KIM JONG IL A GREAT LEADER WHO ADVOCATED "LIVING OUR OWN WAY "

                                              

"Being determined to be the master of the revolution in Korea from the first day of embarking on the road of the revolution, he defended and added brilliance to his socialist country by devoting his all throughout his life, and continued to follow the road of love for his country and people until the last moment of his life. The struggle to defend the socialist country was the acutest showdown with the imperialist allied forces, the severe struggle unprecedented in its history. To break through the harsh trials facing the country and defend it, the General set out on the long, arduous road of Songun-based leadership in a do-or-die spirit. The only parka he wore from the days of the "Arduous March" to the last days of his life is vivid evidence showing what a thorny path he had to traverse with patriotic devotion to defend his socialist country" 

                                           KIM JONG UN 

The great leader comrade KIM JONG IL who passed away on the 17th of December 2011 was known as the defender of the independence of People's Korea who believed in the DPRK living its own way .The whole ideology of KIM JONG IL and his life was permeated with independence  and self-reliance.
 From the start comrade KIM JONG IL who had been born on Mt Paektu in swirling snowstorms amidst the echoing gunfire of the anti-Japanese war advocated doing things in the Korean way, in relying on the efforts of the Korean people .
   In 1959 KIM JONG IL visited the former USSR and went around Moscow University. It was suggested that he study at Moscow University.However he declined the request saying that the DPRK had excellent universities such as KIM IL SUNG University .During the years of the anti-Japanese armed struggle  President KIM IL SUNG had declined to study abroad saying that the Korean people were his teachers . Comrade KIM JONG IL followed the road set down by the great leader comrade KIM IL SUNG .Furthermore  comrade KIM JONG IL  pointed out that
"I'm always thinking of how to enhance the glory of our socialist homeland, liberated and developed by our leader. Exalting the socialist homeland for ever is the way to remain true to his revolutionary vision and leadership. Looking around the university of this country, I have strengthened my determination to study in Kim Il Sung University. I will study in Kim Il Sung University"
 So instead of entering a foreign university , comrade KIM JONG IL went to study at  the prestigious KIM IL SUNG University , the highest seat of learning in the DPRK. Studying at the University comrade KIM JONG IL resolved to the master of the revolution in Korea and to glorify Korea , He wrote the poem O Korea, I Will Add Glory to Thee and recited it on the Ryongnam hill;        

As I stand on Ryongnam Hill at sunrise,

The land of 3,000 ri greets my eyes.

Learning the leader's great idea,

I will be the master of the revolution in this land, Korea.

0 Korea, I will add glory to thee.

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On the road of Juche I will be firm and steady

Under the guidance of the great leader.

Braving the raging waves and storms,

I will lead Korea into the future.

O Korea, I will make thee famous.

I will go on for ever with the cause of the sun

That shines over the whole world.

I will bring about the era of communism

When the red glow of Juche will cover the earth.

                       O Korea, my Korea!
 With such eloquent and beautiful poetry comrade KIM JONG IL expressed his ardent and unyielding resolve to build socialism in Korea  the Korean way ,following Juche-based principles .
 In December 1978 the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL put forward the slogan "Let Us Live Our Own Way " , a militant slogan encapsulating the desire of the Korean people to live their own way and not be dominated by others especially by big powers .This slogan was announced at the same time as when a neighbouring country to the DPRK adopted the so-called  "reform " and "opening up " policy  40 years ago later this slogan is upheld by the Korean people.Comrade KIM JONG IL said that  "It is only when one displays a great revolutionary spirit of self-reliance that one can have faith in one's own strength, exploit the internal resources of one's country to the maximum and conduct the revolution and construction with success. Experience shows that only when one gives full play to the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance can one surmount every manner of difficulty and 
ordeal"
 Thus the DPRK ploughed ahead along the path of living one's own way , the path of self-reliance the path of Juche .This defied the imperialists , revisionists and big power chauvinists who schemed to stifle the Korean revolution .Later in the 1990s comrade KIM JONG IL declared  'Expect No Change from Me ' when the imperialists hoped for either the collapse of the DPRK or a so-called 'change of policy ' . This was a blow to the imperialists which at the same time was a cast-iron and militant affirmation of the stance of living the way of the DPRK and not the way of another country .
   In his 1997 work , "ON PRESERVING THE JUCHE CHARACTER AND NATIONAL
CHARACTER OF THE REVOLUTION AND CONSTRUCTION comrade KIM JONG IL set out in a systematic form . Basically preserving the Juche character and national character of the Korean revolution also means 'living our own way '. The DPRK rejected globalisation and its associated 'Americanisation' and 'cocacolaistion'.
  Thanks to the energetic leadership of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL and his brilliant idea of ' Let us live  Our Own Way ' , the DPRK is well known as the most independent country in the world, a country with 'undiluted sovereignty ' as one former British prime minister put it .
  Today  comrade KIM JONG IL's wise policy of living our own way is continued by his successor respected Marshal KIM JONG UN who has put forward the great militant idea of self-development first .
 Victory and glory belong to the Korean people who follow the idea of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL , the idea of Let Us Live Our Own Way and are led by dear respected Marshal KIM JONG UN.
Dr Dermot Hudson
Chairman UK Committee to Remember the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL
President Association for the Study of Songun Politics UK
Chairman Juche Idea Study Group of England
Chairman UK Korean Friendship Association
Chairman British Solidarity Committee for Peace and Reunification on the Korean peninsula,