Report of Meeting ‘Why Socialists Should Support People’s Korea -organised by Staffordshire KFA UK branch 19.08.2023

Report of Meeting ‘Why Socialists Should Support People’s Korea -organised by Staffordshire KFA UK branch 19.08.2023

The Staffordshire branch of the Korean Friendship Association of the UK (KFA UK ) organised a meeting on the subject of ‘Why Socialists Should Support People’s Korea’ on the 19th of August 2023. The meeting was held in the north midlands city of Stoke-On -Trent. The meeting was attended by members of Staffordshire KFA UK and also socialists and anti-imperialists. Also present at the meeting was the Chairman of KFA UK Dr Dermot Hudson.

The head of Staffordshire KFA UK opened the meeting by introducing the subject. 

In his speech, the head of Staffordshire KFA UK said that the DPRK is the most demonised country in the world and that the propaganda against the DPRK is on an industrial scale. Even at a left-wing meeting, a speaker denounced what he called ‘ the north Korean regime ‘. However, defending People’s Korea should be the number priority of socialists, progressives and anti-imperialists.

The head of Staffordshire KFA UK pointed out that  "For any genuine socialist, the achievements of the Korean Revolution are worth considering and defending. The most important gain of Korean-style socialism is the total independence of the DPRK, in reality, popular sovereignty is practised by the popular masses.No corporate bodies such as the IMF, the World Bank, the G7, and NATO can dictate to the DPRK, and economic-cultural life in Socialist Korea is not polluted by the transnational corporations. Everything in the DPRK is owned and controlled by the people, in other words, the working masses are the masters of society. In practical terms, the DPRK's socialist system guarantees free health care, free education (from kindergarten to university level), low-cost food, free social housing, cheap transportation, the right to work, narrow wage differentials, democracy in the workplace and no taxation of any sort. The wealth created in the DPRK belongs to the working people and is used for the benefit of the masses."

Dr Dermot Hudson the Chairman of KFA UK said that “The term People’s Korea is a good one reflecting the fact that it is a people-oriented state and of course, the term Socialist Korea reflects the fact that it is a socialist country, a country with a socialist system. This is why socialists should support People’s Korea with No Ifs or Buts” and concluded with the remarks “When I visited People’s Korea I have seen the Red Flag flying on street corners and agitprop teams of housewives waving and twirling red flags. People’s Korea is one of the few countries in the world to uphold the Red flag of socialism.”

Questions and Answers and discussion followed. One question was about the difference between Marxism -Leninism and the Juche Idea.

Refreshments including ‘Wagon Wheels’ were served.

A video of the visit of the head of Staffordshire KFA UK to the DPRK was shown along with the DPRK Documentary “The 5th International Festival in Praise of the Great Persons of Mt Paektu”.(this report be expanded and amended )