SUNG”

Dr Hudson explained that “ To me, Korean style socialism has four basic characteristics which have contributed to its success ; firstly it is socialism of a Korean style and not a copy or imitation of a foreign country ,secondly , it is independent and self-reliant , thirdly , it is people-centred and fourthly , the DPRK has upheld socialist principles . All this principles are linked to each other .”

Andy Brooks the general secretary of the New Communist Party addressed the meeting saying that there is a lot of misinformation and confusion about the people’s government in the DPRK . He said that some people are dismissive of the DPRK .He stressed that  Korean style socialism has succeeded and it reflects concrete conditions . Andy Brooks pointed out  President KIM IL SUNG had been built up a movement from the grassroots. Andy Brooks also recalled his meeting with President KIM IL SUNG in 1990.

There was a question and answer session .

Dr Hudson also made a short address about the 14th anniversary of the start of the supreme leadership of respected comrade KIM JONG UN saying that “The fourteen  years of respected Marshal KIM JONG UN leadership over the state  ,party and armed forces of the DPRK have been fourteen years of victory and glory . The Korean people will march onto further victories .”

Dr Hudson made reference to the 94th anniversary of the foundation of the Korean People’s Army as a guerilla force .

A message to respected Marshal KIM JONG UN was adopted.

Refreshments were served.

Literature from the DPRK and KFA UK were displayed .

The meeting concluded at 1700 hours BST

Always among People.

http://www.mfa.gov.kp/view/article/24084
2026.4.13.
Asked to summarize the great revolutionary life of President Kim Il Sung in a single motto, you would say: Believing in the people as in heaven.

To him, the people were the heaven, teacher and his whole life.

With the lifelong motto of believing in the people as in heaven, President Kim Il Sung was always among the people and developed policies based on their demand and desire.

He found great pleasure and happiness when he was among the people, discussing with them country affairs, future and ways to improve their livelihood.

In the compound of the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) stands the monument bearing the inscription of the immortal autograph of President Kim Il Sung that reads to the effect that the students should become competent officials of the Party and the state, who work always among the people, together with them and in the vanguard of the them for the independence and sovereignty of the country and the freedom and happiness of the people.

A foreign expert on international relations looked at the monument and said: That the word “people” is repeatedly used as many as four times in one sentence clearly indicates that the WPK is the Party striving for freedom and happiness of the people; Looking around the world-class WPK Central Cadres Training School in person, I have a deeper understanding of the intention and will of leader Kim Jong Un who gives top priority to the training of Party officials.

The motto of believing in the people as in heaven and the day-and-night field guidance of President Kim Il Sung brought about the great harmonious whole of the leader and the people, which, in turn, served as the motive force for our country to bring about transformation and miracles worthy of note in the annals of our revolution.

The ideals set forth by President Kim Il Sung by his motto are now being carried forward by respected Comrade Kim Jong Un: He put forth the spirit of “Believing in the people as in heaven.” as the invariable ideal of the WPK and is leading the people with energy and devotion.

Comrade Kim Jong Un embodies the same love of President Kim Il Sung for the people and continues with his journey of devotion to the people. With respected Comrade Kim Jong Un in high esteem the people’s paradise will blossom into reality on this land as was envisaged by President Kim Il Sung.