The Korean Friendship Association of the UK (KFA UK ) and the British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea held its Our 5th Joint Songun-Juche Q and A and study session on the 17th of February via Skype at 1500 hours . Attending were members of the KFA UK and British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea from London , West of England , Staffordshire and other parts of the UK as well as international guests from KFA Germany and the People’s Korea Initiative of Poland .Questions were put about about the role of donations in the DPRK economy , about the DPRK’s stance on nationalism , the issue of piece work rates and fixed wages in the DPRK and the issue of studying in the DPRK .
Comrade Alan Bolon , KFA UK organisation secretary and head of KFA UK West of England said in his reply referring to the question of donations in the DPRK ‘s socialist economy said that “In a socialist planned economy donations do not fulfil any specific task assigned to them by the plan. It is because it is impossible to plan the size or number of future donations. In the process of economic planning in the socialist system, only measurable and actually existing indicators are taken into account, and forecasts are also made according to them. Any economic forecast cannot be based on unpredictable donations. Donations are not an element of socialist planning not only because of their unpredictability but also because of the lack of factors on which any plan could be based.”
With regard to the question about nationalism comrade Bolon said that “Pride for love and nation does not exclude involvement in internationalism. Even more, it is the right direction of love and pride for one's nation, excluding the dangerous chauvinistic trend of putting one's own nation above all others in the sense of hostility towards others and discrimination towards others, which takes place in evil bourgeois nationalism. The belief that our nation is the best is not wrong only when it does no harm, respects the differences of others and does not interfere in the affairs of other nations for its own benefits. Only then is it a healthy nationalism that is full of patriotism and has an internationalist expression”
Dr Dermot Hudson Chairman of KFA UK and Chairman of the British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea in regard to the donation issue “There is a long history of donations in People’s Korea , this goes back to the period after liberation in the 1940s . The great leader President KIM IL SUNG led the struggle to carry out land reform which made the peasants masters of the land . After the first harvest under the new people’s democratic system a patriotic peasant named Kim Je Won donated 30 straw bags of rice to the country . The donation of Kim Je Won was used to help found the first people’s university , KIM IL SUNG university “
Referring to the question of nationalism and the DPRK’s stance on it , Dr Hudson refuted the idea that the DPRK is an “ethno -nationalist “ state . Dr Hudson also pointed out that the DPRK had changed its position on the issue of Korean reunification and “great national unity “ . He gave a 5 point summary of the work of the great leader comrade KIM JONG IL “On Correctly Understanding Nationalism”
Dr Hudson stressed that there should be a struggle against globalisation.
On the question of fixed rate wages and piece work rates in the DPRK Dr Hudson said that “ The DPRK is based on the socialist principle of people being paid according to the quantity and quality of work done as society has not yet reached the stage of full communism in which everyone will contribute according to their ability and receive according to their needs . The DPRK is also based on the principle “He who shall not work , shall not eat “
Moreover “workers in the DPRK receive basic pay or living pay which covers their living costs as well as social benefits for housing which is free and food is supplied at low cost ( in fact basically free)as well as social benefits for housing . Those who work hard and exceed targets receive bonuses and premiums . Moreover those who exceed targets or put forward innovations , can be awarded titles and certificates like Labour Innovator and Labour Hero which earn them preferential treatment in society .
I think it is necessary here to point out that the DPRK combines material incentives with political-ideological and political incentives, basically giving priority to political -moral incentives whilst not ignoring material incentives” .
A discussion was held on the recent decision of the Republic of Cuba to establish relations with south Korea . The opinions expressed were overwhelmingly negative .
Dr Hudson read out extracts from “JUCHE IDEA -ANSWERS TO A HUNDRED QUESTIONS” and “Questions and Answers on the Songun Idea”
The session concluded at 1635 hours.
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