Regional-Industry Factories in Kimhwa County

 After building new regional-industry factories in Kimhwa Count, Kangwon Province, in 2022, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is now powerfully pushing forward with the effort to develop regional industry. 

The factories in Kimhwa County have clearly proved the possibility of regional industry development as well as their effectiveness and profitability through their operation. 

What is worthy of note here is their rapid production growth.

In a matter of only two years after their completion, they increased their industrial output value by more than two times and the number of varieties of their products to 125 of 46 kinds.

The foodstuff factory increased the production to 50-odd varieties of more than ten kinds, and the garment factory increased the production by more than 1.2 times as compared with the previous year. Meanwhile, the paper mill overfulfilled its annual production plan at 114 percent and the daily necessities factory raised its production capacity by installing a new oil refining line and reinforcing the plastic pipe production line. 

Another thing worthy of note is the improved quality of their products.

All their products are of so high quality that many people ask if they are really products of regional-industry factories. In addition, they are much welcome not only in the county itself but also in its neighbouring counties and other provinces, and are highly rated at national exhibitions. 

This fans the competitive spirit among the producers, leading to further improvement of the standard of material and cultural life of the local people. 

What is more important is the fact that all the factories are operated with locally available raw materials. Most of the foodstuffs and various kinds of light industrial goods like peppered bean paste with sesame, magnoliavine fruit juice and fruit jam of Actinidia arguta which are widely known as the specialities of the county are produced with raw materials available in the county.   

To develop the production in a sustainable and stable manner, the people of the county have expanded the area of raw materials production bases more than 2.5 times and created hundreds of hectares of Korean evodia forests and a hundred hectares of woods for paper production.

In a nutshell, the regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County have developed into those relying on locally-available raw materials and the county into a developed one that retains its own inherent characteristics.

Having put forward the Regional Development 20×10 Policy which aims to build regional-industry factories, which will be as modern as those in Kimhwa County, in 20 counties every year and thereby in all cities and counties in ten years to come, the Workers’ Party of Korea and the government of the DPRK are forcefully pushing ahead with the work to implement it. A special emphasis in this work is put on creating more innovative things, instead of mechanically following and copying the experience gained in the county.

While giving field guidance at the regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County on February 7 this year, Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs of the DPRK, clarified important principles to be maintained and tasks to be done in improving the architectural styles and the level of modernization of the regional-industry factories to be built and ardently called for bringing about a great change in the regional development without fail.

                                             

                                            

DPRK’s Economy Viewed from New Regional Development Policy

The Regional Development 20×10 Policy recently advanced by General Secretary Kim Jong Un of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea is drawing attention of many people around the world.

According to the policy, the Workers’ Party of Korea takes charge of building modern regional-industry factories in 20 counties every year as an unerring policy-oriented task and carries it out successfully so as to raise the basic material and cultural living standards of the people to a higher level in all cities and counties, more specifically in all parts of the country, in the coming decade.

The DPRK has already built modern regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County. It is said that the level of modernization of the foodstuff, clothing and daily necessities factories and a paper mill built in Kimhwa County is very high. They are fed with locally-available raw and other materials. And they are producing more than enough products to satisfy the county’s demand, and the surplus is supplied to the neighbouring counties and even the provincial seat.

When he gave field guidance at the regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County, Kim Jong Un stressed once again the decision on setting the architectural styles and the level of modernization of the regional-industry factories to be built from this year higher than those in Kimhwa County. The Regional Development 20×10 Policy, which has begun to be put in force in real earnest, helps to guess the direction of development of the country.

Firstly, the line of self-reliance and self-development followed by the DPRK is immutable.

An important issue in implementing the policy is the one of upgrading the level of modernization of production lines and supplying raw and other materials for normal operation. And the country tries to solve these problems by its own efforts. As it was done in Kimhwa County, scientists and technicians at the scientific and educational institutes across the country are playing a key role in the setting up of production lines. And at the same time, the work of building raw material bases to suit the geographical features of each county is now under progress. This is eloquent proof of the will of the WPK and DPRK government to build the regional economy as well as the central economy into an independent one which entirely relies on its own technology and locally-available raw materials, so as to improve stably the people’s living standard, unperturbed by the worldwide economic confusion.

Secondly, the country is paying its primary attention to bettering the people’s livelihood regarding the economic development.

There are a number of problems requiring an immediate solution for the Korean economy which has been put on a steady upward track. Here goes an example. The country set the goal of modernizing the Ryongsong Machine Complex, the leading machine producer, within two years and of making other large-scale machine-building factories in the country follow suit so as to put them all on a modern basis. It would cost a huge sum of money. However, the country has put forward the policy of developing regional industry for the betterment of the people’s material and cultural living standards, and set the project in motion by mobilizing a large amount of materials, funds and technical forces.

Thirdly, the country plans to bring about a complete change in the overall economy of the country in a very short span of time and promote its multilateral growth.

The DPRK intends not to boost the economy sector by sector, but to develop all the sectors including heavy and light industries, regional industry and agriculture simultaneously. In fact, all sectors of the national economy such as metallurgical and chemical industries are pursuing modernization and sustainable development. With the advancement and execution of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy, the country is now in a position to promote the development of each regional economy in a unique way, expand the scope of investment in it and create a climate of competing with one another, thus giving impetus to diversified growth. The day is not far off when the nation will achieve the brilliant success of simultaneous, balanced and rapid development across the country.

Kim Jong Un and the Regional Development 20×10 Policy

Implementation of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy put forth by        Kim Jong Un, President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, is now going full steam ahead.

Kim Jong Un put forward the construction of modern regional-industry factories in 20 counties every year in the coming ten years from this year as the Regional Development 20×10 Policy for the Workers’ Party of Korea to hold on to, and, for its flawless implementation, he visited regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County in early February this year.

He stressed that the regional-industry factories to be built should be higher in the level of modernization and better in architectural style than those in Kimhwa County. 

Late in February he attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of regional-industry factories in Songchon County, delivered a speech and took up the first spadeful of earth in commemoration of the groundbreaking.

When this policy is implemented, new improvements will reportedly be effected in the material and cultural living standards of the people across the country.

Analysts comment that the policy shows the personality of Kim Jong Un and his outstanding qualifications as state leader.

First, Kim Jong Un is very audacious and proactive in his work style.

To renovate the regional-industry factories in 20 counties every year by the country’s own efforts and technology and thus remodel all those across the country within the coming ten years is a grand plan that cannot be decided in a conventional way.

Even the Ninth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK held to discuss the plan for this year proposed building regional-industry factories in only a few cities and counties with favourable conditions and stepping up preparations for the future construction in the remaining cities and counties.

However, Kim Jong Un set forth the Regional Development 20×10 Policy so as to bring about a marked change in the people’s living in a short period.

Quite impressive are his words at the 19th Enlarged Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK–Being passive is not something that goes well with our physical constitution.

It is also noteworthy that he is very scientific and far-sighted in mapping out policies and implementing them.

Already at the first short course for chief secretaries of the city and county Party committees in March 2021, he gave directions for opening up a new era of regional development.

The directions meant that the regional-industry factories in Kimhwa County should be built modernly on a trial basis, gain experience by putting their operation on a regular basis in keeping with the specific conditions of the county to weigh their effectiveness, profitability and possibility, and, on this basis, new modern regional-industry factories should be built in all cities and counties across the country in the future.

Though the economic situation of the country was difficult three years ago, he already looked into the definite growth of the economy and its consolidated foundations of today.

With such far-sighted intelligence and scientific and detailed preparations, the Regional Development 20×10 Policy was advanced and is under implementation.

It is also a unanimous comment of the analysts that Kim Jong Un is possessed of unexcelled organizing and enterprising abilities.

He ensured that the order of counties was properly defined on a planned, concentrated and future-oriented basis, given that regional-industry factories were to be built in two counties of each province every year. He also took concrete measures to set the production indices in conformity with the economic potentialities, specialties, regional sizes and populations of the relevant cities and counties, to train technicians and skilled workers necessary for the operation of factories in a far-sighted way, organize construction workforce and set up a well-regulated work system.

He saw to it that the strong force of the Korean People’s Army undertook the construction projects and personally handed over the colours to the army units, encouraging them to push ahead with the projects in a three-dimensional way and on a full scale.

The non-permanent central committee for promoting the Regional Development 20×10 Policy was organized and commenced its work, and preparations to build the raw material bases in cities and counties are in progress. 

Report on Participation of 600 mm Super-large Multiple Rocket Sub-units in First Combined Tactical Drill Simulating Nuclear Counterattack Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Guides Combined Tactical Drill Simulating Nuclear Counterattack

 Pyongyang, April 23 (KCNA) -- There took place a drill on April 22 to operate super-large multiple rocket units that are to play an important role in substantially strengthening the prompt counterattack capacity of the state nuclear forces and raising a war deterrent under the state's nuclear weapon combined management system "Nuclear Trigger" for the first time.

The drill, whose main purpose was to demonstrate the reliability, superiority, might and diverse means of the DPRK's nuclear forces and to strengthen the nuclear forces both in quality and quantity would be a clear warning signal to the enemies as it was conducted at a time when the enemies' military confrontation racket against the DPRK is being committed with extremely provocative and aggressive nature.

The U.S. and the ROK puppet military warmongers have staged a "combined joint formation drill" with more than one hundred warplanes of various kinds in the Kunsan Air Base of the ROK from April 12. They have incited extreme war fever through one hundred sorties on a daily average, openly talking about an "advance" towards the DPRK after completely taking off their mask of "defence" and "deterrence" worn during their previous drills.

Not content with frequently introducing nuclear strategic assets into the surrounding area of the DPRK and staging war drills with its vassal forces, the U.S. is giving publicity that this drill is aimed right at the DPRK. Such military provocations of the U.S. are scheduled to last till April 26.

On April 18, the U.S. and the ROK special units staged a "joint airborne infiltration drill" for the purpose of rapidly infiltrating any region to "remove a target".

The security environment of the DPRK is seriously threatened by the hostile forces' ceaseless military provocations to stifle the DPRK by "force". This reality which cannot be overlooked urgently requires the DPRK to more overwhelmingly and more rapidly bolster up its strongest military muscle capable of actively controlling the situation to ensure the security of the country and the regional peace.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, guided a combined tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack involving super-large multiple rocket artillerymen.

He was accompanied by Kim Jong Sik, vice department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Jang Chang Ha, general director of the DPRK Missile Administration, commanded the drill.

The drill was conducted, divided into an actual drill for making units be versed in the procedure and process of switching over to a nuclear counterattack posture at a time when the "Volcano Alarm" system, the state's greatest nuclear crisis alarm, is issued and a drill for operating the nuclear counterattack commanding system. It was also conducted according to the order of making the sub-units assigned to the nuclear counterattack task be practiced in the process and order and of carrying out their tasks and firing shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers tipped with simulated nuclear warheads.

Through the drill, the reliability of the system of command, management, control and operation of the whole nuclear forces was reexamined in a many-sided way and the action order and combat methods for making the super-large multiple rocket units rapidly switch over to a nuclear counterattack were mastered.

A firepower assault company selected from a relevant combined unit participated in the drill and commanding officers and soldiers of relevant units and sub-units watched the drill conducted under the "Nuclear Trigger" system for the first time and the salvo drill.

The artillerymen of super-large multiple rocket launchers fired in salvo, with firm hostility toward the enemy and thoroughgoing viewpoint on the archenemy. The super-large multiple rocket launchers accurately hit the target islet within 352 km range, fully demonstrating their matchless might and perfect actual war posture.

Expressing great satisfaction over the result of the drill, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un appreciated the high and accurate hit of the super-large multiple rocket launchers, saying that it seems that he has seen the firing of a sniper's rifle and that the Korean-style tactical nuclear strike means boasting of the formidable might, the most powerful in the world, have strictly prepared themselves to be faithfully mobilized in carrying out their important strategic task in contingency in a rapid and consistent counterattack posture.

He appreciated with satisfaction that the combined tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack involving even artillerymen of super-large multiple rocket launchers was successfully conducted and, thereby, the plan of the Party Central Committee for building up the nuclear forces to expand the operational space of tactical nuclear attack and diversifying it has been translated into reality.

Stressing the need to continuously complete tactics and operation in the orientation of steadily enhancing a pivotal role of the nuclear forces in all strategic aspects of deterring and fighting a war and to perfect the regular combat readiness of the nuclear forces, he clarified the principled matters to be taken as a guideline in the struggle for strengthening the strategic nuclear forces of the country.

He said that through the combined tactical drill, the might and effect of our nuclear combat forces involving even super-large multiple rocket launchers have remarkably increased and all sub-units are full of great confidence and the drill served as an important occasion in thoroughly preparing our nuclear force to be able to rapidly and correctly carry out their important mission of deterring a war and taking the initiative in a war at any time and in any sudden situation.

The nuclear force of the DPRK will keep the war posture with their more developed capacity, thoroughly deter the moves and provocation of the enemies and carefully watch them and carry out their important mission without hesitation if the enemies attempt to have recourse to armed forces. -0-

www.kcna.kp (Juche113.4.23.)

International Congress on the Juche Idea in Celebration of the 112th Birthday of the Great Leader Comrade KIM IL SUNG

Pyongyang, April 14, Juche 113 (2024)

Esteemed comrades and friends from the International Institute of the Juche Idea and the Korean Association of Social Scientists,

esteemed delegates,

First of all I would like to thank you cordially for giving me the opportunity to speak to you at this auspicious congress to celebrate the glorious 112th birthday of the Great Leader Comrade KIM IL SUNG.

For us from the Swiss Juche Idea Study Group it is a great honour to celebrate the Day of the Sun together with Juche idea followers from all over the world here in Korea, the birth country of the great Juche idea.

The Juche idea created by President KIM IL SUNG at the historic Kalun Conference in 1930 was a turning point of the Korean revolution as well as of the world revolution.

The Juche idea was the guide-line of the Korean people's struggle aigainst the brutal colonial rule of Japanese imperialism and for the national liberation of Korea.

Armed with the Juche idea, the Korean People's Revolutionary Army founded and commanded by Generalissimo KIM IL SUNG liberated Korea and brought freedom, independence and democracy to the Korean people.

President KIM IL SUNG is the greatest of all great leaders. He is the sun of Juche and the sun of Korea who brought happiness to the Korean people.

The Workers' Party of Korea founded by Comrade KIM IL SUNG proclaimed the Juche idea as the guiding ideology of the Party and the Korean revolution. Under its banner the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was founded and the independent people-centered socialism was built.

Shortly after its foundation, the US imperialists wanted to destroy the young Republic in its cradle. But the Korean People's Army under the supreme command of Generalissimo KIM IL SUNG has won a historic victory over the Yankees and defended the DPRK's independence in the Fatherland Liberation War. The Juche-led Korean nation is the first nation in history which forced the US "superpower", the arrogant and self-styled "American Empire", to its knees.

The DPRK became the paradise of the people where health care, education and housing are free and the taxes are abolished. What wonderful achievements of what people in the capitalist world can dream of!

The Great Leader Comrade KIM JONG IL developed the Juche idea in the new generation and the respected Supreme Leader Comrade KIM JONG UN is perfectionating it.

Comrade KIM JONG UN proclaimed the revolutionary ideas and lives of President KIM IL SUNG and Chairman KIM JONG IL as Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and declared it as the guiding ideology of the WPK.

The Juche idea is also an international revolutionary theory. It is leading the struggle of the peoples for global independence, world peace, against imperialism.

On all continents, from the late 1960s until today, hundreds of national and local Juche idea study organizations were founded one after another. Our Swiss Juche Idea Study Group was formed in 2010.

The Juche idea had a great influence on the Asian and African peoples' struggle against colonialism and for freedom and national independence.

Today it is a great mobilizer of the peoples' struggle against the aggressive moves of the US imperialists and their war provocations and their high-handed arbitrariness and unilateralism.

We followers of the Juche idea advocate for a multilateral world order of independent nations with same rights and duties.

The Juche idea is the creator of a free and emancipated world.

The Juche idea will build the golden age of mankind.

The Great Leaders KIM IL SUNG and KIM JONG IL and the respected Supreme Leader Comrade KIM JONG UN are the bright suns who inspire and encourage the progressive and freedom-loving peoples in their struggle for a new independent and peaceful world.

Eternal Glory to the Great Leader Comrade KIM IL SUNG!

Eternal Glory to the Great Leader Comrade KIM JONG IL!

Long live the respected Supreme Leader Comrade KIM JONG UN!

Glory to the great Juche Idea!

Glory to the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism!

Martin Lötscher

President of the Swiss Preparatory Committee for the Celebration of the 112th Birthday of President KIM IL SUNG

President of the Swiss Organizing Committee in Praise of the Great Persons of Mt. Paektu

President of the Swiss Juche Idea Study Group

April 2, Juche 113 (2024)

“DPRK , fortress of independence and justice “-speech by Dr Dermot Hudson

 “DPRK , fortress of independence and justice “

Dear comrades of the Korean Association of Social Scientists,

Dear esteemed comrades of Juche idea study organisations ,

It is a great honour to be here in Pyongyang , the revolutionary capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK ), the glorious homeland of Juche and bastion of anti-imperialism and true socialism .It is splendid to be here for the Day of the Sun , the 112th anniversary of the birth of the great leader President KIM IL SUNG , the eternal red sun of Juche Korea and great teacher of world progressive humanity 

It is indeed fitting that a seminar should be held on the theme of “ Independence and Justice, future of humanity" here in Pyongyang because the DPRK or People’s Korea or Juche Korea , indeed represents independence and justice as well as the future of humanity  . Moreover , the life of President KIM IL SUNG  was intimately associated with the struggle for independence and justice and the immortal Juche idea that he authored is a truly great idea that illuminates the path forward for humanity , particularly for the oppressed peoples and exploited workers of the world .

President KIM IL SUNG devoted his entire life to independence and justice. From an early age he took up the fight for independence and national liberation forming the Down-With Imperialism Union in October 1926 and later the Korean Revolutionary Army in June 1930 and then the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerilla Army on the 25th of April 1932.President KIM IL SUNG leading the heroic guerrillas of the AJPGA in an uncompromising and death defying anti-imperialist struggle to shatter the chains of Japanese imperialism.The Japanese imperialists  were smited by the Korean People's Revolutionary Army at the battles of Pochonbo and Musan. Korea was liberated from Japanese imperialist rule on the 15th of August 1945. This not only shattered the chains of Japanese imperialism giving the Korean people a new life but also greatly inspired the people of the colonies in their anti-imperialist national liberation struggles. The World Cultural Congress in Havana,Cuba in 1968 praised the anti-Japanese armed struggle led by the great leader President KIM IL SUNG as an example to be followed by the third world people in their struggle against imperialism.

After liberation in 1945 President KIM IL SUNG built an independent socialist country of Juche which was independent in politics , self-sufficient in the economy and self-reliant in defence .Under the leadership of President KIM IL SUNG People’s Korea industrialised at a rapid rate and built a socialist paradise free from exploitation and oppression . The aspiration for social justice of the Korean people was realised by People’s Korea which is one of the most egalitarian societies in the world , if not the most egalitarian . This is thanks to the Juche idea and the leadership of President KIM IL SUNG , Chairman KIM JONG IL and the respected Marshal KIM JONG UN  .

President KIM IL SUNG turned People’s Korea into a militant vanguard of anti-imperialism . When the DPRK was invaded by the US imperialists in June 1950  he led the Korean people to defeat the invading forces which included not only the US imperialists and the south Korean puppets but the forces of 15 satellite countries .Victory was achieved on the 27th of July 1953 .US General Mark Clark signing the Armistice Agreement confessed that the US had actually been defeated..The U.S. News and World Report said that the losses the U.S. forces suffered were more than two times those Americans sustained in five big wars, i.e. the independence war, 1812 war, Mexico war, U.S.-Spain war and Philippine war. The US imperialist's defeat in the Fatherland Liberation War opened up a new era of anti-US, anti-imperialist struggle throughout the world.

 President KIM IL SUNG  made the DPRK into a fortress of militant anti-imperialism and totally opposed the line of compromise with imperialism. The DPRK struck hammer blows to the aggressive US imperialists by capturing the USS Pueblo in January 1968 and by shooting down the EC121 spy plane in April 1969. 

  President KIM IL SUNG wrote many works arguing for anti-imperialist , anti US struggle such as "Let Us Intensify the anti-US, anti -imperialist struggle" , "The Great Anti-Imperialist Revolutionary Cause of the Asian , African  and Latin American peoples is invincible " and many other works .  President KIM IL SUNG wrote that "We small nations must unite and counter US imperialism’s strategy of swallowing us up one by one, by each one of us chopping off its head and limbs. This is the strategy small countries must employ to defeat US imperialism."  

                                                                     

     President KIM IL SUNG, a man of action and deed , made sure that the DPRK gave massive practical assistance to the people's fighting against US and world imperialism. When the Caribbean crisis erupted in October 1962 the staff of the DPRK embassy in Havana armed themselves ready to fight against the US imperialists side by side with the Korean people. The DPRK dispatched air force pilots of the Korean People's Army to fight in the Vietnamese people's war of liberation against the US imperialists and also dispatched pilots to fight with the Egyptian people against the Israeli Zionist aggressors in the 1973 Middle East War. The DPRK gave a generous amount of assistance to the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada  which included  2 boats and 50 RPG launchers.

 

  Although the international situation in the late 1980s and early 1990s became tortuously complex, President KIM IL SUNG continued to uphold the anti-imperialist banner. Some socialist countries got sucked into the moves of the imperialists to destroy socialism  but President KIM IL SUNG warned against the moves of the imperialists led by the US imperialists to disarm and stifle the socialist countries saying the world revolutionary people " must not tolerate the imperialists’ armed intervention and military aggression against other countries.

Peace must be won through a principled struggle against the imperialists’ moves for an arms build-up and against their war policy, and not by begging them for it or by unilateral concessions."

  

This decisively  rejected the nonsense being prattled by some under the guise of  'universal human values' that socialist countries should give up the anti-imperialist struggle and  capitulate to imperialism. People's Korea became k known as a beacon of shining anti-imperialist struggle and a country steadfast in the socialist principle.

 

 Even at an advanced age  President KIM IL SUNG continued to meet many anti-imperialist fighters and revolutionaries. He had the Pyongyang Declaration 'Let Us Defend and Advance the Cause of Socialism ' adopted in April 1992.

Today People’s Korea stands out not only as the most independent country in the world but also as a fortress of militant anti-imperialism under the wise leadership of respected Marshal KIM JONG UN . In recent years the DPRK has correctly stepped up anti-US ,anti-imperialist class education . People’s Korea is the only country in the world where you can find anti-US education centres. Recently, at the 9th Plenum of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers Party respected Marshal KIM JONG UN smashed the insidious moves of the imperialists and south Korean puppets to effect regime change and annex the DPRK by announcing a new policy on inter-Korean relations .

Today People’s Korea is firmly on the side of the world's people fighting for independence and justice . People’s Korea does not have diplomatic relations with the bloodstained and genocidal  Israeli Zionists and indeed has , unlike some ,has  never ever recognised the vile Israeli Zionist regime whose very existence is a threat to peace . People’s Korea has long supported the just cause of the Palestinian people ;it recognised Palestine in 1966 and the great leader President KIM IL SUNG met Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organisation 6 times.

People’s Korea under the leadership of the  respected leader Marshal KIM JONG UN represents the future of humanity .Rapid advances such as the construction of new housing as well as the launch of the DPRK’s first ever military reconnaissance satellite are taking place one after the other . People’s Korea is a country without unemployment , without beggars and without drug addicts . It is a society free from the decadence of modern capitalism which is rotten to the core .

In conclusion it is my firm conviction that guided by the great Juche idea authored by President KIM IL SUNG, progressive humanity will advance firmly along the road of independence and justice and will build a new world free from exploitation ,oppression and subordination .

Long Live the Juche Idea !

Long live People’s Korea !

Glory to the Memory of the great leader President KIM IL SUNG !

Long live respected Marshal KIM JONG UN!

Dr Dermot Hudson

Chairman British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea

Return to the Land of Juche Korea ! by Dr Dermot Hudson

 

I visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK ) or People’s Korea or Juche Korea  from the 11th of April to the 18th April .I was the 1st British citizen to visit the DPRK for 5 years .The last time I was in the DPRK was in October 2019 . For several years it was not possible to travel to the DPRK because the border was closed at the end of January 2020 as a countermeasure against Covid 19 . Only recently has the DPRK started allowing groups of visitors into the country . Some anti-Covid 19 measures were apparent when we arrived such as staff spraying sanitiser onto our hands when we arrived in the hotel .

I travelled to People’s Korea  to participate in the celebrations of the 112th anniversary of the birth of President KIM IL SUNG and in the international seminar on the Juche Idea  on the theme of  Independence, Justice and The Future of Humanity organised by the Korean Association of Social Scientists and the International Institute of the Juche Idea. The seminar attracted delegations from more than 20 countries such as Brazil, Britain , Austria , Italy ,Poland , Czech Republic , Switzerland , Germany , Poland , Belarus , Russia , India , Nepal , Pakistan , Democratic Congo , Japan and other countries .Some countries sent more than one delegation ,for example there were two delegations from Brazil ; the Brazilian Centre for the Study of Songun Politics headed by comrade Lucas Rubio and the delegation of the Brazilian Centre for the Study of the Juche idea . Russia also had several delegations .The fact that so many delegations travelled to Pyongyang  proved that it is a lie that the DPRK is isolated or that there is no support for the DPRK outside the country . Indeed the Juche Idea is attracting interest from around the world .

Arriving at the Air Koryo (the DPRK’s national airline )check in counter at Beijing Airport on the morning of the 11th of April I run into many veteran supporters of People’s Korea such as Martin Lotscher of KFA Switzerland and Javed Ansari from Pakistan as well as newer friends of People’s Korea such as Lucas Rubio of Brazil.

In the course of our stay in the DPRK we visited the Korean Art Museum , the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace , the Kangdong Greenhouse Vegetable Farm , the Natural History Museum at Pyongyang Central Zoo, the Pyongyang Metro , the Tower of the Juche Idea , the National Gift Exhibition House ,the Monument on the Mansu Hill ,the Pyongyang Circus , the Korean Stamp Museum and we enjoyed an orchestral performance at the Moranbong Theatre as well as participating in an international friendship gathering . Some of the delegates attended an excellent dinner hosted by the DPRK Committee For Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.

I arrived at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on the afternoon of the 11th of April and was met by my guide Mr O Su Jin of the Korean Association of Social Scientists . We travelled by coach to the excellent Pyongyang Koryo Hotel .  Sometimes it seemed hard to believe that I was really back in the DPRK , it seemed like everything was in a dream.

During the visit I witnessed that the situation in the DPRK is calm and stable .The DPRK had closed its borders for 4 years but survived ,a truly amazing feat when you consider that some countries would only last weeks or even days with their borders closed . However the DPRK is based firmly on self-reliance and the independent national economy .

  Despite the sanctions imposed by the US and its lackeys on the UN Security Council and the COVID 19 pandemic the DPRK is carrying out massive construction work ,it is going through another great Chollima upsurge( Chollima was a flying horse of legend in Korea and gave its name to the mass movement for increased productivity in the DPRK in the late 1950s)  .A new street, Hwasong Street which is the size of a small city has appeared in Pyongyang.On the day of our arrival our coach to the hotel passed through and later in the visit we drove through Hwasong Street both during the day and at night . Hwasong Street looks very modern and of good quality .It would cost billions to build in a Western country but the DPRK gives homes to people free of charge . Whilst we were staying in the DPRK the second stage of Hwasong Street  was opened on the evening of the 16th of April in the presence of the supreme leader of the DPRK , respected Marshal KIM JONG UN . Also a new street is under construction in the Sopho district and was visible when we were going back to Pyongyang Airport on the 18th of April .

In fact, construction was going on all over Pyongyang . Opposite the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel there was a new block of flats under construction and several other blocks of flats under construction were visible in the near distance as well as in other parts of Pyongyang . I think that I can truly say  that although it was my 19th visit to the DPRK I had  never previously seen construction work on such a scale before . What is significant is that all this is being achieved without the so-called ‘aid ‘ of imperialism or the south Korean puppets . During the emergency situation that arose in the spring of 2022 when the south Korean puppets deliberately spread Covid 19 into the DPRK , the DPRK rejected ‘aid’ from the south Korean puppets , the UN and the US . The daily newspaper of the Workers Party of Korea later described the ‘aid’ of imperialism as a ‘poisoned candy ‘. The rapid development of People’s Korea by relying on its own resources and labour is destroying the myth that outside assistance ,particularly from US and other imperialists, is somehow essential for a country ‘s development .

We visited the newly built Kangdong Greenhouse Vegetable Farm which was some 34 kilometres outside Pyongyang  .It  had only gone into operation in March this year .It was opened on the 15th of March in the presence of respected Marshal KIM JONG UN . The farm had been built on the site of the former Mirim Airbase of the Korean People’s Army  . One myth about People’s Korea created by the mainstream media of the imperialists is that resources are diverted away from civilians to the military but the construction of the Kangdong Greenhouse Vegetable Farm shows that in fact this is simply not true. The farm has an area of 100 square hectares with 8 types of greenhouses . The farm has 1,800 workers. We were able to taste cucumbers produced by the farm .Significantly the Kangdong Greenhouse Vegetable Farm is not a co-operative farm but actually a state farm which means that it is owned by the whole people . The aim is to create a similar farm in each county or province of the DPRK .Vegetables from the farm were supplied free of charge to Pyongyang citizens . Also dwellings for the workers of the farm were given free of charge to the farm’s workers . It can be truly said that the DPRK is actually advancing towards the higher stage of socialism ,communism . 

In recent years a false narrative about the DPRK has been created by some sections of the mainstream media and by so-called ‘academic experts ‘ on the DPRK who in reality know nothing at all about the DPRK .  The false narrative is that the DPRK is adopting ‘ market reforms ‘ and abandoning Juche-based socialism , this aimed at confusing and disillusioning supporters of People’s Korea . The fact that the DPRK is developing a network of state owned farms to supply vegetables to the population shows that the DPRK is actually strengthening the planned economy and system of state ownership.

Although there have been massive changes in the DPRK since the last time I visited, what remained unchanged was the DPRK ‘s constituent anti-imperialism and adherence to socialist principles. Red flags were flying on street corners and there were many revolutionary slogans in large Korean characters . Postcards of anti-US posters could be found in the bookshop of the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel and Korean Stamp Museum. A friend of mine who had been with me in the DPRK in 2017 and 2018 remarked that he had been worried about what he might find in the DPRK after an absence of 6 years but was quite relieved as well as positive when he saw that there had been no ‘reform’ and ‘opening up ‘ in the DPRK and there was a complete absence of Western influence .

Prices in the hotel shop were the same as in 2019.Needless to say the NK News " 250 dollar banana" could not be found and my guide just laughed and said " ridiculous" when I told him the story .There were no homeless people and I saw no one begging . Housing is given to people free of charge . My guide , Mr O , told me that he had lived in Mirae Scientists Street with his parents but when he got married  he was given a new flat . The streets were spotlessly clean with no litter .There were no drug addicts , prostitutes , lumpens or decadent people. I was able to leave money in my hotel room and it was still there when I returned in the evening or afternoon.

As to tales of " human rights violations " , the DPRK actually has a fairly minimal police presence compared to many other countries . The police only direct traffic. The situation seemed quite normal .

I was able to make a speech at the seminar on the Juche Idea on the theme of “Independence , Justice and the future of Humanity “ ,which was held on the 15th of April .There were 10 speakers including DPRK social scientists as well as speakers from Russia , Mongolia , the Democratic Congo and the International Institute of the Juche Idea . In my speech I pointed out that “People’s Korea under the leadership of the  respected leader Marshal KIM JONG UN represents the future of humanity .Rapid advances such as the construction of new housing as well as the launch of the DPRK’s first ever military reconnaissance satellite are taking place one after the other . People’s Korea is a country without unemployment , without beggars and without drug addicts . It is a society free from the decadence of modern capitalism which is rotten to the core .”

A follow up course was held on the 16th of April with lecturers from the Korean Association of Social Scientists.

I was sad to leave the DPRK on the 18th of April but very glad that I went .

My thanks to the Korean Association of Social Scientists for the invitation and for their work in organising the visit , to my guide Mr O Su Jin , to the staff of the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel and to the DPRK Committee for Cultural Relations for the excellent dinner.

See you again Pyongyang !

Dr Dermot Hudson

Chairman , British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea 

Chairman Korean Friendship Association of the UK