The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea -DPRK will celebrate the 78th anniversary of its foundation tomorrow September 9th . The fact that the DPRK is 78 years old is itself a great achievement because the USSR which was regarded by some as the best model of socialism only lasted 69 years and the socialist states of Eastern Europe managed only 40 years of existence .
The DPRK was founded by President KIM IL SUNG and was the creation of the Korean people fully representing their interests and aspirations of the Korean people.
The 78 years of the DPRK’s existence have been 78 years of independence , sovereignty and self-reliance based on the Juche idea.
The very name Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reflects the independent and popular nature of the DPRK and show that the DPRK was not a copy of another country . It was President KIM IL SUNG who insisted on the name Democratic People’s Republic of Korea . Some factionalists tried to say that the name of the country should be “democratic republic “ or “people’s republic “ but not include the words “democratic “ and “peoples’ in the tile but President KIM IL SUNG opposed this .He had first put forward the name Democratic People’s Republic in his famous work “On building the party, state, and armed forces in the liberated homeland“ published on the 20th of August 1945.
After Korea’s liberation from Japanese imperialist rule in August 1945 various forces came forward each advocating a different road for Korea to follow but their theories and ideas did not represent the interests of the people or accord with the realities of the country . Some even called for the restoration of the feudal monarchy . Rightist capitulationists thought a bourgeois republic should be set up but this would exclude the workers and peasants the vast majority of the population and mean continuing with exploitation and oppression . Left opportunists called for immediate socialism and an instant dictatorship of the proletariat , basically the road of the Soviets, but this ignored the fact that Korea was a much smaller country than Russia and at different level of development than Russia in 1917.
Basing himself on the realities of Korea and the interests of the popular masses President KIM IL SUNG put forward the line of the anti-imperialist ,anti-feudal democratic revolution which aimed at eradicating the aftermath of decades of Japanese imperialist colonial rule as well as feudalism and landlordism . Advanced reforms such as the Agrarian reform which smashed feudal landlordism within the space of 20 days were carried out . Moreover , women became equal with men according to the law on sexual equality , workers gained previously unheard rights with the passing of the Labour law and 90 per cent of industry was nationalised wiping out foreign and comprador capitalist ownership of the means of production .
Thus the need arose to set up a new people’s democratic state to consolidate and protect the gains of the revolution. In 1948 elections for the new Supreme People’s Assembly were held in August . On the 9th of September the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was founded according to the decision of the Supreme People’s Assembly and comrade KIM IL SUNG was elected as Premier of the DPRK .
At long last the Korean people had their own state and held state power in their hands.The foundation of the DPRK was a powerful inspiration to the oppressed peoples of the world ,groaning under imperialist oppression, in their struggle for independence and national liberation. It was also a great inspiration to the international proletariat advancing towards socialism .
The DPRK was founded one year before the People’s Republic of China was founded . In 1948 in Asia some countries had not gained independence , for example Malaysia , Laos and Cambodia . Others such as the Philippines were ruled by reactionary puppet regimes . India had on paper gained independence but in reality still had a lot of British influence and had reactionary social structures . This puts into context the massive achievement that founding the DPRK represented .
The DPRK is the most independent country in the world , a true state of Juche . As Chairman KIM JONG IL wrote "Our Republic is an independent socialist State that absolutely maintains its Juche character and thoroughly preserves its national identity in its development and activities.
The Juche character and national identity are the independence and lifeline of a country, a nation and the masses of the people. The struggle of the masses for independence is waged with the country and nation as a unit, so the party, the government and the masses of each country should conduct the revolution and construction independently and creatively as masters."
The achievements of the DPRK have been truly massive . During the 1950s despite being bombed to the point where there was almost nothing left to bomb (this was said by a US air force commander) the DPRK was able to recover from the destruction using basically its own resources (although there was some aid from the socialist countries ) and then industrialise at an amazing rate with industrial output value increasing at 36 per cent per year and a flat was built in 14 minutes in Pyongyang . Between 1957 and 1970 industrial output value increased at 19.1 per cent per year.
The DPRK is the only country in the world to provide free housing. No one should be against this ! The DPRK enforces many other popular people-orientated policies such as free education and free medical care.
Now even the Wall Street Journal , the vile mouthpiece of US monopoly capitalism and high finance was grudging forced to concede the DPRK is now growing rapidly saying that the DPRK is “ World’s Most Surprising Economic Success Story “ and that the DPRK “built 10,000 new homes in Pyongyang — more than either Los Angeles or Chicago.” Of course 62 years earlier the famous Cambridge economist Professor Joan V Robinson said that the DPRK was the “Korean economic miracle .
Lastly I was privileged to be in the DPRK for its 64th anniversary in 2012, the 68th anniversary in 2016 and the 70th anniversary in 2018 . I would like to share briefly some recollections . During my September 2016 visit the DPRK conducted its 5th nuclear test on September 9th . I was attending a concert at the Pyonghwa Art Theatre . As we climbed the stairs to the theatre my guide Mr Han said quietly but with steely resolution in his voice “Our country has just conducted a successful nuclear warhead test “ ! .
In September 2018 I was able to participate in the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK . I recall the military parade held on the 9th of September . Leading the parade were troops dressed in the uniform of the anti-Japanese guerrilla's followed by
columns dressed in the uniform of KPA soldiers of the Fatherland Liberation War .After that paraders from military academies marched past then . Gradually all branches of the Korean People's Army marched past followed by tanks , artillery and missiles . Planes fly across the square and with fireworks made the number "70 " , this was extremely creative . Then fighter bomber aircraft of the KPA roared across the sky trailing beautiful plumes of red , white and blue smoke , the colours of the national flag of the DPRK.
The military parade was closely followed by a massive civilian demonstration . This of course symbolises the unity of the army and people which are unique to Juche Korea. It was a veritable sea of colour as the marchers went past cheering enthusiastically and waving flowers .We could see watching the parade of the civilians that the people in the DPRK all support respected Marshal
KIM JONG UN and the great Workers' Party of Korea. It was like a great carnival of revolutionary ardour and militancy .There were beautifully designed floats , a real treat to look at. We saw slogans such as "Forward along the road of socialism ", "Lets us live our own way " and " Long live the revolutionary spirit of Mt Paektu ".
When the parade finished, respected Marshal KIM JONG UN came to the balcony and waved to the crowd . Everyone cheered , jumped up and down and waved.Respected Marshal KIM JONG UN looked happy and confident.
The military parade symbolised the strength and durability of the DPRK.
So we congratulate the DPRK on its 78th anniversary and look forward to the 80th anniversary of the DPRK in 2028 !
Glory to the 78th anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK !
Long Live People’s Korea.
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