THE SONGUN-BASED REVOLUTIONARY LINE IS A GREAT REVOLUTIONARY LINE OF OUR ERA AND AN EVER-VICTORIOUS BANNER OF OUR REVOLUTION

KIM JONG IL THE SONGUN-BASED REVOLUTIONARY LINE IS A GREAT REVOLUTIONARY LINE OF OUR ERA AND AN EVER-VICTORIOUS BANNER OF OUR REVOLUTION Talk to the Senior Officials of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea January 29, Juche 92 (2003) These days the Korean revolution, guided by the Party, has been making a victorious advance under the banner of Songun. Thanks to the Songun-based politics pursued by our Party, the revolutionary armed forces have been incomparably strengthened, the defence line of the homeland consolidated and a great change effected in the revolution and construction. By dint of Songun politics we have smashed the anti-DPRK, anti-socialist machinations of the imperialists step by step, defended the country and the revolution and exalted the dignity and prestige of socialist Korea in the eyes of the world. The Songun-based politics of our Party is a politics the invincibility of which has been verified through, severe historical ordeals, and an all-powerful sword for victory in the revolution. It is an invariable conviction and will of our Party to defend and carry forward by force of arms the sacred revolutionary cause which was pioneered and has won one victory after another by force of arms. The whole Party, the entire army and all the people must wage a resolute struggle under the banner of Songun and thus build a great, prosperous and powerful socialist nation, achieve national reunification and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche. Our Party’s Songun-based revolutionary leadership, Songun-based politics, is a revolutionary mode of leadership and socialist mode of politics that gives top priority to military affairs, and defends the country, the revolution and socialism and dynamically pushes ahead with overall socialist construction by dint of the revolutionary mettle and combat capabilities of the People’s Army. The underlying aspects of Songun politics are that military affairs are of paramount importance, that the army is the hardcore and main force of the revolution, and that the army must be strengthened in every way. The essential characteristic of Songun politics is that it safeguards the security of the country and defends the revolutionary gains by developing the People’s Army into invincible revolutionary armed forces, and that it builds up the driving force of the revolution and deals with all affairs of socialist construction in a revolutionary and militant way with the People’s Army as the hard core and main force. The idea and line of giving importance to force of arms and military affairs, advanced and consistently maintained by President Kim Il Sung, constitute the basis and starting point of our Party’s Songun politics. The struggle of the masses of the people for the cause of independence, the cause of socialism, is accompanied by confrontation of power with imperialism and all sorts of other counterrevolutionary forces. Therefore, military affairs emerge as a matter of key importance on which hangs victory or failure in the revolution and the rise or fall of a country or a nation. A country or a nation can emerge victorious in the revolution and defend the revolution, and carve out its destiny independently only when it has its own powerful revolutionary armed forces. It is the force of arms on which hinge the victory of the revolutionary cause, independence and sovereignty, and the prosperity of a country or a nation. This is the Juche-oriented principle of revolution and the law of revolution, elucidated by President Kim Il Sung and whose soundness has been verified by history. President Kim Il Sung organized an armed unit first in the early period of his revolutionary activities, achieved the historic cause of national liberation by force of arms, and founded the Party and the State afterwards. In each period and at each stage of the revolution after the liberation, he always paid primary attention to military affairs and constantly strengthened the revolutionary armed forces, and thus laid a solid military guarantee for the victorious advance of the revolution and construction. Our Party’s Songun politics is a powerful mode of politics of our era which was created by inheriting President Kim Il Sung’s idea and line of attaching importance to arms and military affairs in general, and by developing them in depth as required by the changing situation. By dint of Songun politics we have been defending the President’s great military thoughts and immortal exploits, further exalting them on a new and higher level, and opening a vista for the victory of the Juche revolutionary cause. The new era of Juche revolution is the Songun era and it is a new and higher stage of our revolution which is developing under the banner of Songun. The Songun revolutionary line, Songun politics, is a scientific revolutionary line and mode of statesmanship that most accurately reflect the demands of the times and the revolution. Our Party started pursuing Songun politics on the basis of its scientific analysis of the international circumstances of our revolution and of the rapidly changing situation. Entering the 1990s, socialism collapsed in the former Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries, giving rise to a great change in the world political structure and balance of forces. Although the imperialists’ mouthpieces and opportunists claimed that a new era of “detente and peace’’ had arrived following the “end of the Cold War,” the world can never exist in peace so long as imperialism remains rampant. By taking advantage of the collapse of the global socialist system, the reactionary imperialist forces intensified their offensive against the anti-imperialist independent forces; in particular, the US imperialists, who had emerged as the only superpower in the world, were more tenacious than ever in the pursuit of their policy of aggression and war, in an attempt to realize their ambition of world supremacy, wielding the power of authority and arbitrariness in the international arena and violently encroaching upon the sovereignty of other countries. The reactionary imperialist forces spearheaded their attack towards our Republic, which is advancing constantly under the banner of independence, the banner of socialism. The US imperialists and their followers pounced upon us in all directions, stepping up their moves for military aggression on an unprecedented scale to destroy our Republic by means of force on the one hand, and putting pressure to bear upon us in all spheres of politics, the economy, ideology, culture and diplomacy on the other to squeeze us dry. Due to their anti-DPRK isolate-and-stifle schemes, the Korean revolution came to face the severest trials and hardships of its history; we had to bear the full brunt of the offensive of the imperialist aggressive forces, in direct confrontation with the US imperialists. The showdown between us and imperialism is a confrontation of power; the anti-imperialist military front constituted the major front line, the first lifeline of our revolution, on which the destiny of the country, the nation and socialism would be decided. We had to strengthen and rely on the People’s Army by concentrating our efforts on military affairs. In this way we were able to save the destiny of the country and the nation, and lead the revolution and construction to victory. This is the reason why we say the army means the Party, the State and the people. Had we neglected military affairs and failed to strengthen the army, we might have perished already, far from conducting the revolution and construction. Our anti-imperialist, anti-US struggle is the grimmest war to defend the country and a war in defence of socialism. It was only the People’s Army, the revolutionary armed forces, that could perform its mission and role as the standard-bearer of Songun politics. The Songun politics of our Party embodies the high spirit of annihilating the enemy at all costs, and the unshakable conviction and will to emerge victorious, on the part of the People’s Army. It is entirely thanks to the heroic efforts of the entire army and the whole nation in single-hearted unity with the People’s Army as its core under the Party’s leadership that we could overcome the difficulties in the way of revolution and win great victories. The practical experience of our revolution has proved that Songun politics, which gives precedence to military affairs and regards the revolutionary armed forces as the pivot, is the most powerful mode of politics of our era and revolution. Songun politics makes it possible to defeat any enemy no matter how formidable, tide over any hardships and trials, and guarantee the victorious advance of the revolutionary cause. The Songun revolutionary line, Songun politics, is a strategic revolutionary line and mode of politics that must be adhered to constantly so long as imperialism exists on the earth and its aggressive machinations continue. The Songun politics of our Party is a unique socialist mode of politics that gives a new scientific clarification and solution to the issue of the main force of the revolution. On the basis of its deep analysis of the development of the times and the changed social and class relations, our Party put forward, for the first time in the history of the revolutionary movement, the idea of “precedence of the army over the working class,” giving prominence to the People’s Army as the core unit and main force of the revolution. The originality of Songun politics and its invincibility lie in the fact that it gives prominence to the People’s Army as the core unit and main force. The preceding revolutionary theories of Marxism viewed the working class as the main force of the revolution. Having analysed the social and class relations in the Western capitalist countries in the mid-19th century, Marx identified the working class as the most advanced and revolutionary class entrusted with the mission of liquidating the domination of capital and all sorts of exploitation, and building socialism and communism, and defined it as the leading class and, the main force of the revolution. This was the reflection of the reality of capitalist society in those times. Later, socialist revolutions emerged victorious in several countries of the world, and socialist construction got under way, with the working class as the main force. As a result, it had been recognized as an unbreakable revolutionary formula in carrying out the cause of socialism to conduct the revolutionary struggle and construction work with the working class as the core and the main force. However, Marx’s theories and formulas, which had been set forth one and a half centuries before, cannot accord with the present reality. The times have advanced further, witnessing a great change in social atmosphere, class relations and the status of the working class. With the development of capitalism, especially with the rapid development of science, and technology and the arrival of the IT age, the living basis of the working class has been changed and work is being done on a more technological and intellectual basis. The ranks of the working class have been intellectualized and the working masses engaged in technical, intellectual and mental labour are quickly outnumbering manual workers. Moreover, the development of capitalism consolidates the domination of monopoly capital and adds to the prevalence of reactionary bourgeois ideology and culture, which greatly acts to control the class consciousness, awakening and revolutionary assimilation of the working class. The working class of the present times cannot be identified with the working class in the period of industrial capitalism or proletarian revolution, in the fight of either the situation of the times or the actual reality of the labour, social status and labour movement of the working class. The changed situation and the reality require a new ideology and theory, strategy and tactics with which to awaken and rally the broad sections of the masses who oppose the domination of monopoly capital and the aggression and war policy of imperialism, train hard-core elements among them and expand and strengthen the revolutionary forces. The limitations of Marxist revolutionary theories were also manifested in a socialist society where the working masses, including the working class, have become the masters of the State and society. The preceding theories based on the materialistic conception of history considered that the revolution is completed once the working class seizes power and establishes socialist relations of production. For this reason, they failed to make a correct clarification of the law-governed course of socialist construction subsequent to victory in revolution; in particular, they failed to raise the issue of remoulding man, the ideological revolution, in a socialist society. For the first time in history, President Kim Il Sung advanced the outstanding idea that the course of building socialism and communism is, in view of the class relations, the process of modelling the whole society on the working-class pattern and gave scientific explanations of the role of the working class, the development of class relations and the law governing the remoulding of man in a socialist society. Thanks to his original theory on building socialism and under his wise leadership, the working class and other working masses have been transformed into socialist workers in our country and they all work and live basing themselves on the collectivist principle under the socialist system. Our Party has firmly equipped the masses of the people with the Juche idea and upgraded the process of transforming the whole of society on the revolutionary and working-class patterns by giving definite precedence to the remoulding of man, the ideological work, in the socialist cause. Thus it has brought about a radical change in the socio-economic lives and politico-ideological traits of our people. The Korean people are revolutionary and boundlessly faithful to the Party and the revolution since they have been educated and trained in a revolutionary way in the embrace of the socialist motherland under the guidance of the Party and the leader. These days the masses of the people, who are solidly united behind the Party and the leader with one mind and will, constitute a powerful driving force of socialist construction in our society. Needless to say, class differences still remain between the working class and the cooperative farmers, and the revolutionary and working-class assimilation of intellectuals cannot be said to have been completed. The working class is as advanced a unit of our society as ever, and has a higher sense of class consciousness, collectivism and revolution than other working masses. Furthermore, it is still in charge of industry, the leading sector of the national economy; especially the workers in the key industries and munitions industry play a very important role in the revolution and construction. That is why our Party treasures the working class and always pays deep concern to further revolutionizing it and enhancing its role. Applying Songun politics, our Party has given prominence to the People’s Army over the working class, prompted by a new viewpoint and attitude towards the issue of the main force of the revolution and the role of a revolutionary army in the revolution and construction. The question of the main force of the revolution is one of the fundamental problems in strengthening the motive force of the revolution and in developing the revolutionary movement by enhancing its role. Which class, stratum or social collective becomes the main force of the revolution is decided by its position and role in the revolution and construction, its sense of revolution, organizational discipline, and combat capabilities. The question of the main force of the revolution cannot remain invariable in any era, society or revolution, nor is it a question that can be solved only on the basis of class relations. Hence, regarding the working class as the main force of the revolution anytime and anywhere is an expression of a dogmatic viewpoint toward the preceding theories and is not correct in principle either. Unfettered by any established theories or formulas, out Party strictly rejected any expression of dogmatic attitude to and revisionist distortion of the preceding theories, and strengthened the army and upgraded its role as required by the development of the situation and the revolution, thus leading the revolution and construction to victory. For our Party to give prominence to the People’s Army as the main force of the revolution is essential to the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche, in view of the position and role of the People’s Army in our revolution at present and in the light of its revolutionary mettle and combat efficiency. The People’s Army is the revolutionary ranks that defend the first lifeline of our revolution. It defends the Party and the revolution, the country and the people by force of arms and at the cost of life in direct confrontation with the strong imperialist enemy. On the bayonets of the People’s Army hinge peace, socialism and worthwhile and happy life of our people. This is the noble mission and the heaviest yet most honourable revolutionary task of the People’s Army, for which neither the working class nor any other social group can substitute. The People’s Army is the most revolutionary, militant and powerful revolutionary group in our society. No group is equal to the People's Army in terms of the sense of revolution and organization and combat efficiency. Our People’s Army is unfailingly loyal to the Party and the revolution and very strong in ideology and faith, and it is the most organized combat unit. It defends the Party and the leader and carries out the Party’s policies at all costs, and fights to the death for the cause of the Party, the cause of socialism. The men and officers of the People’s Army, who defend the country and the revolution by force of arms in the van, love their country more dearly than anyone else, are eager to defend socialism and fight uncompromisingly against imperialism and the class enemy with intense hatred. The People’s Army is a revolutionary unit that brims over with revolutionary faith, iron will and militant spirit. It is stronger than any other collective in the sense of collectivism, organization, discipline and unity. The entire army is single-heartedly united behind its Supreme Commander, and moves as one under his command and directive; it arranges all of its soldiers’ routine life and activities as required by military rules and discipline. The collectivist principle and organization and discipline have become the lifeblood and requirements of the routine life of the People’s Army. The high sense of revolution and organization of the People’s Army is reflective of the characteristics of the armed unit and the mettle unique to the revolutionary army, and constitutes a basic factor of upgrading the combat efficiency of our army and improving its politico-ideological might. It is not that any army that takes part in the revolution or any socialist army acquires the traits and qualities befitting a revolutionary army and, moreover, can become the main force of the revolution. The working class or the army can become a revolutionary class or revolutionary armed forces and play an important role in the revolution only when it is awakened and organized under the leadership of a revolutionary party. Apart from the correct leadership of the party and the leader, it is impossible to train any hardcore unit of the revolution or to awaken and rally the broad sections of the masses around the revolutionary ranks. Our People’s Army has grown up into genuine revolutionary armed forces, an invincible army to perform its honourable mission and duty with credit as the hardcore unit and main force of the revolution, thanks to the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and the great Workers’ Party. President Kim Il Sung built our People’s Army into a prototype of a revolutionary army and laid eternal foundations for its development by thoroughly applying the principles and ways he had put forward for the building of Juche-type revolutionary armed forces. He built the People’s Army into an army of the Party and the leader, a genuine army of the people, and developed it as an armed unit of ideology and faith, possessed of all the politico-ideological traits required of a revolutionary army. Under his wise leadership an independent and modern munitions industry was created and so developed as to serve as the material and technical foundations for the modernization of the entire army. The imperishable exploit he performed for the building of the armed forces is the most valuable of his revolutionary achievements and it is now proving its worth as the solid foundation and priceless asset for our Party to further strengthen the People’s Army and pursue Songun politics. On the basis of his great achievements in army building, our Party gave prominence to the People’s Army as the standard-bearer and main force of Songun-based revolution, and directed all its efforts to upgrading it. Through the continuous field inspections of the units of the People’s Army, our Party always went deep among the servicepersons and took care of them with love and trust. It strengthened the army through revolutionary education and training by decisively intensifying Party political work within the army and unsparingly supplied everything necessary for the army. The Party took revolutionary measures to firmly equip the People’s Army with our own unique strategy and tactics, and radically improve its military and technical preparedness as required by the characteristics of modern warfare and tense situations. Our Party’s energetic guidance has given rise to a fresh turn in the politico-ideological traits and fighting spirit of the People’s Army, making its combat efficiency and might better than ever before. Being an army of the Party and the leader and an army of the Supreme Commander, in name and in reality, our People’s Army has grown up to be revolutionary ranks of loyalists full of the spirit of defending the leadership of the revolution at all costs, and the entire army from the Supreme Commander to the rank and file has formed a harmonious whole on the basis of revolutionary comradeship. The Party’s leadership over the army has its firm place within the People’s Army, a revolutionary and military spirit prevails in the entire army, and the good traits of unity between superiors and subordinates, between officers and rank and file and between commanding officers and political officers are manifesting themselves to the full within the army. The noble politico-ideological traits, revolutionary spirit and fighting mettle of the People’s Army are expressed in a concentrated way in the revolutionary soldier spirit. The revolutionary soldier spirit, which was created and has been given full play within the People’s Army under the leadership of the Party, is the lofty revolutionary spirit of our army, characterized mainly by a spirit of defending the leader at the risk of one’s life, a spirit of carrying out tasks at all costs, and a heroic self-sacrificing spirit. It is a death-defying spirit with which the soldiers of the People’s Army fight for the Party and the leader, for the country and revolution at the cost of their youth and lives; it is a revolutionary spirit of sure victory, a spirit of confronting any enemy no matter how formidable head-on and breaking through any difficulties and trials. The revolutionary soldier spirit of the People’s Army is a noble revolutionary spirit symbolic and representative of the great Songun era. And it constitutes the most revolutionary and militant ideological and spiritual weapon, which makes it possible to create miracles and perform meritorious deeds in the course of the revolution and construction. In the Songun era the working class, too, can perform its class duty and mission only when it is equipped with the revolutionary soldier spirit, and all the other working people can maintain and add luster to their honour of being the masters of the State and society, their honour of being the socialist working masses, only when they learn from the revolutionary soldier spirit. When the entire army and all the people live and struggle with the revolutionary soldier spirit and fighting spirit, united single-heartedly behind the Party, there will be no enemy in the world strong enough to resist us and no fortress we cannot conquer. Since our People’s Army is the creator, personifier and pioneer of the revolutionary soldier spirit representative of the times and the most powerful combat unit that defends the first lifeline of our revolution, it is the standard-bearer, hardcore unit and the main force of the Songun revolution and, has been exalting the honour to a high degree. Songun politics, which gives prominence to the People’s Army as its main force, makes it possible to firmly maintain and apply to the letter the fundamental ideals and the basic principles of the revolution. Socialism is the fundamental ideal of our revolution to realize the independence of the masses of the people, and socialist society is a society which embodies the class demands and aspirations of the working class. Apart from the intrinsic desire and class principle of the working class, it is impossible to realize the independence of the masses of the people and complete the socialist cause. We are striving to build a great, prosperous and powerful socialist nation and reunify the country in the midst of a severe class struggle against the US imperialists and other enemies. The complex and grave situation of our revolution demands that the edge of class struggle be sharpened and the working-class principle, the revolutionary principle, be maintained more thoroughly in all spheres. Our Party has upheld the banner of Songun in the acute confrontation with imperialism. Our rifle is the rifle of class, the rifle of revolution, and it is the most powerful weapon for anti-imperialist class struggle. The revolutionary soldier spirit of the People’s Army is the highest expression of class consciousness and the revolutionary spirit of the working class. Today our Party is totally serious and uncompromising about its demand for adherence to the class principle, the revolutionary principle, in all spheres of the revolution and construction and for farther intensification of class education and revolutionary education among the soldiers and the people, as required by the Songun era. When our army and people are firmly equipped with a high level of class consciousness and the revolutionary soldier spirit in support of the Party’s Songun-based leadership, the socialist class position will be further cemented, and the socialist cause will be defended and, completed with victory under any circumstances. The Songun politics of our Party is the most powerful and dignified politics of independence which embodies the Juche idea. Independence is the life and soul of a social being, the masses of the people, a country and a nation. The man-centred Juche idea is an idea of independence, and all revolutionary struggles are ones for independence. The Juche idea correctly combines love for the masses of the people with that for the country and the nation, and the independence of the masses of the people with that of the country and the nation, and scientifically elucidates the ways for its realization. The politics that defends and realizes the independence of the masses of the people, the country and the nation on the basis of the fundamentals and principles of the Juche idea is the most revolutionary and scientific politics, and it also constitutes genuine politics of love for the country, the nation and the people. Our Songun politics that relies on the invincible revolutionary armed forces is a principled and righteous politics of anti-imperialist independence and politics of love for the country, the nation and the people, the politics which reliably defends and guarantees the independent demands and interests of the masses of the people, and the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the people from infringement by the imperialist reactionaries. As self-defensive revolutionary armed forces, our People’s Army is defending by force of arms the dignity of our Party and revolution, our ideology and system and our country and people, smashing the enemy’s war provocations and safeguarding the security and peace of the country. Thanks to Songun politics we are conducting the revolution and construction fair and square in our own way and as suited to the reality of our country and the interests of our revolution, and according to our own ideology and faith, holding up the banner of independence in spite of such complicated and acute situation as today. It is because we have strong military power and an ever-victorious strategy and tactics that we are firmly maintaining the independent principles in politics, resolutely rejecting all manner of outside interference and pressure, and pushing ahead with all our endeavours boldly as we intend, unfettered by anything. Thanks to Songun politics, our independence remains firmly guaranteed and our socialist motherland is demonstrating its dignity and honour, authority and might as a fortress of independence. Our Party’s Songun politics is literally a politics for the people and a politics geared to defending and ensuring the independent rights and fundamental interests of the masses of the people. For this reason, the entire people support it absolutely and uphold it with loyalty. The unfurled banner of Songun upheld by our Party has become a great national banner inspiring the consciousness of national independence, self-respect and sense of national pride and honour among the fellow countrymen in the north, south and abroad, and opening up the road to the national reunification and prosperity. Our Party’s Songun idea, Songun politics, has proved its validity, superiority and great vitality, and is demonstrating them all the more with each passing day in the practice and reality of our revolution. First of all, the military position of our revolution has been fortified impregnably under the Party’s Songun-based leadership. The military might of the country constitutes the foremost rational power in the struggle for independence and socialism and against imperialism. If one defeats the enemy on the military front one will emerge victorious on all other fronts. Our People’s Army has grown up to be invincible revolutionary armed forces, and our socialist motherland has emerged as a military power in the international arena. We have won one victory after another in the fierce political and military showdown with the imperialists, and defended the country, the revolution and socialism from all manner of aggressive machinations of the enemy. The distinguished successes and achievements we have made in the military field are precisely the great victory of our Party’s Songun-based leadership, Songun politics, and clear manifestation of its validity and might. The military position of the revolution that has been cemented into an impregnable fortress, with the People’s Army as the core, thanks to our Party’s Songun-based leadership serves as a basic guarantee for the completion of the Juche revolutionary cause. Our revolutionary ranks have been united more solidly than ever and the single-hearted unity of our whole society has been further strengthened in the Songun era. Today the People’s Army and the people have forged a genuine comradely relationship whereby they share weal and woe on the road of Songun-based revolution under the leadership of the Party, and the whole society is brimming over with the beautiful trait of unity between the army and the people. The servicepersons are serving the people with devotion while the latter are taking loving care of the former as their own flesh and blood, assisting them with all sincerity, and devotedly learning from the revolutionary soldier spirit and fighting spirit of the People’s Army. As a result, both the servicepersons and the people share the same idea and fighting spirit. In the Songun era the People’s Army is playing a pivotal, vanguard role in all spheres of the revolution and construction, while the people are treasuring the former above all else, and displaying the trait of supporting and assisting the army, resulting in further solidity of comradely unity between the army and the people. As a result of our Party’s Songun-based leadership and politics of love for the soldiers and the people, the single-hearted unity of our society has been upgraded to a single-hearted unity of the whole Party, the whole army and the whole nation based on one ideology and faith, and comradely love and obligation. Furthermore, the politico-ideological might of our revolution has been further strengthened to an incomparable degree. The great viability of Songun politics has been confirmed in the process of socialist construction. As the main force of the revolution, the People’s Army stands in the van in all spheres of socialist construction and has been performing labour feats, setting a shining example. The officers and men of the People’s Army have erected numerous monumental edifices and modern factories through their heroic struggle in full support of the Party’s idea and policies, and made breakthroughs in the difficult yet important sectors of the national economy. They were the first to overcome manifold hardships and trials and created miracles and brought about innovations in all spheres, thus inspiring the working masses throughout the country to a revolutionary upsurge. Taking their cue from the revolutionary soldier spirit and the fighting spirit of the People’s Army, the working class and other working masses created the Kanggye spirit and kindled the torch of Ranam, bringing about a sweeping innovation in overall socialist construction. By dint of Songun politics relying on the People’s Army as the main force, we were able to endure the severest “Arduous March” and the forced march, open up a road towards building a great, prosperous and powerful socialist nation and push forward with the revolution and construction in a bold and positive way despite the difficult situation. Our experience shows that if all the officials and the working people uphold the Party’s Songun-based leadership and work as the People’s Army does, it is possible to conquer the fortress of cutting-edge science and technology, build an economic power, establish an assiduous manner in the management of livelihood and a noble way of cultural and emotional life throughout society, and provide our people with affluent lives in a short period of time. Our Party’s Songun politics has registered a turning-point in the cause of national reunification, furthered the international solidarity with our revolution and radically expanded the external relations of the country. Songun politics, which is imbued with the principle of national independence and the spirit of love for the country and the people, our policies for national reunification based on it and our positive efforts gave rise to the historic Pyongyang summit, followed by the adoption of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, and the further development of inter-Korean relations of reconciliation and cooperation in several sectors. The trend of struggle against the US and other foreign forces and for independent national reunification is mounting to a crescendo on an unprecedented scale in south Korea. Songun politics, which opposes imperialist aggression and war policies and defends the independence of the country and the nation, is winning broad support among public circles and the progressive peoples of the world. It gives a blow to the aggressive forces of imperialism and encouragement to the anti-imperialist independent forces in the international arena, stimulating the cause of making the whole world independent. Upholding the banner of Songun under the leadership of the great Party, our army and people have traversed a glorious road of victory, pushing their way through raging storms and creating miracles in history. The Songun-based revolutionary line of our Party is a great revolutionary line of our era and an ever-victorious banner of our revolution. In the Songun-based revolution lie the building of a great, prosperous and powerful nation, national reunification and the victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche. Now that the situation is very complicated and tense at home and abroad, we must hold the banner of Songun higher. The whole Party, the entire army and all the people must advance more resolutely towards a new great victory of our revolution in support of the Party’s Songun-based leadership. First of all, great efforts should be directed continually at strengthening the People’s Army. The might of Songun politics is precisely the might of the People’s Army; its superiority and might can be given full play only when the People’s Army is soundly prepared politically and ideologically, militarily and technically. The Party’s leadership is the lifeblood of the People’s Army. Our People’s Army should be strengthened as the first defender of the Party, as the revolutionary armed unit that fights to the death in support of the Party’s idea and leadership, so that it can inherit and add luster to its glorious history and tradition as the army of the Party and the leader. The more complex and tenser the situation is, the more efforts should be made to intensify politico-ideological education and military training within the People’s Army so that all the servicepersons trust and follow only our Party under any circumstances and conditions, heighten their revolutionary vigilance and maintain their preparedness. The People’s Army should be fully ready to mercilessly annihilate the imperialist aggressors whenever and wherever they attack. The politico-ideological and military positions of our .revolution must be fortified rock-solid by firming up single-hearted unity of the army and the people. There is nothing to fear or impossible to do when the army and the people fight with single-hearted unity under the Party’s leadership. The tradition of army-people unity-both treasuring and loving each other and sharing weal and woe-should be given farther play in the Songun era. It is important to establish a sound habit, of attaching importance to military affairs throughout society. The work of consolidating the defence capabilities of the country is an undertaking shared by the entire Party, the whole country and all the people. Our officials and working masses must organize and conduct all work on the principle of giving precedence to military affairs, and make energetic efforts to build up the military might of the country, in addition, the paramilitary forces must be strengthened and the whole country turned into a solid fortress. It is imperative to expedite overall economic construction while giving precedence to the defence industry, as required by the Songun era, so as to support the Party’s Songun politics both materially and technologically, and radically improve the people’s living standards in a short period of time. All the officials and working people must cherish the validity and invincibility of the Party’s Songun idea, Songun politics, as their unshakable faith, work and live as required by it at all times and strive to make the whole society overflow with such revolutionary mettle and militant spirit as can be found only in the People’s Army. Our People’s Army and people have burnished the new era of the Juche revolution as a great Songun era under the leadership of the Party. We will victoriously advance the revolutionary cause of Juche and bring it to completion under the banner of Songun. All the officials, Party members and other working people must become ardent followers of the Songun idea and staunch defenders and implementers of Songun politics, and loyally uphold our Party’s Songun-based revolutionary leadership.

THE WORKERS’ PARTY OF KOREA IS THE PARTY OF THE GREAT LEADER COMRADE KIM IL SUNG

KIM JONG IL THE WORKERS’ PARTY OF KOREA IS THE PARTY OF THE GREAT LEADER COMRADE KIM IL SUNG             October 2, 1995 Fifty years have elapsed since our Party was founded.  Greeting the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and looking back with deep emotions upon the glorious road of struggle our Party has traversed, scoring a historic victory and effecting the greatest change by acclaiming respected Comrade Kim Il Sung as its head and under his leadership, our Party members and our people express the warmest gratitude and pay the highest respect to the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, who founded and led the Party.  Under Comrade Kim Il Sung’s wise leadership, the Workers’ Party of Korea was established as a working-class party of a new type and has developed in the flames of struggle for half a century into a trained and seasoned veteran revolutionary party, an unconquerable party enjoying the unqualified support and trust of the people. Under his leadership, our Party created a brilliant new history in the people’s cause of independence, the cause of socialism, and made great, imperishable achievements in this cause.  The history of the Workers’ Party of Korea is precisely the history of respected Comrade Kim Il Sung’s great revolutionary activities. Both the thorny path of our Party’s struggle and its road of glorious victory bear his sacred footprints. Both our Party’s great achievements and its unbreakable strength and high prestige are associated with his respectful name.  The Workers’ Party of Korea belongs to the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung. It is his great name and exploits that have made our Party’s 50 years brilliant. His name and exploits will be immortal together with our Party’s history.  The Workers’ Party of Korea is a glorious party, which under the leadership of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung has paved a new road of building a revolutionary party in the age of independence, setting a shining example in this work.  Regarding  party building as a fundamental question  in the revolution, Comrade Kim Il Sung made strenuous efforts from the early years of his revolutionary activity to found the party that would lead our revolution. With an unshakeable belief that the popular masses are the motive force of the revolution, he waged the revolutionary struggle by organizing these masses. He also did the work of founding the Party, beginning with the laying of its basis in the grassroots, by going to the popular masses to train true communists from among them and forming grassroots Party organizations.  The organizational and ideological bases for founding our Party were laid and consolidated in the crucible of the 20-year-long arduous anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle under the leadership of Comrade Kim Il Sung. The ranks of communist hard core were trained and toughened, true unity and cohesion were achieved in the revolutionary ranks centring around the leader, and the mass basis for the communist movement was solidly laid, through all manner of hardships in the do-or-die struggle.  In the course of organizing and leading the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory, Comrade Kim Il Sung created glorious revolutionary traditions, the lasting cornerstone of our Party and revolution.  Thanks to the solid organizational and ideological bases for founding the Party and the glorious revolutionary traditions, which were prepared during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, our Party was founded opportunely even in the complex circumstances after liberation. It has been able to fulfil its mission successfully as the political General Staff that guides the building of a new country ever since its founding.  The establishment of the Workers’ Party of Korea enabled our people to shape their destiny successfully under the guidance of their reliable vanguard, their fighting General Staff. Its establishment unfolded a new history of the revolutionary party in the era of independence.  After  founding  the  Party  in  an  original   manner,  the  respected leader Comrade Kim Il Sung gave wise leadership to the work of Party building and developed it into a great revolutionary party.  The history of our Party building is the history of brilliantly implementing the Juche idea and translating into reality the idea and theory of building the Party on the basis of the Juche idea under Comrade Kim Il Sung’s leadership.  Our Party is a Juche-type revolutionary party, built and strengthened, guided by the Juche idea.  The guiding ideology of a party defines its character, its aim of struggle and the basic direction of its development and activities, and decides its fighting efficiency and strength. Only a party guided by a great ideology can be a great party.  It is the most brilliant achievement of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung that he created the immortal Juche idea and thus showed the popular masses a correct way to shape their destiny independently and that he built a new, revolutionary party, guided by the Juche idea, for the first time in the history of the communist movement.  The Juche idea is a new scientific world outlook that correctly reflects the popular masses’ desire for independence and the requirements of the times. It is a great idea that has brought about a historic change in the development of the revolutionary idea of the working class. The Juche idea is the ideological and theoretical basis of our Party building as well as the only guide to revolution and construction. Our Party has been guided consistently by the Juche idea in its building and activities. Therefore, it has become a powerful revolutionary party with a most durable foundation, a great, authoritative party capable of leading the revolution and construction triumphantly. The building of our Party is characterized basically by the fact that it has built itself and conducted its activities, guided by the Juche idea.  Based on the great Juche idea and the rich experiences in his leadership of the revolutionary struggle at different stages, Comrade Kim Il Sung newly elucidated the fundamentals and basic principles of building a working-class party and the ways to implement them, and fully systematized the Juche-orientated idea and theory of Party building.  This idea and theory are, in a nutshell, the people-centred idea and theory of Party building on the basis of the fundamental principles of the Juche idea. Solving all problems in Party building and activity by centring on people and through work with people is the essence of this idea and theory. The solidity and strength of the party and all the success in party building depends on how the cadres and other members of the party are educated and bound together organizationally and ideologically and how the masses, the socio-class basis of the party, rally behind the party. Work with people is the basis of party building, the essence of party work and the mode of activity proper to the working-class party which regards ideology as a weapon. Only when it lays the primary emphasis on work with people, can the working-class party build up its ranks firmly, strengthen its mass foundation and lead the revolution and construction successfully.  The Juche-oriented idea and theory of party building shed fresh light on the fundamental principles of building the working-class party, based on the principles of the driving force of revolution. This force is an integral whole of the leader, the party and the masses. Only under the guidance of the party and the leader can the people hold their position as the driving force of revolution and play their role satisfactorily. In the driving force of revolution, the leader is the top brain and the centre of unity, and the party is a political organization that materializes the leader’s idea and guidance. The party as a political leadership body is inconceivable apart from the leader’s idea and guidance. Separated from the masses, the party cannot lead the revolution and construction to victory. The unbreakable unity of the leader, the party and the masses centring around the leader constitutes the solidest and most powerful revolutionary force, as well as a great motive force of the revolution and construction. Therefore, the working-class party must be built up into the leader’s party, the political organization which realizes the leader’s idea and guidance, and must achieve inseparable unity with the masses. This is a basic requirement for the existence and development of the working-class party and a fundamental principle that must be constantly maintained and carried forward in party building.  Comrade Kim Il Sung’s idea and theory on Party building expound the absolutely scientific and revolutionary principles, basic rules and ways which the working-class party must implement thoroughly in its building and activity; therefore, they have become a powerful ideological and theoretical weapon with which to consolidate our Party organizationally and ideologically, strengthen the unbreakable ties between the Party and the masses and steadily enhance the leadership role of the Party.  The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung built our Party into a revolutionary party with a firmly established monolithic ideological system. The monolithic ideological system of the party is the leader’s ideological system and his leadership system. Establishing the monolithic ideological system is the basic way to build the party as the leader’s party. Only when the monolith of ideology and leadership is ensured through the establishment of the leader’s ideological system and his leadership system is it possible to achieve the ideological unity and organizational cohesion of the party ranks and make the party play its role satisfactorily as a political leadership body. The working-class party must be an ideological purity and organizational integrity, the entire party being dyed in its leader’s idea and moving as one under his unified leadership. Our Party’s struggle to establish the monolithic ideological system has been a struggle to equip Party members thoroughly with the leader’s ideas and unite them firmly behind the leader in ideology and purpose; at the same time, it has been a struggle to overcome the heterogeneous ideas and factional elements which conflict with the leader’s idea and guidance and disturb unity and cohesion. Under the leadership of Comrade Kim Il Sung, our Party has steadily intensified ideological education to equip all the Party members with the Juche idea, the revolutionary idea of the Party, and has conducted a powerful ideological struggle against flunkeyism, dogmatism, revisionism, factionalism and other unsound ideas, as well as factional elements. As a result, it eradicated factionalism, which had greatly harmed our revolution through history, and prevented modern revisionism and all other opportunist trends from infiltrating into our ranks. That our Party overcame factionalism and flunkeyism in the Korean communist movement and prevented the infiltration of any opportunism, including modern revisionism, was the historic victory achieved in the struggle to ensure the unity and cohesion of the Party ranks and its purity and establish the monolithic ideological system of the Party. Through the struggle to establish the monolithic ideological system, the unity and cohesion of our Party developed into the unity of the entire Party in ideology and purpose, reinforced by morality and loyalty, based on the leader’s idea and centring on the leader. Today all our Party members are armed solidly with the monolithic ideology of our Party, the revolutionary idea of Comrade Kim Il Sung; they know no other ideas but his revolutionary idea. They resolutely defend and carry out the lines and policies of the Party, cherishing loyalty to the Party and the leader as their revolutionary faith and obligation. That all Party members are united rock-solid behind the leader with one idea and faith and with comradely love and revolutionary loyalty underlies the solidity and unbreakability of the unity and cohesion of our Party. The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung built our Party into a militant Party with a strong sense of organization and discipline. This sense of organization and discipline is the intrinsic requirement of the socialist, communist movement based on collectivism, as well as the basic guarantee for the fighting efficiency of the revolutionary and militant party. The monolith of ideology and leadership is ensured by organization and discipline, and apart from them there can be no unity or cohesion. A working-class party with no organization or discipline will not only be unable to lead the revolution, but will itself be reduced to a lethargic, nominal existence. By correctly embodying the principle of democratic centralism in Party building and its activity, Comrade Kim Il Sung firmly established the monolithic system of leadership and a revolutionary and voluntary discipline within the Party. For our Party the principle of democratic centralism is its organizational principle, whereby democracy is brought into full play on the basis of firmly establishing centralized discipline. Centralism is revolutionary discipline and order according to which the entire party acts as one under the monolithic leadership of the leader. Without this, neither the unity of the party nor concerted action can be ensured. Democracy means formulating the party's line and policy by incorporating the will of the party members and giving full play to their voluntary enthusiasm and creativity in the struggle to implement them. When centralized discipline is weakened and unprincipled "democracy" is tolerated, disorder is created in the party, and the party will be torn asunder. As a result of the correct application of the principle of democratic centralism in our Party, the guidance of the leader is effected smoothly from the Party centre  down to the lowest echelon and a revolutionary tone has been firmly  established: all Party organizations and Party members accept the Party's line and policy as their own and implement them to the letter by displaying a high degree of enthusiasm and creativity. Enhancing the function and role of party organizations and intensifying the party life of the members is a major factor in improving organization and discipline in the party. By strengthening all its organizations and enhancing their function and role in every possible way, our Party has ensured that they carry out their activity strictly in accordance with the Party's organizational principle and the system of Party work, and always work vigorously full of vitality. At the same time, it has channelled great effort into intensifying the Party life of its members. Party members are linked with the leader through the party organization and accept the leader's ideas and guidance and draw the breath of the Party through Party organizational and ideological life.  Party life is a revolutionary school that arms Party members with the leader's ideas, tempers their Party spirit and fosters the sense of organization and discipline. The unity of the ideology and action of millions of Party members is inconceivable apart from Party life. A well-organized system of Party life and a revolutionary tone of Party life have now been firmly established in our Party; all members belonging to a particular Party organization, regularly leading their life in accordance with the unitary norms of Party life and taking part in it of their own accord as the masters. As a result, the Party life of the members has been put on a regular basis and has become a part of their life, and the organization and discipline of the Party have been strengthened markedly. Thus our Party has become a most highly organized and disciplined party; all the Party members breathe and act as one, based on a high degree of awareness and consciousness; the Party thus fully displays its might as a militant organization. The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung built our Party into a mass party firmly rooted in broad sections of the population.  A working-class party can be invincible only when it welds itself to the masses and enjoys the active support of the wide sections of the population. As a matter of principle, the demand of the working class represents the fundamental interest of the working masses, and the historic mission of the working class is to achieve social emancipation, not only for itself, but for all toiling people. Ours is an era of independence, in which the popular masses have emerged as the masters of history; the cause of the masses for independence can advance victoriously only through the energetic struggle of the working class and other broad strata of the people. By correctly reflecting the fundamental interests of the working class and other toiling masses, as well as the demand of the era of independence, and proceeding from the specific situation in our country, respected Comrade Kim Il Sung set the line of building a mass party of the working people comprising workers, peasants and working intellectuals, and put this line into effect with success. The flag of our Party, inscribed with a hammer, sickle and brush, is a graphic symbol of a revolutionary party in the era of independence, the first of its kind in history. It is the banner of unity and victory of the popular masses, who are independently shaping their destiny. In accordance with the line of building a mass party, our Party enlisted into itself many progressive elements from among workers, peasants and working intellectuals, and properly combined the quantitative growth and qualitative consolidation of the Party ranks. Thus it continually expanded and strengthened itself, while firmly maintaining its working-class and revolutionary character. Our Party was built as a mass party and the mass line was fully implemented in its activity. As a result, it has grown in strength and developed into a party that defends and represents the interests of the working masses and their demand for independence. It has become a revolutionary party of the working class rooted among the broad popular masses and inseparably united with them. The validity and vitality of our Party line on building itself into a mass party were verified more clearly as the building of socialism developed in depth. The process of building socialism is the process of transforming all members of society on the pattern of the working class, the process of assimilating all society to the working class. The line of building a mass party fully conforms to the law that governs the building of socialism. By implementing the line of building a mass party, our Party was able to maintain its working-class character and at the same time continually increase its ranks, strengthen its mass foundation and accelerate the process of assimilating the whole of society to the working class. The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung built our Party in a far-sighted way to carry on its cause down through the generations. The cause of the popular masses for the independence is the cause of the leader, the cause of the Party. It is a historic cause that is carried on through many generations. It is only when the working-class party firmly carries forward the ideas and guidance of the leader down through generations that it can invariably maintain its revolutionary character and appearance as a leading political organization and carry out its honorable mission. If a party is to correctly carry forward the ideas and guidance of the leader, it must fully ensure the continuity of its own development. Otherwise, the line of the revolution discontinues, and renegades from the revolution appear to ruin the cause of the leader, the cause of the party. This is a serious lesson of history. Respected Comrade Kim Il Sung not only founded our Party and developed it to be an invincible one, but, with his extraordinary far-sightedness of many years’ standing, laid solid foundation for a brilliant continuation and accomplishment of the cause of the Party. Looking into the distant future, Comrade Kim Il Sung clarified the way to be followed by our Party and our revolution, laid  firm organizational and ideological bases for the Party and established the leadership system for the continuation and accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche. The ideas and leadership of respected Comrade Kim Il Sung are an unshakeable inheritance of our Party. Today, as a revolutionary party with high prestige and indestructible might, our Party enjoys full support and trust from the people and is confidently leading revolution and construction. The working-class party is the weapon for the revolution. The foundation of the party and its organizational and ideological strength are aimed at realizing the popular masses’ cause of independence. In the past 50 years since its foundation, our Party has led the popular masses, winning a great victory in revolution and construction, and gaining rich and valuable experience. Since national liberation through a bloody revolutionary war against the Japanese, our revolution has advanced through an unprecedentedly complex situation and an arduous struggle. The division of the country by foreign forces, the Fatherland Liberation War against the invasion of the allied forces of imperialism, the ceaseless maneuvers for aggression and sabotage by imperialism, the turbulent international situation and the collapse of socialism in several countries, and the subsequent intensification of anti-socialist, anti-DPRK machinations by imperialists and reactionaries – in the face of all these events, we carried out the two stages of social revolution successfully, reconstructed the country twice, built a form of socialism centred on the masses, and added lustre to our socialism while defending staunchly the sovereignty of the country and the achievements of the revolution. The revolution and construction have been promoted with vigour in spite of innumerable difficulties and hardships, bringing about great changes in the life of the country and its people. Our socialism defends and ensures the independence for the popular masses and satisfies their demand for independence to the full. All the members of society exercise equal rights to independence in political, economic and cultural lives, and enjoy valuable and worthwhile lives free from all manner of social unrest and worry. Our society is a most stable and durable one, in which all the people are united single-heartedly around the Party and leader, forming one great, harmonious family. Our entire society is overflowing with health and vitality and is full of revolutionary mettle. The communist morality, now being displayed to a high degree among our people, of devoting oneself to society and the collective, and of helping and leading one another in a comradely way demonstrates the advantages and might of the socialist system in our country and graphically shows the ennobling ideological and spiritual traits of our people. Under the leadership of the Party, our people have traversed the road of victory, braving the difficulties and obstacles in their way, and are working energetically for fresh victory, full of confidence in and optimism for the future. Even in the present complicated situation, our socialism continues to win one victory after another without vacillation, and our socialist motherland is demonstrating its dignity and honour far and wide. The imperialists and reactionaries have often resorted to various machinations to check the advance of our Party and people, and to stifle our socialism, but they have failed in every attempt. The practical experience of our revolution patently proves that the people, who are united as one under the leadership of their great leader and the great party and fighting for their just cause, are unconquerable, and that the present age is a new, historic age, the age of independence, when the popular masses have emerged as masters of their own destiny. Guided by our Party, our people have paved a new path to accomplishing the masses’ cause of independence, the path to genuine socialism, and built and developed a socialism centred on the popular masses, thus dealing decisive blows at reactionary propaganda that vilifies socialism, and confirming in practice the scientific and genuine nature of socialism, its advantages and its invincibility. For our Party, which is entrusted with the responsibility for the destiny of the country and nation, national reunification has been the supreme task since the first day of its founding. Our Party has consistently followed the policy of national reunification, a policy based on the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity. Reflecting the aspiration for reunification of the whole nation in the north, south and abroad, it put forward the most reasonable, fair and realistic proposal of reunifying the country through federation, and is now striving for its implementation. It is also making every effort to realize the great unity of the nation under the banner of national reunification. Our Party’s policy of national reunification is truly patriotic and it enjoys the unanimous support and approval of the whole nation. Thanks to the impeccable policy and consistent effort of our Party for national reunification, the national aspiration for reunification has mounted higher as never before and the national unity of all compatriots in the north, south and abroad has grown stronger. The ever-growing reunification force of our nation will defeat the divisive forces at home and abroad and realize the cause of national reunification without fail. Our Party has led the popular masses’ cause of independence to brilliant victory, making great achievements along the way, because it has applied Juche principles and methods of leadership in the revolution and construction in a thoroughgoing way. In leading the revolution and construction, our Party has always safeguarded the demands and interests of the popular masses, relied on them and carried out its fight by forming an integral whole with them. That the popular masses are the masters of the revolution and construction and that they have the power to promote them—this is the fundamental principle of the revolution, as elucidated by the Juche idea. The policy that defends and realizes the masses’ demands for independence and their interests is the most revolutionary and scientific, and relying on the popular masses and giving full play to their strength and wisdom is the basic demand of revolutionary leadership. If one believes in the people and relies on them, one will always emerge victorious; and if one is divorced from them and is forsaken by them, one will always fail—this is the concept of “The people are my God,” the motto of respected Comrade Kim Il Sung, and this has become the basic starting-point and supreme principle in all the activities of our Party. Respected Comrade Kim Il Sung was the great leader of the people and their father. His ideology, leadership and virtue were based on love for, and trust in, the people. All his life he was among the people, shared joy and sorrow with them and devoted his all to them. He placed deep trust in the strength, wisdom and excellent qualities of our people and solved all problems by relying on them and by giving rein to their revolutionary zeal and creative force.  Our Party has fully applied in all its activities the noble idea of Comrade Kim Il Sung, "The people are my God,” and his revolutionary method of leadership. It has always formulated its lines and policies by reflecting truthfully and incorporating the opinions and requirements of the popular masses, and implemented them by enlisting their efforts and resourcefulness. It has given definite priority to ideological work, namely, the political work of awakening the popular masses ideologically and rallying them organizationally, over all other undertakings; it has also worked tirelessly to oppose abuse of authority and bureaucratism and establish a revolutionary method and popular style of work among officials. The iron rule in the activities of our Party and in the work of our officials is to go among the people, breathe the same air with them, work devotedly for them and execute revolutionary tasks by relying on them under the Party’s slogan, “We serve the people.” Our Party is a motherly party, which takes care of the destiny of the popular masses under its charge, and its politics is a benevolent one in that it is the politics of love for the people and trust in them. Because of their genuine comradeship and their inseparable relationship, in which the Party and leader trust and love the people and the people place unqualified trust in them and support them with loyalty, the single-hearted unity of the leader, Party and masses has been strengthened and developed and the revolutionary enthusiasm and creative force of the popular masses have been fully displayed on a high plane. Relying on the popular masses and welding itself to them in the struggle—this is the secret of how our Party has been able to promote the revolution and construction with vigour in such complicated circumstances and trying ordeals, and has won victory after victory by turning misfortune into a blessing and unfavourable conditions into favourable ones. In leading the revolution and construction, our Party has established Juche with all consistency and firmly adhered to the line of independence. Independence is man’s intrinsic desire and the lifeblood of a country and nation. The revolution and construction are conducted with a country and nation as a unit, and they are the very struggle against all manner of domination and subjugation. They are for the independence of the country and nation, the independence of the popular masses. The party and people of each country must become masters of the revolution and construction in their country and wage them independently and creatively. It is only when the working-class party establishes Juche firmly and strictly adheres to the line of indepednece that it can defend the dignity of the country and nation, ensure their independent development and lead the masses’ cause of independence to victory. Owing to the circumstances in which our country found itself and the historical characteristics of our revolution, establishing Juche was presented as an all the more pressing and important task to our Party. From the first days of his revolutionary activity, the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung blazed the trail of independent development of the Korean revolution, holding aloft the banner of independence. He made it a fundamental principle to establish Juche and maintain independence in the revolution and construction, then led the effort to implement it. The line of Juche in ideology, independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy and self-reliance in defence, as advanced by Comrade Kim Il Sung, is a revolutionary line of independence run through with the principle of Juche and spirit of independence. Our Party has staunchly safeguarded this line and implemented it to the letter. Our Party has solved all problems arising in the revolution and construction, as dictated by its ideology and faith, on its own responsibility and on the principle of self-reliance, doing things in our own way to suit our situation and the interests of our revolition. It has been opposed totally to the worship of big powers, dogmatism and all other ideas of relying on foreign forces, and rejected categorically any pressure and interference from outside. Free from established theories and formulas, it has analysed and judged everything solely from the point of view of the interests of the revolution and hewed out the road of the complicated and arduous Korean revolution by its own efforts, as dictated by its faith and determination. By conducting energetically among its members and the working people the education in Party policies, revolutionary traditions and socialist patriotism, with an emphasis on the education in the Juche idea, it has imbued them with the revolutionary ideology, lines and policies of their Party, instilled in them high national dignity and pride and given full play to their revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and the revolutionary tone of living our own way. Since they strictly adhered to the Juche stand and line of independence, our Party and people have not vacillated in the raging wind of modern revisionism and all other opportunist trends, and in the trying situation in which socialism collapsed in several countries, they have been able to defend and add lustre to our style of socialism. Our political and ideological strength, the powerful socialist independent economy and the unconquerable self-reliant military power, which our Party and people have consolidated rock-solid through the implementation of the revolutionary line of independence, self-sufficiency and self-reliant defence, are the sure guarantee for defending the sovereignty of the country and the achievements of the revolution, advancing the revolution and construction victoriously and thwarting the aggression and interference of imperialism and dominationism. The fact shows that the political and diplomatic pressure of imperialism, its attempts to disintegrate us ideologically and culturally, its economic blockade and military threat—none of these are able to infringe upon the sovereignty of our country, nor can they demolish or suffocate our socialism. The independence of a country and nation is the basis for fair international relations, and an independent foreign policy is the justest and most principled foreign policy. All countries and nations, whether they are large or small, developed or less-developed, have the rights to independence and equality as equal members of the international society. When they all maintain independence and respect each other’s independence, they can develop fair international relations and build a truly peaceful and friendly new world where independence prevails. By following a foreign policy based on the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, our Party and Government have developed the relations of friendship and cooperation with many countries in the world, consolidated the country’s international position, strengthened international solidarity with our revolution and rendered an active contribution to the cause of independence throughout the world. The Juche stand and independent line, consistently maintained by our Party in revolution and construction, have clearly demonstrated their correctness and great vitality in practice. Our Party has resolutely adhered to its revolutionary principle and invariably implemented the revolutionary line and policy in leading the revolution and construction. Consistently adhering to the revolutionary principle in accomplishing the cause of the popular masses for independence, the socialist cause, is an important question affecting the destiny of the revolution. Maintaining the revolutionary principle means defending the fundamental interest of the revolution and leading it to victory without any deviation, whereas falling back from the revolutionary principle means betraying the fundamental interest of the revolution and leading it to failure. The history of the revolutionary movement shows that if one retreats even a single step from the revolutionary principle, one will retreat two steps, and once this happens, one will go back ten steps, and thus will eventually make a mess of the revolution. Opportunism of all hues is characterized by a lack of revolutionary principle and by inconsistency in line and policy. The revolutionary principle in carrying out the socialist cause is guaranteed by the working-class party’s loyalty to and faith in the socialist cause as well as by its will to carry this cause to completion. Respected Comrade Kim Il Sung was a great communist revolutionary and a genius of revolution and construction. With unshakeable revolutionary faith and steel-like revolutionary will, he led our arduous and tortuous revolution along the straight road to victory, with unfailing loyalty to the cause of the popular masses for independence, the socialist cause of Juche. Comrade Kim Il Sung led our Party and people by setting a brilliant example of the art of leadership. He defended the revolutionary principle under all circumstances and conditions, and skillfully combined principle and adroitness in revolution and construction. Proceeding from the fundamental interests of the revolution, our Party has always adhered to the principle of independence, and to the principle of the working class and socialism in revolution and construction, and thoroughly carried out the revolutionary line with consistency. Our Party accelerated the revolution and construction with continuous creative efforts and innovation to meet the demands of the developing reality. While dealing with the rapidly changing situation actively and shrewdly, it has never taken single step back from the fundamental interests and principles of the revolution and firmly maintained the revolutionary principle and line. Highly creative attitude and adroitness based on the revolutionary principle and consistency in its line and policy—these are the important principles and art of leadership our Party adheres to in the revolution and construction, as well as being the characteristics of our Party’s revolutionary line and policy. Throughout its leadership of the revolution and construction, our Party has never deviated from the revolutionary principle, never allowed itself to be swayed to right or left without principle, and never made a mistake in this line. Thanks to our Party’s revolutionary principle and the consistency of its line and policy, our revolution has been able to advance victoriously along the road to socialism with no twists and deviations, even in the most arduous conditions. And also our own style of socialism, centred on the popular masses, has become a firm conviction of our people and taken root deeper in the people’s life. Our people place unqualified trust in our Party, the Party that has confidently led the revolution and construction. They entrust their destiny entirely to it and are fighting indomitably to complete the revolutionary cause of Juche under the leadership of the Party. Our Party’s great exploits and precious experience in Party building and Party activity, as well as in revolution and construction, are the brilliant fruition of the revolutionary idea and revolutionary leadership of the respected leader Comrade Kim Il Sung. They are the eternal treasures of our revolution, which we must defend, inherit and develop through generations to come. Our revolution has emerged victorious under the leadership of our Party, and in future, too, it will advance in triumph and will be carried forward to brilliant completion under its leadership. We still have a long way to go, and our revolution is beset with as many hardships and trials as ever. No matter how long and thorny the road ahead for our revolution, pioneered and led by the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, we must steadily follow this way in accordance with the behest of Comrade Kim Il Sung. This is the unshakeable faith and will of our Party. We must safeguard the people-centred socialism of our own style, established by respected Comrade Kim Il Sung, bring honour to it and complete the socialist cause of Juche. We must unfailingly achieve national reunification, the vital demand of the entire nation, on the principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity set forth by Comrade Kim Il Sung. Upholding the lofty will of Comrade Kim Il Sung, our Party must strengthen solidarity with the progressive people of the world and work hard to realize the cause of independence for mankind. In order to carry forward the sacred cause of Comrade Kim Il Sung, the revolutionary cause of Juche, from generation to generation, we must further consolidate our Party, which organizes and guides all the victories of our people. We must hold in high esteem beloved Comrade Kim Il Sung as the eternal leader of our Party and revolution, and develop our Party as the glorious Party of Comrade Kim Il Sung for ever. We must defend his great ideas, theories and revolutionary methods of leadership, and thoroughly apply them in Party building and activities. We must do all the work of revolution and construction just as Comrade Kim Il Sung planned and intended and showed in his personal example, and we must conduct everything in the same way as Comrade  Kim Il Sung.   This  is  the  way  to  develop  our Party as the Party of Comrade Kim Il Sung, the way to brilliantly inherit and complete the revolutionary cause of Juche. We   must   resolutely  safeguard  the  revolutionary  idea   of  the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung and thoroughly put it into effect. The revolutionary idea of Comrade Kim Il Sung, the Juche idea, is the sole guiding ideology of our Party and the banner of victory for our Party and revolution. It would be impossible to speak about the Party of Comrade Kim Il Sung or to think of the victory of the Party’s cause separately from his revolutionary idea. Holding high the banner of modelling the entire Party on the Juche idea, we must further strengthen education in the Juche idea, so that the Party is imbued with only one ideology, the Juche idea, and make the whole Party breathe and pulsate with the Juche idea. We must train all Party members to be communist revolutionaries of the Juche type, firmly equipped with the Juche-orientated revolutionary outlook on the world and thinking and acting at all times as demanded by the Juche idea. We must defend the purity of the Juche idea and ceaselessly develop it in depth. Degeneration of ideology brings about degeneration of the Party; it leads the revolution and construction to ruin. Adherence to the purity of the Juche idea means keeping our Party’s revolutionary character and defending the Party’s cause. We must ceaselessly fight against the infiltration of bourgeois reactionary ideas, revisionism and all other ideological trends of opportunism so as to prevent the heterogeneous ideological trends from getting even the slightest chance of gaining ground and growing in our ranks. While defending the revolutionary essence and purity of the Juche idea, we must add luster to its greatness and develop and enrich it as required by the times and the developing realities. True to the Party’ s slogan, “Let us meet the requirements of Juche in ideology, technology and culture!” we must deal with all work of revolution and construction as required by the Juche idea. We must thoroughly implement the Juche idea in building the Party, the army, the economy and culture, to further strengthen the political, economic and military power of the country, bring about development and the flowering of socialist national culture, and fully display the advantages of our own style of socialism centred on the popular masses. We must defend and cherish the unity and solidarity of our Party created by the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, and cement this cohesion more solidly. The unity and cohesion in the party ranks means its lifeblood and strength. Our Party’s unity and cohesion is the purest and most durable, based on the monolithic ideological system, and a guarantee for the indestructible might of our Party. We must consistently hold fast to the work of establishing the Party’s monolithic ideological system as the basic line of Party building, and defend and strengthen further the unity and cohesion of our Party, which is firmly united in ideology and will as well as in morality and loyalty based on one ideology amd one centre. All the cadres and Party members must make loyalty to the Party their faith, conscience, morality and the creed of their lives, and follow the Party’s leadership firmly, united in mind and will. We must oppose all kinds of unsound elements detrimental to the Party’s unity and cohesion and ensure the purity of the Party ranks. Our Party’s unity and cohesion has reached a high level, but we must not rest content. The unity and cohesion of the Party can be maintained and consolidated only through constant ideological education and ideological struggle. We must not tolerate nepotism, parochialism, factionalism and other elements that undermine and hamper the Party’s unity and cohesion. We must overcome them promptly so that the Party is always permeated with the spirit of unity, the atmosphere of unity. We must thoroughly put into effect the great Comrade Kim Il Sung’s idea, “The people are my God,” so as to further cement the inseparable ties between the Party and the people and ceaselessly strengthen and develop the single-hearted unity of society. Our Party exists for the people and regards it as its duty to fight to meet the interests of the people and their desire for independence. Taking loving care of the people, serving them and forming a harmonious whole with them—these are the intrinsic nature and basic characteristics of the Party of Comrade Kim Il Sung. Our people are a great revolutionary people, who were brought up by respected Comrade Kim Il Sung and who braved the tempest of the revolution under his leadership; they are an excellent people equipped with noble ideological and mental traits under our Party’s benevolent politics and the socialist system of our country. Our Party strongly believes in our people, who are boundlessly loyal to the Party and revolution; it overcomes all difficulties and hardships by relying on their unrivalled heroism and unquenchable creative force. Our people’s unquestioned trust in and unanimous support for our Party are a source of invincible strength for the Party. Serving our fine people is a great honour and pride for our Party. We must thoroughly implement the consistent ideas and policies of our Party, which takes loving care of the people, champions their demands and interests and fights for their independent and creative life. We must build more effectively our Party as a genuine motherly party that leads and takes care of the destiny of the people on its own responsibility, and must enhance the spirit of service for the people among officials so that they might put the benevolent politics of the Party into practice more efficiently. We must ensure that all the officials serve the people devotedly, acting as their servants and the champions of their interests. We must fully implement the Chongsanri spirit and Chongsanri method, as created by Comrade Kim Il Sung, and hold high as ever the Party’s slogan, “Let the whole Party go among the masses!” All the officials must acquire more firmly the revolutionary and popular style of work; they should always go deep among the masses, share good and bad times with them, teach them and at the same time learn from them, and carry out the revolutionary tasks by giving rein to their revolutionary enthusiasm and creative zeal. We must resolutely oppose and reject abuse of power, bureaucracy, irregularity and corruption among officials, and ensure that they acquire modest and unpretentious traits and establish a frugal and upright way of life. The Party must believe in the people and the people in the Party, striving vigorously as one, thus further consolidating the single-hearted unity of society as a whole. As we have advanced in the past by braving difficulties on the strength of the single-hearted unity of the Party and the people, so we must in future, too, pave the way of victory and glory by relying on the might of single-hearted unity. Today our Party and people have embarked on the road of new historic advance. Our Party will inherit and develop faithfully the idea and achievements of the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung and accomplish his cause down through generations. The Workers’ Party of Korea will shine for ever as the Party of Comrade Kim Il Sung.