Speech of the vice-chairman of Friends of Korea UK to the Meeting on February 9th

Comrades and friends

the birth anniversary of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il is always celebrated by the Korean people as their greatest national holiday as well by Juche Idea followers

throughout the world . Now with threats by the US imperialists and others against the DPRK it takes on even greater significance as celebrating it it is actual a profound and meaningful solidarity with People's Korea in the face of these threats.

I do not intend to give a a biographical portrait as you can read many of the excellent books published by the DPRK on the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il .

Thanks to his painstaking ideological and theoretical activities the scientific accuracy and truth of socialism could be clarified once again and the world progressive people were convinced of the justness of socialism and the inevitability of its victory.

Chairman Kim Jong Il established and administered Songun politics in an all-round way in order to safeguard socialism in Korea against the general offensive of the imperialists. After the frustration of socialism in the USSR the pressure and threat against the DPRK intensified 10 fold and a 100 fold.

He defined the Songun-based revolutionary line and Songun politics as the strategic line and invincible political mode of socialism that should be held fast to as long as the imperialists exist and carry on aggressive manoeuvres.

He smashed the imperialists’ moves to stifle Korea and defended the bulwark of socialism and the destiny of the country and nation in the period of the harshest trials on the strength of the Korean People’s Army and by giving top priority to the strengthening of the country’s military might.

Another major exploit of Chairman Kim Jong Il consists in having ushered in a new era of upsurge in the cause of socialism.

April 1992 saw the publication of the Pyongyang declaration titled Let Us Defend and Advance the Cause of Socialism that was signed by about 70 political parties of the world aspiring after socialism. It was a historical event that put the world socialist movement on a new track.

Voice of America the US propaganda radio station commented that the Pyongyang declaration had proclaimed a new start of the international communist movement of the late 20^th century and the 21^st century; the bell to be rung in Pyongyang in future would unite the communists and greatly inspire them to revive the communist cause on a worldwide scale just as the sound of the bell from Kremlin had strong influence on communists.

Under the banner of the Pyongyang declaration the socialist cause could overcome temporary crisis and make a new advance and the world political trend took a sharp turn. Latin America, once called a quiet backyard of the US, seethed with the aspiration after socialism.

Encouraged by Korea’s Songun politics, anti-imperialist, independent countries and those aspiring after socialism are crushing the imperialists’ manoeuvres for domination and interference by giving precedence to military affairs.

The reality in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that is mercilessly smashing all manners of challenges and threats of the imperialists and staunchly safeguarding the cause of socialism, is infusing confidence and courage into the world progressive people who are aspiring after socialism.

Chairman Kim Jong Il resolutely crushed the imperialists’ offensives against socialism holding aloft the banner of Songun and at the same time, energetically led the Korean people’s effort for building a thriving socialist country. Under his leadership Korea, even in such a difficult situation, continued to enforce the free medical care, free educational system and other socialist policies and built a number of monumental structures for the well-being of the people, thus bringing the desires of the people into full bloom.

The great achievements Chairman Kim Jong Il made for the cause of socialism are now carried forward by Kim Jong Un with credit.

The immortal exploits Kim Jong Il performed for the cause of socialism will be etched forever in the hearts of the progressive peoples the world over.