Statement from Korean National Peace Committee

Dear friends,

The situation of the Korean Peninsula, neither war nor peace, is running to the danger due to the anti-DPRK hostile policies of the antagonistic forces including the US and Japan.

The US , Japan and their followers tabled the DPRK’s launch of peaceful satellite in the UNSC and issued “presidential statement”. And then they are madly exercising the anti-DPRK hostile activities including imposing sanction to three companies of the DPRK and pointed many materials as forbidden items.

In relation to this, the DPRK government issued its spokesman’s statement which condemned the unjust and illegality of the UNSC and clarified that, unless that the UNSC gave up the sanction to the DPRK and apologized, the DPRK would take necessary means including a nuclear test and ICBM test launch to defend the supreme interest to cope with increasing the anti-DPRK hostile manoeuvres.

More than one month has already passed but there is no reaction to the statement yet. On the contrary, the hostile forces are further intensifying manoeuvres to overthrow the DPRK. In such a condition, the DPRK had no other option but to conduct the nuclear test.

Now the US and the Western mass medias are broadcasting distorted news on the truth of our launch of peaceful satellite and self-defensive measures.

Enclosed you will find the information on the background of our self-defensive measures to help you understand the grave situation prevailing on the Korean Peninsula .



Yours in peace,



Li Myong Guk

Secretary General,

Korean National Peace Committee



The DPRK’s Launch Of The Artificial Satellite Is The Legitimate Right Under The International Law



It is a legitimate right equally enjoyed by all countries of the earth to explore outer space and use it for peaceful purposes.

The DPRK officially declared through the statement of spokesman for the Korean Committee of Space Technology on Feb.24, 2009 that it envisages launching practical satellites for communications, prospecting of natural resources and weather forecast, etc. essential for the economic development of the country in a few years to come and putting their operation on a normal footing at the first phase of the state long-term plan for space development and the preparations for launching experimental communications satellite were making brisk headway.

As a part of the preparations for launching experimental communications satellite, the DPRK acceded to the “treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of states in the Exploration and use of Outer Space including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies” and the “Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space” and informed the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization and other international organizations of necessary information for the safe navigation of planes and ships according to relevant regulations.

In addition to this, the DPRK confirmed on April 4, 2009 that as the preparations had been completed, the experimental communications satellite would be launched soon and there was no change in the technological indexes necessary for the safe navigation of airlines and ships provided to the international organizations and the countries concerned in advance.

However, the US, Japan and some of their allied forces, asserting that the DPRK’ s peaceful experimental communications satellite was a ballistic missile and the launch posed a threat to them, claimed that the UNSC should make the issue with the said matter from the first day when the news of the preparations for launching experimental communications satellite “Kwangmyongsong-2” had been proclaimed.

Japan which has committed the biggest crimes against the DPRK is taking the lead in this anti-DPRK racket.

The countries which find fault with the DPRK’ s satellite launch including the US and Japan launched satellites before it. In addition to this, they even had already many military satellites such as spy ones.

The logic that their satellites are not the threat to other countries but only the DPRK’ s one is that, so they may launch as many satellites as they want but the DPRK should not be allowed to do so is a paradox and vivid manifestation of hostility towards it.

There are not a few countries in the world that launched satellites but the UNSC has never dealt with nor put in question with the satellite launch by other individual countries.

Because it has no mandate to interfere in the independent and legitimate rights of the sovereign states to the development and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.

The DPRK Foreign Ministry clarified by the statement of its spokesman that the attempts of Japan and the US the parties to the six party talks, to deny discriminately the DPRK’ s right to use space for peaceful purposes and infringe upon its sovereignty diametrically run counter to the “spirit of mutual respect and equality” enshrined in the September 19 joint statement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. If such hostile act is perpetrated in the name of the UNSC, this will precisely mean its denial of the said statement, therefore, the six party talks for the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula would lose any ground to exist and their meaning.

However, the United States and its followers misused the United Nations Security Council to issue a brigandish “presidential statement” condemning the DPRK’s satellite launch on April 14, 2009 while defying its repeated warning.

The UNSC whose permanent members are those countries which launched more satellites than any other countries tabled and discussed the DPRK’s launch of satellite for peaceful purposes although it was legitimately conducted after going through procedures under international law. This is an intolerable mockery of the Korean people and a flagrant violation of our sovereignty.

The UNSC’s action ran counter not only to the outer space treaty which stipulates that “Outer space shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law” but also to the principle of sovereign equality and impartiality stipulated in the UN Charter.

The DPRK Foreign Ministry made public of following statement to cope with the prevailed situation:

“First, the DPRK vehemently refutes and condemns the unjust action taken by the UNSC wantonly infringing upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and seriously hurting the dignity of the Korean people.

The DPRK will continue to exercise its independent right to the use of outer space based on international law including the outer space treaty reflecting the unanimous will of the international community, not on arbitrary practices of the UNSC which has been reduced to a tool for high-handed acts.

Second, there is no need any more to have the six-party talks which the DPRK has attended.

The spirit of respect for sovereignty and sovereign equality clarified in the September 19 joint statement for denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula is the basis and the life and soul of the six-party talks.

The six-party talks have lost the meaning of their existence never to recover now that the parties to the talks themselves totally denied this spirit in the name of the UNSC and now that Japan , which has desperately obstructed the talks from their outset, openly and unilaterally applied sanctions against the DPRK over its satellite launch.

The DPRK will never participate in such six-party talks nor will it be bound any longer to any agreement of the talks as they have been reduced to a platform for encroaching upon its sovereignty and forcing it to disarm itself and bringing down its system.

It will positively examine the construction of its light water reactor power plant in order to round off the structure of the Juche-based nuclear power industry

Third, the DPRK will boost its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way.

The hostile forces’ escalated military threat that they will intercept even a satellite for peaceful purpose compels the DPRK to further increase its nuclear deterrent.

The DPRK will take a measure to restore to their original state the nuclear facilities which had been disabled according to the agreement of the six-party talks and bring their operation back on a normal track and fully reprocess the spent fuel rods churned out from the pilot atomic power plant as its part.

The hostile forces are seriously mistaken if they thought they could bring the DPRK to its knees by force.

It is the basic purport of independence, Songun of the DPRK that it can never repeat the disgraceful history a century ago when the whole of Korea was conquered by the Japanese imperialists in the long run, after being violated and cajoled by big powers around it as it was weak in its national power.

The DPRK will defend the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula with might of Songun in a responsible manner though the six-party talks cease to exist and the process of denuclearization collapses due to the hostile forces.”

The UNSC not only denounced and condemned the DPRK’s satellite launch but also on April 24, 2009, in accordance with its “Presidential Statement” which has no binding force, officially designated three companies of the DPRK as targets of sanctions and many kinds of military supplies and materials as embargo items, and thus it has set out in directly infringement of the security of the country and the nation, the supreme interests of the DPRK.

The hostile forces are foolishly scheming to suffocate the DPRK’s defence industry by physical methods as they failed to attain their aims for disarming the DPRK through the six-way talks.

In the 1990s the DPRK already declared that any anti-DPRK sanctions to be put by the United Nations, a legal party to the Korean Armistice Agreement would be regarded as a termination of the agreement, that is, a declaration of war.

The desire for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has gone forever with the six-way talks and the situation is inching to the brink of war by the hostile forces.

The DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs solemnly gave the following warnings on April 29, 2009 to cope with such grave situation.

“The UNSC should promptly make an apology for having infringed the sovereignty of the DPRK and withdraw all its unreasonable and discriminative ‘resolution’ and decisions adopted against the DPRK.

This is the only way for it to regain confidence of the UN member nations and fulfill its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, not serving as a tool for the U.S. highhanded and arbitrary practices any longer.

In case the UNSC does not make an immediate apology, such actions will be taken as:

Firstly, the DPRK will be compelled to take additional self-defensive measures in order to defend its supreme interests.

The measures will include nuclear tests and test-firings of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Secondly, the DPRK will make a decision to build a light water reactor power plant and start the technological development for ensuring self-production of nuclear fuel as its first process without delay.”

That the hostile forces tabled and discussed the DPRK’s launch of peaceful satellite to the UNSC unprecedentedly is the overreaction itself. The enforcement of sanction with according to the UNSC “presidential statement”, which has no binding force, is infringement of sovereignty of the DPRK and the flagrant violation of the international law.

We only respond to it.

The DPRK has been waiting for the apology of the UNSC with patience for more than a month but no result at all. In such a condition, the DPRK has no other choice but to move as it declared by the statement of spokesman for the Foreign Ministry on April 29, 2009.

Therefore, all the anti-war and peace-loving forces of the world would be better to stand on justice and not to cooperate with the hostile forces which terribly violated the independence of the sovereign state while lodging a complaint against victim.

JISGE AND ASSPUK JOINT STATEMENT ON DPRK N TEST

ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF SONGUN POLITICS UK

London 26th of May 2009


Today the Association for the Study of Songun Politics UK and the Juche Idea Study
Group of England issued the following joint statement in connection with the successful undeground nuclear test of the DPRK and the successful test of short range missiles.

The nuclear test is a great victory for the DPRK,it greatly increases the self defensive power of the DPRK.It is a victory of Songun and an example of Songun revolutionary leadership in practice.It has shaken the US imperialist and other imperialist reactionary forces to their foundation and has shattered their arrogance leaving them impotent.

The DPRK is pursuing a just and revolutionary line of independence a true embodiment
of the Juche Idea and the Songun idea.The DPRK has defied the US imperialists and
other imperialists as well as big powers and the so called UN Security Council.The
nuclear test is a powerful blow against US imperialism and dominationism as well
modern revisionism and also globalisation. It is a powerful inspiration to the peoples of the world struggling against US imperialism. The DPRK has shown that a country can defy imperialism and those that follow it,including those weak and unprincipled forces,and defend it independence with honour.
To talk of "respecting the opinion of the international community" means that a country should sacrfice its supreme interests to outside forces.The DPRK can and will never do this !

The DPRK by conducting the test has further enchanced and augmented the self defensive power of the DPRK.It safeguards the independence of the DPRK as well its socialist system centred upon the popular masses.Moroever it contributes to the cause of world peace and security as well providing a guarntee for the independent reunification of Korea which can now become a reality instead of a dream.

We condemn the US imperialists and other imperialists who now rail and rage at the
DPRK.This is simply double standards particularly in the case of the US which was the
first country to detonate a nuclear device and is the biggest possessor of nukes in the
whole world.We call on world progressive people to support the DPRK against US
imperialist bullying,pressure and interference and the insidous attempts of the US
imperialists to disarm the DPRK and stifle its socialist system.
VICTORY TO THE DPRK!
LONG LIVE SONGUN!
signed
Dermot Hudson
President ASSPUK
Chairman JISGE

KIM IL SUNG-LET US BRING THE ADVANTAGES OF SOCIALISM IN OUR COUNTRY INTO FULL PLAY

KIM IL SUNG



LET US BRING THE ADVANTAGES OF SOCIALISM

IN OUR COUNTRY INTO FULL PLAY





Policy Speech Addressed to the First Session of the 9th Supreme People’s Assembly

of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

May 24, 1990





Comrade Deputies,

The election to the 9th Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been held in an atmosphere of great political enthusiasm and with the active participation of all the people at a time of upswing in which the grand march of the 1990s is progressing vigorously.

Through this election we have made the people’s govern­ment rock-solid and powerfully demonstrated the political and ideological unity of our people who are united closely behind the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Government of our Repub­lic.

You, Comrade Deputies, representing the will of all the peo­ple, have placed great confidence in me by entrusting me with the continued leadership of the new Government of the Republic as its President. For this trust I express my heartfelt gratitude to you.

The new Government of the Republic will serve the popular masses more faithfully by performing its noble duties and meeting the people’s high expectations. It will make every effort to achieve the victory of the cause of socialism and the self-determined, peace­ful reunification of the country.



1

Comrades,

The socialist system in our country is the greatest achievement of our people in their struggle to realize independence under the excel­lent leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Government of the Republic.

Our people are proud of the fact that they have, from their own conviction, chosen the path to socialism and have been building socialism successfully by their own efforts.

Our socialism is, in short, man-centered socialism, the embodi­ment of the Juche idea. The principal characteristic of our society is that it is a truly people-orientated society of which the popular mass­es are the genuine masters and in which everything serves the mass­es.

The process of building socialism by the application of the Juche idea can be described as the process of strengthening the motive force of the revolution and of transforming all the sectors of society to meet the requirements of Juche, in other words, the process of thoroughly establishing Juche.

Strengthening the motive force of the revolution is the funda­mental matter in the struggle for socialism. Unless they are fully prepared as the motive force of the revolution, the popular masses will be unable to emerge victorious from the struggle for political power; unless the motive force is consolidated steadily, it will find it impossible to build a socialist society and bring its advantages into play.

In carrying out the revolution and construction, we have always put preferential efforts into the consolidation of the motive force.

We have promoted the work of strengthening the motive force in keeping with the development of the revolution and the progress of our construction to higher levels.

By imbuing the popular masses with the Juche idea, the guiding ideology of our revolution, we have thoroughly established Juche in ideology, strengthened the Party and united all the people closely behind the Party, with the result that our revolutionary ranks have been welded into a socio-political organism. Today in our country the seasoned Workers’ Party of Korea stands firmly at the centre of the revolutionary ranks, and the masses of the people who have withstood all trials and have always shared their destiny with the Party even when poised between life and death during the long-drawn-out revolutionary struggle, are solidly united around the Party in a single purpose and mind. The fact that we have given definite priority to the work of strengthening the motive force of the revolu­tion and thus strengthened the politico-ideological unity of the popu­lar masses and helped them to fulfill their responsibility and role as befitting masters, has been the cardinal factor for success in the socialist revolution and in the building of socialism.

Transforming all the sectors of society creatively to meet the desire for independence of the popular masses, the motive force of the revolution, is the basic direction in which to build man-centered socialism. Throughout the course of building socialism, our Party and the Government of our Republic have consistently maintained the independent and creative stands and implemented the line of independence, self-sufficiency and self-reliant defence.

We have practiced independent politics to safeguard and realize the political independence of the popular masses, the masters of society, and have constructed an economy which can stand on its feet and can meet the people’s material needs on its own. We have also prepared self-reliant defence forces capable of reliably main­taining the security of the country and of protecting our revolution­ary achievements.

As a result of the establishment of solid political independence, reliable economic self-sufficiency and firm self-reliant national defence, our country has become a Juche, independent socialist country which continues to develop in all spheres, free from subjugation to and dependence on others.

The strong, independent motive force of our revolution which is based on the unbreakable unity of ideology and purpose between the Party and the popular masses, and its steady consolidation and development on the strong basis of independence, self-sufficiency and self-reliant defence, constitute the source of the might and indestructibility of the socialist system in our country and a sure guaran­tee for our accomplishment of the socialist cause without wavering, whatever the difficulty or complexity.

The advantages of our socialist system find clear expression in the happy and worthwhile lives of our people under socialism.

A socialist life is an independent and creative life for the popular masses as the masters of the state and society; it is a collectivist life for the people who share weal and woe, helping one another and leading one another forward. Every one of our people is now leading a political life, a cultural life and an economic life which accord with the intrinsic desire of man as social being, and with socialist ideals.

An economic life constitutes the basis of social life. A socialist economic life must be sound, contributing to the fulfillment of the people’s desire for independence and to the provision of creative activities for them; it must be equitable, providing everyone with equal happiness without differences between rich and poor.

In our country everyone is granted the right to be provided with food, clothing and housing by the state and society and is furnished with the conditions he needs by them. All the working people have steady jobs and participate in creative work for the good of the soci­ety and for their own good according to their abilities. They not only receive distribution according to the results of their work but also are granted many benefits by the people-orientated measures of the state.

Although they cannot say that they are rich, our people are now free from worries about their livelihood. Whether they are workers, farmers or office workers, whether they live in urban or rural communities, they all enjoy an equally happy life. In our country the material wealth created by the people is devoted totally to the promotion of their well-being, and their material standard of living rises steadily as the building of socialism makes progress.

A man’s dignity and value as a social being find clearest expres­sion in his political and cultural life. People can claim that they truly live as men only when they lead a highly valuable political life and a rich cultural life in addition to a decent economic life.

Through their cultural life, people develop their consciousness of independence and their creative abilities, acquire ennobling mental and moral qualities and meet their various cultural and emotional requirements. The essential characteristic of socialist cultural life distinguishing it from capitalist cultural life that makes people degenerate and poisons them with maladies lies in the fact that it enables people to meet their intrinsic desire for continuous mental and physical development and encourages them all to create and enjoy culture.

Under the system of free and compulsory education in our coun­try everyone, with a full right and freedom to enjoy education, stud­ies all his life, developing himself into a new type of man with ver­satility, thanks to the system of free medical care and various other popular policies, he enjoys good health and a happy, long life.

Our people display their resourcefulness and talents to the full in creating and developing socialist culture and arts and enjoy rich cultural and emotional lives to their hearts’ content. With noble moral qualities as independent beings, all our people live in harmony. Free from all social evils, they lead a hope-filled life and are struggling, proud of their lives and with a conviction in a brighter future.

The political life which provides the people with genuine politi­cal freedom and rights as masters of the state and society, guarantees valuable socio-political integrity for them and enables them to add luster to it is the most important of all their activities.

Through the socialist political life, the people realize their political independence, weld their individual lives to the life of the community and thus become immortal by being trusted and loved by the community.

Today our people, as genuine masters of government, participate freely in state administration and socio-political activities. Belong­ing to a particular socio-political organization, every one of them leads a politico-organizational life. Through their political life, our people participate as masters in the formulation of Party and state policies and in their implementation and maintain inseparable ties with the socio-political organism that centers on the Party. In our country a political life is a daily routine for every member of the society. Our people’s political life is, indeed, a life of the highest value for people as social beings who regard independence as their lifeblood. It is the most precious and worthwhile life and nothing can be compared with it.

Our people’s socialist life will be more prosperous as long as they have our Party to lead them and the Government of the Repub­lic to serve them.

The struggle for socialism in our country has been an arduous struggle waged in the difficult and complex situation in which the country is divided and in which we are in direct confrontation with US imperialism, the ring-leader of world imperialism.

Our people have overcome many bitter trials and shed a lot of sweat and blood in their struggle for socialism, but not in vain. They have become complete masters of their destiny and laid lasting, unshakable foundations for socialism on this land. There may be trials and difficulties in the future for our people in their struggle for the accomplishment of the socialist cause, and the enemy will continue with his obstructive moves. However, no trial or difficul­ty and no obstructive scheme by the enemy will ever be able to dampen our people’s revolutionary conviction or check our advance.

The greatness of the Juche idea, the guiding ideology of our Party, the invincibility of our people who have established Juche, and the advantages of our socialist system which is the embodiment of the Juche idea; these are the summary of our people’s struggle for socialism, and it is precisely in them that our people take great pride and it is precisely from them that they derive their confidence in a brighter future.



2

Comrades,

Today we are faced with the honorable tasks of attaining a new, higher peak of socialism by pressing ahead with the revolution and construction, and of bringing the advantages of socialism in our country into full play.

The Government of the Republic must accelerate the building of socialism by holding fast to our Party’s general line of stepping up the ideological, technical and cultural revolutions while strengthen­ing the people’s state power and steadily enhancing its functions and role.

In order to accomplish the cause of socialism and communism, we must continue with the revolution even after the socialist system has been established and occupy the ideological and material fortresses, the major strategic objectives for building socialism and communism.

In the course of building socialism and communism, we must make strenuous efforts to capture the two fortresses of com­munism, while giving priority to the struggle to capture the ideologi­cal fortress.

The need to secure the material fortress for building a commu­nist society is clear to everybody. But the attainment of this objective alone will not make a communist society a reality. In essence, capturing the material fortress is an effort to prepare the objective conditions for a communist society, but the work of securing the ideological fortress is an undertaking to transform people, the masters of society, along communist lines, in other words, to prepare the motive force of a communist society. The work of capturing the ideological fortress constitutes the most important aspect of building communism, and the outcome of socialist and communist construction depends, ultimately, on how this work is done.

We must direct our efforts preferentially to the work of securing the ideological fortress and develop all the members of society into people of a communist type who have acquired a high level of ideo­logical consciousness of independence and creative ability, and we must make the whole of society a communist collective based on comradeship.

In order to develop all the members of society into people of a communist type, we must speed up the ideological and cultural revolutions and transform the whole of society in a revolutionary manner and assimilate all the members of society to the working class and to the intelligentsia.

From the point of view of man’s transformation, the process of building socialism and communism can be described as the process of making all the members of society revolutionary and assimilating them to the working class and to the intelligentsia. It is a law-gov­erned process that, with social progress, all working people are assimilated to the working class in terms of their socio-economic positions as well as to the intelligentsia in terms of their cultural and technical levels.

Spurring on their revolutionary transformation and their assimilation to the working class and to the intelligentsia so as to make everyone an intellectual who has been assimilated to the working class and a member of the working class who has been assimilated to the intelligentsia is the basic orientation of the trans­formation of man that must be carried out for the building of social­ism and communism.

The most important task in the revolutionary transformation of all the members of society and in their assimilation to the working class is to imbue them with the Juche idea.

The Juche idea is a genuine communist ideology which advocates man’s full independence and shows him the scientific way to realize his independence completely. It clearly elucidates the correct meth­ods for man to achieve national liberation, class liberation and his emancipation which are raised by our times. It is only when they are fully equipped with the Juche idea that people can acquire the ideological and mental qualities befitting the masters of socialist and communist society and can perform their responsibility and role as masters of the world and their own destiny.

We must develop education in the Juche idea so that all Party members and the other working people are fully equipped with the Juche revolutionary outlook on the world, have an unshakable belief in the validity and universality of the Juche idea and in the advan­tages of our socialism, the embodiment of the Juche idea, and fight to the end for the triumph of the socialist cause without vacillation whatever wind may blow.

Assimilating the whole society to the intelligentsia is an impor­tant strategic task for developing all the members of society into people of a communist type who have a high level of creative abili­ty, and for successfully speeding up the building of socialism and communism on the strength of science and technology.

Ever since we started building a new society we, having recog­nized our intellectuals as a major component of our revolutionary forces, have followed the correct intellectual policy of giving them revolutionary education and encouraging them to display all their creative enthusiasm and talents. In building socialism, we have worked hard to make the whole society intellectual while working for its revolutionary and working-class transformation.

The most important matter in making the whole society intellec­tual is to develop education.

By implementing the Juche idea we have established an excellent system of education by which all our people have access to educa­tion.

We must thoroughly implement the Theses on Socialist Educa­tion, improve the quality of public education and the training of cadres and bring the advantages of our socialist system of education into full play.

In the field of general education universal eleven-year compulsory education should be provided properly by improving the qualifications of teachers and the content and methods of education; in the field of higher education a larger number of well-qualified technicians and specialists should be produced by directing great efforts to the training of scientists and technicians.

“To study is the prime task of revolutionaries”: this is a slogan we have held high since the days of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle. The whole society must acquire the revolutionary habit of studying while working and of working while studying so that everyone continues to raise his ideological level and improve his cultural and technical qualifications.

The motive force in the building of socialism and communism is not individuals but the socio-political collective of comrades held together on the principle of collectivism. It is only when they are closely linked organizationally and ideologically around the Party that the popular masses can become the invincible motive force of the revolution and promote the building of socialism and commu­nism.

The main aspect of strengthening the motive force of the revolu­tion is to build up the Party’s strength and tighten the unbreakable ties between the Party and the masses. In keeping with the progress made in the building of socialism, we must strengthen still further the unity and cohesion of our Party based on the Juche idea and unite the masses more firmly behind the Party so that all the people share their destiny with the Party to the end in the struggle for the victory of the cause of socialism.

Stepping up socialist economic construction to capture the mate­rial fortress of communism is a very important task now facing our people.

It is only when the productive forces are developed quickly and the production of material wealth is increased through the accelera­tion of socialist economic construction that strong material and tech­nical foundations for socialism and communism can be laid, that the material and cultural standards of living of the people can be improved to meet the requirements of socialism and that the superi­ority of the socialist system can be displayed to the full.

The Government of the Republic must adhere to and fully imple­ment the line of making the national economy Juche-based, modern and scientific, the line which is the basic strategy of our Party in socialist economic construction.

The independent socialist national economy which we have built through self-reliance and hard work is mighty and it serves as a strong foundation for the happy socialist life of our people and for the independent development of our country.

We must, by ensuring a proper balance between the economic sectors and maintaining a steady and high rate of production in all sectors, give priority to the efforts to make the existing economic foundations prove their worth and we must, at the same time, work hard to attain the ambitious goals of the Third Seven-Year Plan.

We must quickly develop those economic sectors which must lead the other sectors, as required by the law of socialist economic development, and develop all the economic sectors in a balanced way.

In particular, we must concentrate investment on the mining and power industries and on transport to modernize these branches in every possible way and increase production and transport capaci­ties radically.

In order to ensure that our independent national economy makes a more effective contribution to the improvement of the people’s standard of living, we must make great efforts to develop light industry and agriculture.

The main task facing light industry is to modernize its factories further and operate them at full capacity so as to increase the production of consumer goods to the maximum. The officials in charge of light industry must adopt positive measures to ensure the supply of raw and other materials to light industry by making full use of every possibility, and those in charge of the chemical industry must act responsibly to ensure the production of vinalon and other kinds of chemical fiber, synthetic resin and elementary chemical goods.

The officials and working people in the field of light industry must develop an enthusiastic campaign to improve the quality of their products by displaying loyalty to their fellow people and a high sense of responsibility.

The agricultural sector must work hard to complete the tasks of the technical revolution set out in the socialist rural theses and thus give full play to the advantages of the socialist agricultural system in our country. A major potential for increasing agricultural production in our country is to make farming more intensive and raise per-unit-area yields. The agricultural sector should make effective use of our excellent irrigation facilities which were built through a nationwide effort, grow crops in a scientific way to meet the requirements of the Juche farming method, and thus bring about a new upsurge in agricultural production.

Many houses should be built in Pyongyang and other cities and in the rural communities, and a central heating system and gas supply should be introduced even in rural villages so as to provide our peo­ple with more modern amenities.

A consistent policy of the Government of the Republic is to develop its economic relations with foreign countries. We should expand and develop foreign trade by widely exploring sources of exportable goods in the various branches of our national economy and improving the quality of our exports, and we should step up eco­nomic and technical cooperation with many countries.

Promoting the technical revolution is a decisive guarantee of suc­cess in socialist economic construction.

It can be said that socialist economic construction is, in effect, a technical revolution. Without giving priority to the development of technology it will be impossible to free the working people from difficult and arduous labor, make effective use of the nation’s resources, further the independence of the national economy and develop the national economy quickly.

In order to accelerate the technical revolution, officials must have a correct attitude towards the technical revolution and strongly com­bat the practice of neglecting technical progress as a result of con­cerning oneself only with current production. All officials should adhere to the view that carrying out the technical revolution is vital to socialist economic construction and should deal with all economic activities at all times by attaching prime importance to technical development; they should also work hard for scientific and techno­logical progress in our country and for the technical innovation of the national economy.

We must quickly develop science and technology in our country as required by socialist construction and in line with the world trend in science and technology, and must modernize the national econo­my and put it on a scientific basis in every possible way by making great efforts to develop the machine, electronics and automation industries. All sectors of the national economy should bring about a continuous upsurge in production by conducting a dynamic mass technical innovation campaign, and ensure that the technical revolu­tion makes progress as a creative movement of the people them­selves.

For success in socialist economic construction guidance of the economy and enterprise management should be continually improved.

Our Party has set the principles of economic management that conform to the intrinsic requirements of socialist society and has established the Taean work system, a most scientific and reasonable system of economic management. The officials in charge of econom­ic affairs must fully support and implement the Juche-based princi­ples of economic management by displaying a noble revolutionary spirit with a firm belief in our Party’s policies. They must direct pro­duction and manage enterprises in a responsible manner as required by the Taean work system. In economic management planning work in particular should be improved and rigid discipline and order should be established so that all sectors and all units carry out national eco­nomic plans without fail. Economic officials should study Party poli­cy closely and acquire knowledge of economic management so as to improve their level of enterprise management steadily as required by objective economic laws and the developing situation.

The Government of the Republic is genuine people’s state power which serves the people. If the Government of the Republic is to fulfill its honorable mission as people’s state power, it must fully implement socialist democracy in state activity.

Socialist democracy in our country is politics of the people themselves which enables the people to hold the position of masters and fulfill their role as masters; it is the best of all democratic politics that makes it possible to combine the independence of individuals close­ly with that of the collective and to realize both satisfactorily.

In our country everyone exercises equal and independent rights as a gen­uine master of the state and society, and all the people develop their creative wisdom and talent helping and leading one another forward as comrades on the principle of “One for all and all for one”.

The imperialists talk loudly about “democracy” claiming “free­dom” and “human rights”, but this is a mere deception. There cannot be equality between the privileged rich who have unlimited power and revel in luxury and glory and the masses who suffer from unemployment and poverty; it is impossible to talk about genuine freedom and human rights in imperialist countries where reactionary ideas, immorality and depravity are fostered and every manner of social evil is rampant. The imperialists are making people the slaves of money, mental cripples and political illiterates; every manner of corruption widespread in capitalist society is the product of the anti-popular, anti-democratic politics pursued by the imperialists. In the imperialist countries, where a handful of privileged sections monopolize state power and the means of production as well as all ideolog­ical and cultural means, there can be no genuine democracy which guarantees the popular masses the position and role of masters.

In order to champion and realize the independence of the popular masses it is necessary to completely foil the imperialists in the anti-socialist schemes they are conducting under the mask of “democra­cy” and the “defence of human rights”. A socialist government which serves the people must naturally protect the people from the infiltration of unsound ideas and culture, combat every practice detrimental to the interests of the people and the cause of socialism and resolutely champion the masses’ desire for independence and their common interests.

The Government of our Republic must fight uncompromisingly against the anti-popular, anti-socialist moves of the imperialists and the enemy of the people, and bring socialist democracy into full play in all fields of social life.

Socialist democracy is guaranteed by the socialist system. We must strengthen the socialist system still further and develop it con­tinually so as to give free rein to the independence and creativity of the people in all fields of politics, the economy and culture.

In consolidating the socialist system and in the practice of social­ist democracy it is important to perfect the legal system and ensure that socialist laws are strictly observed. On the basis of our success in socialist construction, we must enact and improve our laws and regulations until they are perfect so that socialist democracy is ensured more effectively. We must see that all the people observe state laws willingly, displaying to a high degree the law-abiding spirit.

In order to effect socialist democracy to the fullest extent and bring the advantages of our socialist system into full play, we must ensure the Party’s leadership and implement the revolutionary mass line.

Enhancing the leadership role of the Party and implementing the mass line make it possible to champion and meet the fundamental desires and interests of the people consistently in accordance with a correct strategy and tactics, and to promote the revolution and construction by eliminating bureaucracy and subjectivism and giving full play to the people’s creativity. Ensuring the Party’s leadership and implementing the revolutionary mass line are a fundamental prin­ciple to which we must adhere in the building of socialism and com­munism.

People’s government organs at all levels must conduct all their activities by wholeheartedly supporting the Party’s leadership and relying on its policies, and must continue to improve their work system and work methods by implementing the revolutionary mass line.

The Chongsanri spirit and Chongsanri method created by our Party are the most revolutionary and democratic principle of mass guidance and the most revolutionary and democratic work method, correctly combining the Party’s leadership with the revolutionary mass line.

The officials of government organs must always mix with the masses as required by the Chongsanri spirit and Chongsanri method and conduct intensive political work to unite the people closely behind the Party and implement the Party’s policies by enlisting the efforts and resourcefulness of the masses. They must have warm love for the people and the spirit of devoted service for them. They must be truly faithful workers and servants of the people and devote themselves totally for the people, sharing weal and woe with them.

Making continuous innovations and uninterrupted progress with­out being carried away by victory is the revolutionary spirit of our people, and they are proud of it. The goal of our struggle is clear and we have a correct line and methods for carrying the cause of social­ism to completion. All the people must display high revolutionary spirit and mass heroism and press ahead with the grand march to bring about a new turn in socialist construction.



3

Comrades,

Achieving the independent, peaceful reunification of the country is the most pressing task for the Government of the Republic and the entire Korean nation.

The history of our nation since the division of the country is a history of nationwide struggle to restore severed national ties and achieve the country’s reunification. In the course of this strenuous struggle a common reunification program for the nation has been laid down and the reunification movement has spread nationwide.

The three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity agreed upon and made public at home and abroad jointly by the north and the south are a great reunification program which clearly shows the way to reunify the country by incorporating the resourcefulness and will of the whole nation. The proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo put forward by the Government of the Republic on the basis of these three principles is the most reasonable and realistic reunification proposal making it possible to reunify the country independently and peacefully, as well as impartially, without one side conquering the other or being conquered, in the circumstances in which different ideologies and systems exist in the north and the south. This propos­al envisages that our country, after reunification, will not become a satellite of any other country but develop into a neutral nation which will not join any political and military alliance or bloc. Therefore, it not only meets all Koreans’ desire for independence but also accords with the wishes of the peoples of the countries neighboring Korea and the peace-loving people throughout the world.

The Government of the Republic and all the Korean people must, under the banner of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity, continue to wage a vigorous struggle to establish the DFRK and thus reunify the country.

Ending the tragedy of national division and reunifying the coun­try are the most pressing and vital desire of our nation as well as the challenge of the times posed by the historical trend towards independence.

Today the south Korean people, despite continued harsh suppres­sion, have come out in the noble struggle to achieve national sovereignty and reunification, holding high the banner of anti-US independence, anti-fascist democracy and national reunification. They are fighting bravely, unafraid to make any sacrifice. The unyielding, just struggle of the south Korean young people and students and other people there from all walks of life clearly demon­strates our nation’s high spirit of independence and its unbreakable will to reunify the country. This is arousing a strong, positive response from the progressive people of the world.

The obstructive maneuvers of those at home and abroad who try to keep the country divided are still continuing, but the reunification movement is gaining momentum on a nationwide scale with the passage of time.

For national reunification to be achieved as soon as possible in keeping with the pressing desire of the entire nation, correct solu­tions must be found to the following issues.

First, tension on the Korean peninsula must be eased and a peace­ful climate for the country’s reunification be created.

Easing tension and ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula are the foremost task for reunifying our country peacefully.

For the relaxation of tension and for durable peace, the north and south must adopt a nonaggression declaration guaranteeing that both sides refrain from invading the other, the DPRK and the United States must sign a peace agreement, the armed forces in the north and the south must be reduced drastically and nuclear weapons and foreign troops must be withdrawn from south Korea.

The Government of the Republic has maintained that the north and the south must reduce their armed forces by stages to less than 100,000 men respectively and that nuclear weapons and US troops must be withdrawn from south Korea .

Since we have proposed a sharp reduction in the armed forces of the north and south, from a sincere desire for a peaceful settlement of the question of Korea ’s reunification, and since the withdrawal of foreign troops is a world trend, there is no reason for the US armed forces to remain in south Korea . The withdrawal of US forces from south Korea will accord with the trend of the times towards peace and detente and also with the interests of the American people.

The earlier the US forces leave south Korea , the sooner Korea will be reunified. This will be welcomed by our people and the peace-loving people throughout the world. If the United States can­not withdraw all her troops from south Korea at once, she will be able to do so by stages.

Secondly, the barrier of division must be removed and free travel and a full-scale open-door policy effected between the north and the south.

Removing the barrier that divides the territory and the nation and ensuring free travel and a full-scale open-door policy between the north and south are the fundamental conditions for achieving nation­al reconciliation and unity and for reunifying the country. It is only when the barrier of division is pulled down and fellow countrymen can travel freely north and south, meet one another to share feelings of brotherly love and see with their own eyes the realities of the north and south that they can strengthen their will to reunify the beautiful land of three thousand ri which has been artificially divid­ed, to shape a bright future for the country and to commit themselves to the reunification movement with greater vigor.

We will warmly welcome the visit to the north of broad sections of people and social figures from different sections in south Korea and give a hearty welcome from our feelings of kinship to our fellow countrymen from the south, fully ensuring their personal safety.

We will also allow the people of the north to visit the south without any restraint and provide them with every convenience.

The south Korean authorities are now claiming that they wel­come free travel and a full-scale open-door policy, but they are pre­venting the south Korean people and social figures from different sections from visiting the north and are punishing as criminals those who have been to the north with the noble desire to reunify the coun­try. If the south Korean authorities really wish to help towards national reconciliation and the country’s reunification, they must begin by pulling down the concrete barrier they themselves have built, then abolish the evil laws which hinder contact and reunion for national reunification and take practical steps to effect free travel and a full-scale open-door policy.

Thirdly, the north and the south must develop their foreign rela­tions on the principle of creating an international climate favorable for the self-determined, peaceful reunification of the country.

The Korean question is a product of historical international rela­tions.

The division of Korea was caused by international relations and the delay in Korea ’s reunification is also due to continuing inter­ference and obstructive maneuvers by foreign forces. The way the north and the south develop their international relations and the stand and attitude adopted by the countries concerned towards the Korean question are important matters of principle in achieving Korea ’s reunification.

In their foreign relations the north and the south must always attach prime importance to the common interests of the nation and develop these relations so as to create a favorable international cli­mate for preventing the perpetuation of national division and hasten­ing national reunification. In the international arena the north and the south must avoid confrontation and competition which damage the nation’s dignity and which allow foreign forces to profit. They must team up with each other to defend common national interests and bring honor to the nation.

Those countries which are concerned about the Korean question must also feel their responsibility for the continuing tragedy of divi­sion in Korea and make a proper contribution to finding a solution to the Korean question. The United States, as the country which is directly responsible for the current situation in Korea, must play a positive role in realizing Korea’s reunification, and the other coun­tries concerned, too, must not follow the divisive policy of the Unit­ed States or be implicated in it, but maintain a principled attitude conducive to the reunification of Korea.

The fact that Japan , following the United States , is now obstruct­ing the reunification of Korea shows that she does not repent of the crimes she committed against our nation in the past and that she is repeating her past mistakes in her approach to the Korean question. We must sharpen our vigilance against the revival of Japanese militarism and against the wild scheme of the Japanese militarists to reinvade, having already imposed innumerable misfortunes and dis­asters on the Korean people and the peoples of many other Asian countries.

The UN, whose mission is to safeguard peace and justice, must help to settle the Korean question peacefully and impartially.

It should not allow itself to be used to delay the reunification of Korea . From a desire to put an end to national division and achieve reunifi­cation, the Government of the Republic has always maintained that Korea must enter the UN as a unified country. If the north and the south enter the UN separately, it will legitimize the division of Korea internationally and create a further obstacle to national reuni­fication.

If the north and the south are to join the UN before Korea ’s reunification is achieved, they must not hold two separate seats but enter it jointly as one member favoring reunification.

Fourthly, we must develop the dialogue for national reunifica­tion.

The only way to settle the question of national reunification peacefully and in accordance with the will of the whole nation is to develop this dialogue. Throughout the whole course of the dialogue held between the north and the south it has been evident that it can­not be successful through the efforts of only one side and that it is only when both sides make joint and sincere efforts that it will pro­duce good results.

The dialogue between the north and the south must be dialogue not for maintaining division, but for finding a practical solution to the reunification question. It must not be dialogue which reflects only the will of the authorities in power or any particular sections, but dia­logue of the whole nation providing a democratic representation of the will of all political parties, social organizations and people from all social strata. Both parties to the dialogue must approach it with a sincere attitude towards settling the reunification question by uniting and cooperating with each other. They must refrain from clouding the atmosphere of the dialogue or laying artificial obstacles to it.

The Government of the Republic will make every possible effort to see that the north-south dialogue, now in a state of suspension, is resumed and produces good results, and to expand and develop the dialogue for Korea ’s reunification in various forms.

Fifthly, a nationwide united front for the country’s reunification must be formed.

The cause of national reunification is the cause of the entire nation to realize its independence. The motive force of national reunification is the whole Korean nation. Every Korean, whether he or she lives in the north, in the south or abroad, and whether he or she is a worker, peasant, young person or student, statesman, busi­nessman, a man of culture or a religious man; all of them have the noble national duty to contribute all their energy and intelligence to the cause of national reunification as befitting masters of reunifica­tion.

The success of the cause of national reunification depends on how the fellow countrymen in the north, in the south and abroad, people from all strata of society, unite and fight. All Koreans must unite on the principle of placing the common interests of the nation above all else, irrespective of their class, ideology, political views and religion.

No class and no social section should place their own interests above national interests or set the struggle for social and class interests against the struggle for national reunification.

All the groups and organizations which are fighting for national reunification must cooperate and unite with one another and form a nationwide united front comprising all political parties, social and other organizations and public figures from different strata in the north, the south and abroad.

The patriotic efforts and distinguished service rendered by the people from all walks of life in the noble cause of national reunifica­tion will be appreciated highly in the future by the reunified father­land; after reunification the entire Korean nation should follow at all times the common cause of striving to build a new, prosperous country.

It is a historical inevitability that a nation which has been divided artificially by outside forces will be reunified. All the fellow countrymen in the north, in the south and abroad must unite closely and fight dynamically, full of hope and conviction, and make the 1990s the historic decade of national reunification.



4

Comrades,

At present a sharp confrontation and struggle between socialism and imperialism and between progress and reaction are continuing in the international arena.

Owing to the cunning and shameless acts of the imperialists to realize their wild dream for world supremacy, successive unexpected and complicated events are taking place in many parts of the world, and the people’s socialist cause is facing a grave challenge. This is arousing great anxiety among the progressive people throughout the world who value justice and the future of mankind and aspire to independence.

While adhering to power politics, the imperialists are now resort­ing to what they call the “peaceful transition” strategy to undermine socialism. They are attempting to turn the socialist countries back to capitalism by paralyzing the people’s revolutionary consciousness through ideological and cultural infiltration, bribing them economi­cally with “aid” as a bait, and brewing socio-political disturbances by instigating anti-socialist elements.

The imperialists are cheering as they clamor about the “crisis of socialism”, but this is ridiculous. It is imperialism and none other that is now suffering from an incurable malady. The imperialists themselves are falling into an irretrievable crisis. Imperialism, whose days are numbered, cannot decide the people’s destiny, nor can it reverse the tide of history.

The imperialists, the reactionaries of history, seek to maintain the outmoded society in which exploitation and oppression of man by man prevail, whereas the popular masses, the motive force of histo­ry, desire to build a new society free from exploitation and oppres­sion, a society in which everybody leads an independent and creative life as the master of the state and society and as the master of his own destiny.

The advance along the road of socialism is the main trend of historical progress. Socialism is the only road for mankind to take.

Socialism, which was made a reality for the first time by the Great October Socialist Revolution and has made a victorious advance since then, has eliminated the age-long, outmoded societies and become both the motive force of history creating new people-orientated societies and the banner of man’s emancipation, a banner that inspires the world’s people in their struggle for independence.

Since the way to socialism is an untrodden path, socialism may encounter unexpected obstacles in its progress and suffer temporary setbacks. Also, the way of building socialism has to be improved steadily in accordance with the changing and developing situation.

When shortcomings have been revealed in the building of social­ism, they must be corrected without hesitation by drawing appropri­ate lessons from them. It is a recognized fact that criticism and self-criticism are the motive power for the development of socialist society.

The point is how to overcome the obstacles that lie in the way of the advance and how to continue with the socialist cause. Socialism, which is based on collectivism, is a society that develops on princi­ples that are fundamentally different from those of capitalism, which is based on individualism. It is incomparably superior to capitalism.

If one abandons socialist principles and tries to find solutions to problems in capitalist methods when facing difficulties in the course of building socialism, one will be unable to overcome the obstacles and, worse still, will neutralize the inherent advantages of socialism, find oneself in confusion and lose even the revolutionary achieve­ments made by shedding one’s blood.

Socialism can only be built on socialist principles and by socialist methods. All the problems arising in the building of socialism must always be solved on the basis of socialist theories, on the principle of bringing the advantages of socialism into play, and by giving rein to the inexhaustible creativity of the popular masses, the motive force of the revolution. When the situation is complex and the reac­tionary offensive is being stepped up, the revolutionary people must hold fast to revolutionary principles and advance, holding higher the banner of socialism.

Independence, peace and friendship are the basic ideals of the foreign policy of our Republic, and these are of universal signifi­cance in developing international relations to make independence prevail across the whole world. The Government of the Republic will, in the future, too, consistently follow its foreign policy of inde­pendence, peace and friendship.

Independence is the lifeblood of an independent and sovereign state and the basis of all international relations. Every country is an equal member of the international community and has equal sovereignty.

In the world there are large and small countries but there can be no senior or junior ones. Therefore, all countries must be ensured complete equality based on independence in international relations.

The Government of the Republic will firmly adhere to an independent stand, will formulate its foreign policy in the interests of our people and in the common interests of the progressive people throughout the world and will invariably follow an independent for­eign policy however complicated the situation. We are opposed to every manner of aggression and foreign interference, reject imperial­ism, colonialism and racism and give strong support to the peoples of all countries in their struggle for their sovereignty and for national and class liberation.

Opposing war and safeguarding peace are the common desire of mankind. The people can succeed in building a new, independent and prosperous society only when a climate of peace is guaranteed.

In order to prevent war and safeguard peace, disarmament must be realized, nuclear weapons be completely abolished, and troops and military bases of aggression in foreign countries be withdrawn.

The peace-loving people throughout the world must sharpen their vigilance against the imperialists’ moves to disarm the socialist countries and to hold supremacy over them under the cloak of “disarmament” and “detente”. They must not tolerate the imperialists’ armed intervention and military aggression against other countries.

Peace must be won through a principled struggle against the imperialists’ moves for an arms buildup and against their war policy, and not by begging them for it or by unilateral concessions.

The Government of the Republic will work hard to frustrate the imperialist policy of aggression and war and to make the Korean peninsula a nuclear-free, peace zone, and will give strong support and encouragement to the anti-war, anti-nuclear peace movement of the people in many lands.

The struggle for independence prevailing throughout the world is the common cause of the world’s people, and the motive force of this struggle is the world’s people who advocate independence. It is only when friendship and solidarity among the people throughout the world are strengthened that the obstructive maneuvers of the imperialists can be frustrated, global independence be promoted suc­cessfully and the independent development of each nation be guar­anteed.

The progressive people throughout the world, who advocate independence, must counter the imperialist maneuvers for division and alienation with a strategy of unity. “Let the world’s people advocating independence unite!” is the international slogan of our times.

The Government of the Republic will strengthen its unity and solidarity with the socialist countries on socialist principles and in the spirit of comradely cooperation and will strive to consolidate the unity and cohesion of the Non-aligned Movement and to develop the relations of friendship and cooperation between our country and the non-aligned and developing nations. We will develop South-South cooperation in all fields of politics, the economy and culture on the principle of collective self-reliance. The Government of the Repub­lic will also establish friendly relations with the capitalist countries which respect our sovereignty and will develop economic and cul­tural exchanges on the principles of equality and mutual respect

Mankind’s cause of independence, the cause of socialism, will surely emerge victorious by overcoming the obstacles and difficul­ties that lie in the way of its advance. The wicked reactionary moves to check historical progress have not begun only recently. The progress of human history has always passed through fierce strug­gles against reactionaries, but their maneuvers against the trend of the times have always failed. Victory and glory will certainly await the people who are struggling with confidence in the cause of justice and with an unshakable conviction in a bright future, full of opti­mism.

Our people are entrusted with an honorable mission by the times and history to pave the road of independence, the road of socialism, successfully under the banner of the Juche idea.

Let all of us fight resolutely, closely united around our Party and the Government of the Republic, to accelerate the complete victory of socialism and to hasten the independent, peaceful reunification of the country.

Stop Fascist Suppression on Pro-reunification Movement Organizations!

Stop Fascist Suppression on Pro-reunification Movement Organizations!



As was reported, the “National Intelligence Service” and the police authorities of south Korea kicked off forced searches of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification, its local offices and the houses of their members on May 7, confiscated lots of documents, publications and computers, and arrested and took to the police station cadres of the organization including the chairman, executive director and head of the propaganda department of the South Headquarters.

They also conducted wholesale searches of the houses of the core members of the north Chungcheong provincial branch of the National Federation of Peasants Associations, the north Chungcheong provincial headquarters of the Solidarity for Realizing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and the chairman of the policy committee of the Democratic Labor Party, and the offices of the Council of Youth Organizations of south Korea, the Wonju Youth Society and the Chuncheon Youth Society, and arrested several persons.

The frenzied moves of search, confiscation and arrest by the Lee Myong-bak group against the progressive forces including the pro-reunification organizations are a really grave event unheard-of since June 15, 2000, and a criminal act never to be overlooked.

These moves are an undisguised declaration of war aiming to clean up all the patriotic pro-reunification forces desirous of defending and implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration and crack down on their righteous activities, and unpardonable anti-reunification fascist acts that further aggravate the north-south confrontation.

As far as the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country’s Reunification is concerned, it is a leading force of the south Korean people's movement for independence, democracy and reunification, and a staunch patriotic pro-reunification organization which has weathered the suppression and persecution of the anti-reunification forces since its formation, and waged the bloody struggle for the national unity and reunification.

Nevertheless, the Lee group of traitors suppressed the south headquarters and other patriotic pro-reunification organizations by absurdly condemning them as “pro-north leftist forces” which hail the “system in the north” and receive the “north’s instructions”, and launched the madcap suppression campaigns wielding the notorious “National Security Law”.

Traitor Lee Myong-bak should retract at once the labeling of the pro-reunification movement organizations as “organizations benefiting the enemy” and immediately release those who were unlawfully arrested, plainly aware of the trend of the times which dynamically advances towards independent reunification upholding the banner of “By Our Nation Itself”.

The AINDF and the patriotic people of all strata will more vigorously wage the struggle in firm solidarity to abolish the “National Security Law”, an anti-democratic, anti-human rights and anti-reunification evil law, and to frustrate the suppression moves of traitor Lee against the pro-reunification movement.

White Paper on South Korean Economic Turmoil

White Paper on South Korean Economic Turmoil



The National Reunification Institute in a white paper released on April 29 decried the Lee Myong-bak group of traitors for turning south Korea into mayhem of economic bankruptcy and impoverishment of people.

Consisting of six parts including “The economy dependent on foreign monopoly capital”, “Nosediving economy, worst financial crisis” and “Snowballing debt, serious business bankruptcy”, it cited concrete facts to prove that this is entirely attributable to the group’s sycophancy, treachery and unpopular rule. It said:

The south Korean economy is a colonial and crippled one which cannot keep itself afloat without relying on others. It has got further deformed and increasingly dependent upon others since traitor Lee Myong-bak took power.

The Lee group of conservatives has offered everything of south Korea to the US under the signboard of giving priority to the south Korea-US alliance since the very day of its seizure of power, making south Korea fall victim to the US policy of aggression and plunder not only in political and military fields but in the economy.

No sooner had he come to power than he visited the US to beg it to conclude FTA. He did not hesitate to commit such treachery as opening the south Korean market to the American beef prone to the mad cow disease to please his master.

Not content with this, the Lee clan cracked down on the protest actions of the south Korean people against the beef import.

The clan recklessly introduced foreign monopoly capital, turning south Korea into a stage of activity and heaven of monopoly capitalists.

They are holding sway over the south Korean economy to meet their interests, holding 30% of its stock market and more than 60% of stocks in the banking business, in particular.

They rake up huge profits every year including billions of US dollars in the name of stock dividend.

Styling himself “economic president”, Lee bragged that he would deliver the economy out of crisis and bring about rapid growth during the tenure of his office and thus make south Korea an economically developed nation in a decade to come. But the reality shows that he pushed the economy to stagnation.

Last year the economic growth rate slumped, recording the lowest level since 1998. This year it is expected to be minus 2.4%.

Export which is claimed to be the lifeline of the south Korean economy is rapidly declining.

It decreased by 18% in November and 17% in December last year as compared with the same months in the previous year.

January this year witnessed a 33% decrease in export, an all-time low since statistics of exports were collected in 1967. The decline in export sharply increased trade deficit, exceeding US$ 13 billion for the first time in recent decade.

Public consumption and investment in equipment experienced a slump.

The growth rate in consumption decreased from 5.1% in 2007 to 0.9% last year and the rate of increase in investment in equipment from 7.6% to minus figure.

Stock market is in chaos.

South Korea is so heavily saddled with foreign debts which need to be redeemed urgently that the economy will go totally bankrupt if they are paid at one time.

The liabilities of businesses increased by 22% late last year as against the precious year, amounting to US$ 1.155 trillion.

The debts of the 10 big businesses more than doubled in a year.

Businesses are becoming insolvent and those that survived are carrying out restructuring, leaving a great number of workers jobless.

The unemployed increased by over 500, 000 for a year, reaching some 3.5 million, or a record high since 1998.

The gap between the rich and the poor has widened and the people have been further impoverished since the group of conservatives came to power.

Some 3.59 million people of 1.91 million families are unable to earn the minimum cost of living and 180, 000 people of 70, 000 families are destitute and need emergency aid.

Housing shortage is getting worse.

Homeless families amount to over 7 million, 45% of all the families.

Prices and taxes are skyrocketing.

This year has witnessed a ceaseless price hike.

In February, consumer price increased by 4.1% and food price by 70% at the maximum. Such price growth rate is seven times as much as that in capitalist countries.

South Korea has earned ill fame not only as a den of criminals but as the land plagued with suicide.

On a daily average 36 people kill themselves under the pressure of business bankruptcy, difficult living conditions and debt.

Suicides per 100, 000 people numbered 21.5 last year, a world record, and 7% of total population amounting to some 3.4 million people are said to have an urge to suicide.

The majority of people are suffering from the serious economic downturn and destitution while a small handful of rulers and their clans are wallowing in luxury, accumulating wealth through corruption and irregularities.

Lee Myong-bak is the kingpin of scandals who amassed wealth with all sorts of fraudulence and bribed his way to presidency.

After he took office a series of scandals committed by his clan were brought to light including the suspicion of bribery by his sister-in-law, the abusive exercise of power by his brother, the irregular fund-raising by his-in-laws and the fabrication of stock price by his son-in-law.

A permanent advisor to the Grand National Party (GNP) that earned notoriety as the supporter of fraud and irregularities and the grabber of truckloads of money took a colossal sum of money from a computer manufacturer in return for the promise of a preference for war supplies order. Civil servants at the levels of deputy minister and department director forged documents as if they did farming to obtain much money.

Brass hats took bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from businesses and purchased contaminated food to supply it to soldiers and seized millions of dollars of demobilization money.

According to information published by the officeholder ethics committee, two thirds of lawmakers increased their wealth in spite of the serious economic crisis last year and eight out of ten top amassers were GNP parliamentarians.

One out of four parliamentarians owns immovables worth millions of dollars, and the first sixteen are all GNP members, and the first thirty, except some, also belong to the GNP.

To the consternation of all, Lee’s wealth increased by US$ 440, 000 although he brought about economic bankruptcy and impoverishment to the people.

The Lee clan can neither evade responsibility for having pushed the south Korean economy and the people's livelihood to catastrophe nor escape the stern punishment of history and the nation for their treachery and crimes against the people

Lessons Left by Bloody Gwangju

Lessons Left by Bloody Gwangju

May 18, 1980 was a historical day when the heroic Gwangju Popular Uprising broke out.

It was the most heroic mass uprising that the whole city, men or women, old or young, turned out in the do-or-die resistance against the colonial fascist rule of the US, unprecedented in the modern oriental history.

It was an all-people bloody resistance which displayed their strong independent spirit, elated mettle and indomitable fighting spirit of the Korean nation.

Daunted by the heroic struggle of the Gwangju uprisers, the US and the south Korean military fascist clique hurled the heavily armed puppet army drunken by hallucinogen to brutally quell the uprising, insulting the uprisers as “riots”.

So in a few days, not less than 5,000 citizens in Gwangju were ruthlessly massacred, tens of thousands were half dead, and the city was reduced into a “pool of blood” and a “city of death”.

It is none other than the US that turned Gwangju to a city of death and a pool of blood. Because of the US Gwangju was reduced to the most barbarous slaughterhouse and a bloody pandemonium.

Though 29 years have passed since the uprising, the US military occupation and domination of south Korea still remain and its atrocities against the south Korean people get more terrible.

And the US is hell-bent on arms buildup in south Korea in real earnest and escalating the war provocation moves to incur a nuclear calamity on the Korean nation.

In actuality, the US is the very source of evils imposing every conceivable misfortune and pains upon the Korean nation, and a sworn enemy who stamps most viciously on its dignity and fate.

The bloody Gwangju gave us a lesson that independence, peace and reunification cannot be realized without putting an end to the US interference and domination of south Korea.

The AINDF vanguard fighters and the patriotic people from all walks of life in south Korea will more vigorously wage the struggle for independence against US imperialism, democracy against fascism and national reunification inheriting the spirit of the heroic Gwangju Popular Uprising so as to drive the US imperialists out of south Korea, realize an independent and democratic politics and bring about a new reunified country.





Ever-growing Anti-regime Struggle

- On May 1, the international holiday of the working peoples over the world, there took place large-scale vigorous anti-regime struggles throughout south Korea.

In Seoul, May Day all-people rally was held with 500 civic organizations and political parties, and 50,000 citizens attending.

A declaration released at the rally assured that in order to terminate the unpopular misrule of the authorities all-strata solidarity struggle should be waged, and called on all the progressive forces for joining hands and rekindling the candlelight against Lee Myong-bak.

Ten-point demand was made public at the rally, calling for the abolishing of the Lee Myong-bak evil laws, stop of retrogressive revision of the minimum wage act, cancelling of the motion for ratifying the south Korea-US FTA, probing into the truth behind the Ryongsan massacre, repeal of the full participation in the “Proliferation Security Initiative” and implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.

After the rally some 2,000 members of the Confederation of the Trade Unions, civic organizations, youth and students and netizens staged a vehement demo chanting such slogans as “We cannot endure any more. Let us overthrow the regime!”, “Down with the dictatorial regime!”, “Lee Myong-bak, step down!”.

Anti-regime rallies and demos held in Busan, Changwon, Cheongju and other places on the same day referred to the first anniversary of candlelight struggle of indignation against the Lee regime which sold the dignity and interests of the nation and the life and health of the people to outsiders, and called upon all progressive forces for a second anti-regime candlelit struggle in solidarity.

Meantime, the “preparatory committee of the national students’ action” consisted of the Federation of University Student Councils, the Students Commission of the Democratic Labor Party and the “21st Century South Korean Students Alliance” held a rally in Seoul and rushed into an intensive struggle of students to judge the puppet Lee Myong-bak regime.

4,000 students wearing shirts with the slogan “Lee Myong-bak, step down” took part in the rally to stir up the atmosphere of the anti-regime struggle.

Though the security authorities mobilized a large number of riot police troops to every battle sites to brutally repress the rallies and demos, the students showcased their indomitable resistance spirit not to stop the struggle until they overthrow the pro-US treachery “government”.

- On May 2, the first anniversary of the candlelit demo against the unpopular policy of traitor Lee, the people from various strata held an anti-regime candlelit struggle in Seoul.

Attending there were members of civic organizations including the Joint Association of the Candlelight Citizens, the Solidarity for Progress in south Korea, the south Headquarters of Beomminryun, the Federation of Media Workers Unions, the National Solidarity of Patriotic Candlelight, youth and students, personages from opposition parties and other people.

The struggle continued for nearly 7 hours amidst violent showdown with the fascist police.

A declaration read out at the rally stated that the people on this land enraged at the unpopular policy of the Lee Myong-bak regime turned out hand in hand, not bearing themselves any longer.

After the rally the participants staged a demo.

They valiantly fought the riot police shouting slogans “Lee Myong-bak, step down!”, “Let’s terminate the killing regime and lead a life worthy of human being!”, “Violent police, go out!”, “Let’s inherit the spirit of the candlelight and defend democracy!”, “One million candlelights, rise up!”.

The fascist police arrested some 110 demonstrators that day.
1

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry Blasts U.S. Invariable Hostile Policy towards It

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry Blasts U.S. Invariable Hostile Policy towards It
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Friday as regards the U.S. administration's recent tendency toward the DPRK:

The study of the policy pursued by the Obama administration for the past 100 days since its emergence made it clear that the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK remains unchanged.

It is the essence of the U.S. persistent hostile policy toward the DPRK to eliminate the ideology and bring down the system, both chosen by its people.

The present U.S. president called for "proper punishment", describing the DPRK's launch of satellite for peaceful purposes as "a challenge" and "provocation" while the secretary of State is repeating such malignant vituperation let loose by the preceding government as slandering the system in the DPRK as a "tyrannical" and "rogue regime" and the like.

The attitude of the present U.S. administration is not confined to those outbursts. No sooner had the Obama administration emerged than busied itself staging the largest-ever Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises in and around south Korea in March, seriously threatening the security of the DPRK.

The U.S. referred the issue of the DPRK's launch of satellite for peaceful purposes to the UNSC and thus made it apply sanctions against it in a bid to physically stifle its national defence industry.

Nothing would be expected from the U.S. which remains unchanged in its hostility toward its dialogue partner.

The measures taken by the DPRK recently to bolster its national defence capability are aimed not to draw attention of someone and have dialogue with it but to defend the security of the country and the sovereignty of the nation.

The DPRK will bolster its nuclear deterrent as it has already clarified.

KIM IL SUNG ON THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF NATIONAL REUNIFICATION

KIM IL SUNG

ON THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF NATIONAL REUNIFICATION



Conversations with the South Korean Delegates to the High-Level Political Talks between North and South Korea

May 3 and November 3, 1972

(Excerpt)
　

1. ON THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF NATIONAL REUNIFICATION



I am glad to meet you today.

I am highly delighted and also deeply moved that we, fellow countrymen, have met after a long separation because of the division of the nation.

You say that you have come to discuss the question of national reunification in spite of everything. Your action is very courageous and daring. It is very gratifying that the south Korean authorities have decided to participate in north-south political talks and have sent you to represent them. We warmly welcome this step.

In my speech of August 6 last year, I made it clear that we are ready to make contact with all political parties including the Democratic Republican Party, social organizations and individuals of south Korea at any time. A few days after my speech, the south Korean side responded, agreeing to hold north-south Red Cross talks.

Thus began the preliminary talks between the Red Cross organizations of the north and the south, which led to the high-level north-south political discussion.

The doors for contacts and dialogues have now been opened between the north and the south, which have stood alienated from each other for a long time and it has become possible for high-level representatives to meet and exchange views with an open mind. This is a tremendous step towards the solution of the reunification question.

At present the whole nation desires the reunification of the country. Today nothing is more urgent for the Korean people than national reunification. If we fail to reunify the country as soon as possible and allow national division to continue, our nation may become a plaything of the great powers and be divided into two for ever.

The most important factor which characterizes a nation is the community of language and culture. Even people of the same descent cannot be regarded as belonging to the same nation if they use different spoken and written languages and their cultures and customs differ. Now, because our country has been divided for a long time, the language, as well as the culture and way of life, is already changing in the north and the south. The longer the division of the nation, the greater the difference in the language and way of life will be.

After liberation some people in the northern half of the country insisted that the Korean alphabet should be reformed.

But I opposed it. If we carry out an alphabet reform when the country is not reunified, the Korean people will be divided in two for ever. So I told the linguists at the time that if ever an alphabet reform was to be introduced it should be after the reunification of the country, but never before reunification. If either side were to carry out an alphabet reform while the country is divided, the north and the south would come to use different letters. In that case, our nation would be divided into two nations once and for all.

We cannot tolerate that the Korean nation should be split into two for ever. We should reunify the country as soon as possible and hand over a unified country to posterity. If we end national division and achieve reunification, our country can become a powerful state with a population of 50 million, a brilliant national culture, and a powerful national economy, which no one will dare provoke.

In order to reunify the country, it is necessary to establish the fundamental principles correctly, which can provide the basis for the solution of the reunification question. This is most important. Only when there are fundamental principles agreed upon by the north and the south, can the two sides make joint efforts for reunification and successfully solve all problems concerning it.

I believe that our reunification question should on all accounts be settled independently without foreign interference and peacefully on the principle of promoting great national unity.

First, national reunification should be achieved independently without reliance on outside forces and free from their interference.

Solving the reunification question independently on the principle of self-determination of the people is the principled stand which has always been maintained by the Government of our Republic.

If we depend on outside forces we cannot solve this problem. The question of Korean reunification is entirely an internal affair of our country. If we try to solve this internal affair by relying on outside forces instead of settling it on our own, it is shameful for our nation.

Some people are now trying to solve the reunification problem with guarantees afforded by big powers. This is a great mistake. The imperialist powers do not want to see our country reunified. By nature, they like division and attempt to divide other countries and peoples by all possible means, because it is difficult to rule them when they are united. Therefore, we should on no account rely on the great powers in settling the reunification question. If contacts are established and talks are held within our nation, we can remove distrust and misunderstanding and achieve national unity and reunification. Why then should we ask for the help of great powers?

We should not tolerate foreign interference affairs of Korea under any circumstances. No foreign force has the right to meddle in Korean affairs, and while there is foreign interference the question of national reunification cannot be solved in keeping with the desire and interests of our nation. The reunification of the country should be achieved by the Korean people themselves free from any foreign interference.

You say that the south Korean authorities are also opposed to foreign interference and intend to settle the question of national reunification independently without US and Japanese involvement, and pledge that you will never become a stooge of the United States or Japan. If this is true, it is excellent.

If we are to reject foreign intervention and reunify the country independently, we must categorically oppose flunkeyism towards great powers.

I always tell our officials that, if a man takes to flunkeyism, he will become a fool; if a nation falls into flunkeyism, the country will be ruined; and if a party adopted flunkeyism, it will make a mess of the revolution and construction. If a man wants to be an independent being, he must never adopt flunkeyism which means worshipping others blindly.

As our country is geographically located in the midst of big countries, flunkeyism has played a great part in the history of our people. It hampered the advance of our people in building a new society after liberation. So we have fought tirelessly against it.

Let me take an example from the days after liberation. Immediately after liberation there were quite a few people who had been affected with flunkeyism even amongst those who called themselves communists. In Seoul at that time, a fellow, Pak Hon Yong by name, claimed that he would make our country a member republic of another country. This had a very bad influence on the south Korean people and greatly hindered the settlement of the reunification question. On hearing his words, some people were afraid that our country was going to be subjugated again to a foreign country. In my speech before the people, therefore, I said that we would build a democratic society of a Korean type, not a Soviet or American type, in the interests of the Korean nation.

When we advanced the policy of agricultural cooperativization in the postwar years, a number of people tried to discredit it. Some asked how we could cooperativize agriculture when our industry had been devastated, claiming that European countries with developed industries had not yet undertaken full-scale agricultural cooperativization. Since flunkeyists used to accept willingly what people from large countries said, I refuted their argument with the words of Lenin. Lenin had said that a communal economy established by a simple merger of peasants’ lands and farm implements would be superior to a private economy. So I said that our Party’s policy of agricultural cooperativization was in accord with Leninism and was to meet the requirement of our particular situation. I asked them how it could be that agricultural cooperativization after industrialization was the only correct way. In the end, they admitted that our view was correct.

At that time, the circumstances of our peasants, in fact, were such that they were unable to survive unless they united their efforts through cooperativization. The war had devastated agriculture, and the peasants were short of draught cattle and farm implements. This was also true of rich farmers. In this context, we ensured that peasants organized cooperatives on the principle of voluntary membership and ran them by their united efforts. Basically, we Koreans like to pool our efforts and help one another. Traditionally, our people have good customs. For instance, if a neighbour has a wedding, the whole village offers the family contributions and various other kinds of aid, calling on them to congratulate them and pass a pleasant time with them. In the postwar years, there were not many modern farm machines in our country. But we were able to cooperativize agriculture rather smoothly in a short time because life itself urgently demanded it and the peasants supported the cooperative policy actively.

In establishing economic relations with other countries, we have thoroughly rejected flunkeyist tendencies and held fast to an independent stand.

We have not tolerated any relations which could result in our economic dependence on other countries. We have established and developed economic relations with them on the principle of defending the national economy thoroughly, on the principle of complete equality. In our trade with developed socialist countries, we have made sure that we give them raw materials they need only when they give us those which we need, and that we buy their machines only on condition that they buy ours. If this principle was not maintained in our economic relations with developed countries when our technology is not yet very highly developed, we would have to keep supplying raw materials to them and buying manufactured goods. This would end in leaving only empty mountains riddled with holes in our country. We cannot hand down such mountains to our posterity, can we?

We worked hard not to be economically subordinated to another country, that is, to be self-supporting in the economy. If a people do not achieve economic independence through the building of an independent national economy, they cannot hope to raise the external authority of their country and to have a say in the international arena. Since we have pursued an independent policy in the sphere of economic construction and built an independent national economy, nobody dare apply pressure on us.

In the past the worship of great powers was most obvious in the field of literature and the arts, and we waged a resolute fight against this.

Some of the writers and artists worshipped European literature and art and produced works which were neither to the liking of the Koreans nor understandable to them. Once there were poets who worshipped Pushkin and musicians who adored Tchaikovsky. In creating an opera, these people patterned it on Italian ones. Flunkeyism was so rampant that some artists drew foreign landscapes instead of our beautiful mountains and rivers. During the Fatherland Liberation War I visited a hospital where I found a picture of a Siberian landscape. It showed a bear crawling about the snow-covered ground under a large tree. So, I severely criticized the people concerned. I told them, “There are many renowned mountains such as Mts. Kumgang and Myohyang. Why did you hang that kind of picture instead of a beautiful Korean landscape? What is the good of hanging such a picture in educating our people?”

The Korean people have a brilliant culture and have lived in the beautiful land of three thousand ri for a long time. They will live in our beautiful homeland in the future, too.

They cannot live in Siberia or in Europe. Therefore, our literature and art should, on all accounts, serve the education of our people in patriotic spirit. Internationalism cannot exist apart from patriotism. He who does not love his own country cannot be true to internationalism. Koreans do not like European artistic works. They do not want to see artistic works which are not to their liking. We do not need works which Koreans do not like and which are not congenial with their national feeling. That is why I defined literature and art of socialist realism as being national in form and socialist in content.

We conducted the struggle against flunkeyism by means of ideological struggle, theoretical struggle to root out flunkeyist ideas which remained in the minds of people. Through many years of struggle against flunkeyism, we were able to eradicate it completely and hold fast to independence in all spheres of the revolution and construction.

In our attempts to solve the question of national reunification, we must strongly oppose the tendency of flunkeyism to rely on foreigners, rather than believing in the strength of our own nation. We must reunify the country independently by the united efforts of the Korean nation.

Secondly, great national unity should be promoted by transcending the differences in ideas, ideals and systems.

The question of our country’s reunification is not one of who prevails over whom. It is one of attaining the unity of a nation which has been divided by an outside force and achieving national sovereignty. In order to reunify the country, therefore, it is essential to proceed from endeavours to achieve unity between the north and south and promote great national unity.

In order to promote this, the north and the south must transcend their ideas and systems and refrain from pursuing hostile policies towards each other.

At present different ideas and systems exist in the two parts of our country. In this situation, the north and the south should not try to impose their ideas and systems upon each other. We do not intend to impose the socialist system and communist ideology on south Korea. Neither should the south Korean authorities insist on “reunification by prevailing over communism” nor demand that we desist from communism. In other words, they should discard their “anti-communist” slogans.

The north and the south should discard hostile policies which obstruct unity, and combine their efforts to find common ground. If each side does not endeavour to find common ground but opposes the other side and argues about things of the past in an attempt to justify itself, the gap between the two sides will grow wider and wider and the reunification of the country will be delayed still further. This would be a grave crime against the country and the nation.

In our opinion, it is quite possible to find a common ground if the north and the south work together, basing themselves on a sincere desire for unity. We have worked hard to discover this common ground in order to hasten the country’s reunification.

Recently, the south Korean authorities have been talking about “self-help”, “self-reliance” and “self-defence”. We consider that it is possible to find some common factors here. We think that their “self-help”, “self-reliance” and “self-defence” may have some points in common with the independent policies of our Party and the Government of the Republic. The country’s reunification will be hastened if the north and the south discover, one by one, what common grounds exist between them and achieve their unity on this basis.

In achieving the great unity of the nation it is important to remove misunderstanding and mistrust between north and south.

Our country has been divided for so long that there are a number of points on which the north and the south differ from each other and misunderstand and mistrust each other. As long as the two sides misunderstand and distrust each other, there cannot be genuine national unity. A family cannot be formed without deep trust between husband and wife. Even in the case of husband and wife, if they do not trust each other, they cannot live together and, in the long run, they will have to divorce. The north and the south should strive to eliminate mutual misunderstanding and mistrust.

To this end, the authorities and many personages of the two parts of the country should make frequent contact with each other and hold dialogues in good faith. If they get together and discuss any matters frankly and seriously, misunderstanding will be removed and mutual trust will be deepened.

Through our dialogue with you on this occasion, the misunderstanding between the north and the south has already been alleviated to a considerable extent. The dialogue between the north and the south should have been held earlier.

We thought that the south Korean authorities were going to be lackeys of US imperialism and Japanese militarism and sell out the country. But you say that this will never be the case. You also say that the south Korean authorities will neither bring Japanese militarists into south Korea again nor sell out the country as the lackeys of the United States and Japan, and request us over and over again to believe it. So we can believe you and eliminate our past distrust.

The south Korean authorities say that they have had the misconception that we are going to “invade the south” and “communize” south Korea. But we have no intention of doing these things. We have declared on many occasions that we have no intention of “invading the south”. We reaffirm this to you today. As for ”communization”, we do not intend to “communize” south Korea nor could it be “communized” even if we tried to. Therefore, I think that you can now dispel the misunderstanding you have had because of the alleged “invasion of the south” and “communization”. If we remove our misunderstanding and deepen trust through contacts and dialogues in this way, we shall be able to achieve great national unity regardless of the differences in idea and ideals, systems and religious beliefs.

Another important factor in achieving great national unity is that the north and the south should refrain from abusing and slandering each other.

To achieve unity and cooperation, both sides should respect each other rather than resort to abuse and slander. If they continue abusing and slandering each other as they do now, the north and the south will not get on close terms but, instead, the gap will widen. That is why they should first stop abusing and slandering each other.

Achieving economic cooperation between the north and the south is also very important in attaining great national unity.

The northern half of the Republic is rich in natural resources and has a developed heavy industry. South Korea has some foundations of light industry from the past. If the north and the south effect economic cooperation and meet each other’s needs, they will be better able to solve immediate economic problems, and develop the national economy rapidly by their own efforts without introducing foreign capital. If the national economy is developed through north-south cooperation, our nation will be better off than Japan or any other countries that are said to be developed.

The north and the south should advance jointly in external relations, too. Only then will we be able to demonstrate the unity of our nation.

We consider that the north and the south will be able to promote great national unity in spite of the differences in their ideas and systems, political views and religious beliefs, if they all take a patriotic attitude and stand for national reunification. At present, even those countries and nations which have different ideas and systems, are on friendly terms and get along well together. And there is no reason why the differences in ideas and systems should prevent our nation, which is of the same blood, from uniting and cooperating.

Whether one believes in communism, nationalism or capitalism must not bean obstacle to great national unity. We are not opposed to the nationalists and capitalists in south Korea. The majority of the south Korean capitalists are national capitalists. We have been pursuing a policy of protecting national capitalists. For the sake of national reunification, we will unite and cooperate with the people of all backgrounds in south Korea including nationalists and national capitalists.

Thirdly, national reunification should be achieved by peaceful means without resorting to arms.

The north and the south, one and the same nation, must not fight against each other. We must reunify the divided country peacefully without fail. If peaceful reunification fails and another war breaks out in Korea, our nation will suffer catastrophes.

At present the great powers of the world want to get on well with one another, refraining from quarrelling. Some time ago US President Nixon visited China and said that it would be desirable to abstain from quarrelling with each other and maintain peace for the space of one generation. After inspecting the Great Wall of China, he even said that no barrier should divide the people of the world. In the joint statement of China, the United States published as a result of Nixon’s visit to China, the United States approved the five principles of peace which it had so far refused to recognize. It is good that the United States approved these principles. Needless to say, we shall have to wait and see how the Americans will put their words into action. More often than not the imperialists go back on their words. So there is no knowing clearly if Nixon spoke sincerely or not in China.

Commenting on Nixon’s trip to China, our Rodong Sinmun wrote. “If Nixon’s words uttered after inspecting the Great Wall are serious, why does he not make efforts to remove the Military Demarcation Line which runs across the central part of our country and to withdraw the US soldiers who are swaggering about, wearing steel-helmets with the inscribed “MP”?” I think this comment is valid.

Nowadays, the big powers of the world are trying to abstain from quarrelling and get on harmoniously with one another. Then why should one and the same nation fall out with itself? As the same nation, we must not quarrel among ourselves. We must reunify the country by peaceful means.

If the country is to be reunified peacefully without conflict between the north and the south, it is imperative, first of all, to reduce the armies of both sides. On several occasions, I have said in my open speeches that the armies of the north and the south ought to be reduced considerably.

Reduction of the armies is the way to ease tension between the two sides and to lessen the military burdens. The present military burdens of the two sides are very heavy.

We must work together to remove the Military Demarcation Line which divides our country into north and south.

The danger of war cannot be removed in the present situation when large armed forces of both sides confront each other across the Military Demarcation Line. In such a situation, if the commander of a regiment or a division stationed in the area along this demarcation line opens fire by mistake at a place, both sides will begin to exchange fire, and this could lead to war. This is very dangerous.

If in the future the north and the south give guarantees against the use of armed forces between them through sincere consultation, and put this into practice, their military equipment and personnel deployed in the areas on the Military Demarcation Line will become unnecessary and the line itself can be eliminated.

At present, the north and the south say their armies are for self-defence. However, they should not undertake “self-defence” against each other. They must work together to defend themselves against foreign invasion.

The defence of our Republic is always meant to oppose foreign aggression against our nation. We will never tolerate the aggression of outside forces against our country and people.

When the US imperialists sent their armed spy ship Pueblo into the territorial waters of our Republic, the naval forces of our People’s Army captured it. This was a legitimate self-defence measure of our People’s Army whose mission is to defend their country. But instead of apologizing to us, the Americans threatened us by bringing large forces including the aircraft carrier Enterprise to the East Sea. It was a flagrant infringement of and a grave challenge to our nation’s sovereignty. We did not yield to the Americans’ threat and pressure. They attempted to start a war by mobilizing large forces, so we made a firm determination to fight against them. Seeing that we did not succumb to their threat and pressure, they desisted from starting a war and fled. Had they unleashed war at that time our nation would have gone through another war and the authorities of the north and the south could not have met and had a peaceful talk like this one today.

If any foreigners invade our land in the future, the north and the south must unite and repulse the invaders. When all the Korean people unite their strength, they will certainly smash any aggressor.

We must eliminate military confrontation and ease tension between the north and the south by our joint efforts, so that we can prevent another war in Korea and achieve the peaceful reunification of the country.

Through the recent talks we have found important common grounds between the north and the south and reached an agreement regarding the most important problems.

The three principles of realizing independent reunification without outside interference, achieving great national unity by transcending differences in ideas, ideals and systems, and reunifying the divided land by peaceful means without recourse to armed force, are the starting point of and the basis for the solution of our reunification question.

You have agreed to solve the reunification question on the three principles, and you say the highest authorities of south Korea will also agree. So we can say we have reached complete agreement on the three principles of national reunification.

I am very pleased that the three principles of national reunification have been agreed upon between the north and the south in our talks today.

The three principles of national reunification upon which the north and the south agreed through joint consultation are absolutely fair principles which will enable our nation to solve the reunification question in conformity with its aspirations and demand. We must reunify our country on these three principles. You have pledged that you will take them as the basis for your future actions. If you do so, other problems concerning the solution of the reunification question can also be settled successfully and our nation’s reunification will be achieved at an early date.

Now that the basic principles of reunification have been agreed upon, we must find concrete ways of putting them into effect to unite the whole nation and reunify our country. We must always proceed from the three principles in seeking concrete ways for national reunification. When the north and south consider the matter carefully and sincerely consult each other on the basis of the three principles of independence, great national unity and peaceful reunification, they will be able to find the successful path towards reunification.

To find the reasonable way towards the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, we have to develop further political consultations between the north and the south and carry on contacts and dialogues more actively.

I think that political consultations have already begun through the meetings and talks held on this occasion between the high-ranking representatives of the north and the south. North-south political consultations having been started, we must develop them so as to bear good fruit.

You have come to Pyongyang first, so I should like to send our representatives to Seoul in return. I think that if mutual trust increases and various conditions mature in the process of frequent visits of representatives from the north and the south, summit talks will also become possible.

In the future representatives of the north and the south must exchange frequent visits and hold a great many talks.

The misunderstanding and distrust created between the north and the south during the nearly 30 year-long division after liberation cannot be eliminated through one or two contacts and dialogues. One or two meetings and consultations will not be enough to discover all the concrete ways for the solution of the reunification question. Through these talks we have solved fundamental problems upon which the north and the south misunderstood each other and have found important common grounds, but many problems are yet to be solved to reunify the country. These problems can be solved only through frequent contacts and sincere consultations between representatives of both sides.

In the north-south negotiations and consultations, the points of mutual misunderstanding and all other problems concerning national reunification must be discussed. Any dissenting opinions must be aired frankly for discussion. If they are kept to oneself, the differences cannot be solved. Any misunderstanding, however insignificant, must be discussed openly and settled promptly.

North-south negotiations must proceed from the principle of deepening mutual understanding, finding common points and increasing their unity. Our representatives and yours may advance different views in seeking the path to national reunification. So they may argue for the justness of their own views. But the arguments should always be intended for finding common grounds and achieving unity and reunification, not for division.

I think it reasonable to organize and run a north-south joint commission or the like in order to coordinate north-south relations correctly and successfully solve various problems regarding the reunification of the country.

Coordinating work should be conducted in practice by organizing a joint commission. If only general talks are held, great progress cannot be made in bringing about national unity and reunification.

The joint commission can be co-chaired by persons in high authority appointed respectively by the authorities of the north and the south and be composed of the necessary members. It takes only a little time to fly between Pyongyang and Seoul. So the commission can be run by you coming over to Pyongyang and our people going to Seoul.

Once the joint commission is formed, there will be many problems to be settled by it. It should quickly discuss and settle various problems arising from the relations between north and south, including the problem of one side refraining from slandering the other side and the problem of preventing military conflicts. At the joint commission one side should not force its will upon the other; problems raised should be discussed seriously until mutual understanding is reached to conform with the purpose of unity.

A direct telephone line may be installed between Pyongyang and Seoul, by which to discuss problems at any time. If even a minor problem which may hamper national reunification or cause misunderstanding between both sides arises, it is necessary to deal with it at once by telephone, talk it over and settle it promptly.

The three principles of national reunification agreed upon this time between north and south serve as a reunification programme to be put into effect jointly by the entire Korean nation. I think it a good idea to make these three principles public, so that the entire Korean people and the world’s people will know them.

The publication of the three principles of national reunification is good both for the education of our people and for demonstrating the unity of the Korean nation to the world. If we publish the reunification programme agreed upon between north and south, all compatriots at home and abroad will have a consensus of opinion, being aware that we are going to reunify the divided country independently and peacefully on the principle of great national unity, and all sections of the people will derive great encouragement from it. When we publish the joint reunification programme of the nation, the world’s people will know that the Korean people are a great united people and the foreign forces opposed to our country’s reunification will clearly understand that they will never be able to divide the Korean nation permanently, however hard they may try.

As for when and how we should publish the three principles of national reunification, it had better be discussed in the course of the forthcoming dialogue. I think it will do to publish it when an agreement is reached at another meeting of the delegates of both sides after the matter is taken up by the south Korean authorities upon your return to Seoul.

Since you took the trouble to come to Pyongyang, you should stay another day and have talks with our officials.

Your visiting us is a patriotic deed. Man should be a patriot, not a quisling. Man should do things which are beneficial to his country and people even if he lives for only a day. Only such a life is glorious and worthwhile.

We can say that the current north-south talks were a success. I hope that you will come to Pyongyang frequently from now on.