I am going to talk about the subject of the Army First policy .This may seem may seem paradoxical or contradictory to some but in fact peace in Korea is guarnteed by the Korean Peoples Army which is guided by the Army first idea.Other speakers have referred to the rantings of moral leper Bush.So without doubt the DPRK is in the firing line.We must remember the old maxim:if you want peace then prepare for war.If you saw the BBC Timewatch programme last Friday it is obvious that the US imperialisrs cannot be deterred by fine words.
The principle of Army First has been developed by Kim Jong Il since his election as KPA Supreme Commander on the 24th of December 1991.The Army First revolution is a further application and development of the Juche idea.
When the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il became supreme commander of the Korean Peoples Army it can be said that this marked an important turning point in the development of the Army First Policy of the Workers Party of Korea.
What is army first politics ?.At first it may seem frightening to some ears.People may think of Hitler and Mussolini or associate it with the armed forces of reactionary imperialist powers such as England or the US.
What we have to realize is that in a socialist society the armed forces play a different role to that played by the armed
forces in an imperialist or capitalist society .In capitalist
society the armed forces are part of the state power oppressing
and exploiting the people,whereas in socialist society they
defend the power of the popular masses
Comrade Kim Jong Il said We will continue to conduct army-first leadership proceeding from the idea of attaching importance to military affairs from now as in the past,build a powerful nation and thus realize the cause of national reunification
No previous theory about Army-First politics had been formulated.Worse still the modern revisionists and modern social democrats(a term used by the WPK to denote the degenerated revisionist parties of the USSR and Eastern Europe)asserted the sophistry that the army should assume a political character and got rid of the party leadership over the armed forces so that they fell into the hands of class enemies.
The Korean revolution was one that was carried out and developed by President Kim Il Sung with arms.The history of the Korean revolution is the history of Army-First revolution.
Throughout different stages of the Korean revolution,army first leadership has been adhered to -in the period of the anti Japanese armed struggle,peaceful constrcution after liberation,the period of the Korean war and the post war reconstruction.Thus thanks to army-first leadership ,the Korean people could achieve the cause of national restoration,win victory in the Fatherland Liberation War,carry out a 2 stage social revolution and establish Korean style socialism centred upon the popular masses.
Indeed the armed might of the Peoples Army is a decisive factor whether or not socialism wins victory or not.Only when people move forward under the banner of army-first politics can they overcome any hardships and achieve the ultimate victory of socialism.
Comrade Kim Jong Il not only created the theory of Army-first politics but applied it in practice.He has striven to build a powerful socialist nation and achieve national reunification.
Comrade Kim Jong Il has conducted on the spot guidance.In the period of the "Ardourous March " and "forced march" which lasted from September 1994 to December 1999 comrade Kim Jong Il gave on the spot guidance 247 times covering a distance of 129,000 km.
He also led the army to establish the guiding system of the party within itself more thoroughly given the circumstances in which the winds of non party and non politics are blowing.
Army First politics has achieved significant results:
First of all,army first politics have made it possible to smash the designs of allied imperialist forces to stifle Korean style socialism.After the collapse of the USSR and the East European socialist countries the US imperialists turned the spearhead of attack against the DPRK with the aim of creating a unipolar world under the total domination of capitalism.Thus the DPRK had to fight against the siege and oppression attack of the imperialists.Only by powerful armed forces was the DPRK able to counter the manouvres of US imperialism and achieve victory in the politico-military showdown with the American imperialists.In 1998 the US imperialists planned to attack the DPRK with the 5027 war plan but this was thwarted.
The military power of the DPRK also provided real bacing for thw DPRK's independent diplomacy.Thus during the period of the Clinton adminstration the DPRK achieved many diplomatic victories.
Under army-first politics achievements have been made in the economic field-several major power stations including the 3rd largest in the world costing $8 billion to build plus many small and medium power stations have been constructed.Land realignment has been carried out.The Youth hero motorway from Pyongyang to Nampo was constructed.
Thus Army-First politics have shown their validity in all fields
The Army -First politics have been praised at seminars in
African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and Madagscar,not only in Africa but also in Russia
Belarus and Hungary.Thus it is fitting that this meeting
should pay tribute to the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il
architect of the idea of Army-First revolution.
DERMOT C HUDSON,BA(HONS),2001
Firstly,I wish to thank the European Society For the Study of the Juche Idea for inviting me To address this seminar.This European Seminar is being held in a year when the DPRK has marked 2 historic anniversaries;the 50th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War and the 55th anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK.Soon we will be Celebrating the the 6th anniversary of the election of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il As General Secretary of the WPK on October 8th and on October 10th the anniversary of the Foundation of the WPK.
This year we announced to the world the foundation of the Association for the Study of Songun Politics of the UK on the 16th of August on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the liberation of Korea by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung.
Members of the Juche Idea Study Group of England became capitavated and attracted by the fact that all over the world from Belarus to Uganda seminars were being held on the Songun idea of leader Kim Jong Il.Members of the Juche Idea Study Group of of England strongly support Songun politics and also the DPRK’s right to possess its own self reliant independent nuclear deterrent.Great attention is now focussed on the Korean peninsula where the most acute showdown in modern history is taking place between socialism and US imperialism.
Thanks to Songun Politics the DPRK has been able to defend its independence and its socialism centred on the popular masses.
Indeed because of the Songun revolutionary idea the DPRK has been able to take bold ,resolute and strong steps to defend its independence such as the reactivation of the independent nuclear power industry,the expulsion of the IAEA inspectors(in reality spies of US imperialism) and the withdrawal from the the one sided and unjust NPT. Moreover the DPRK has taken a tough stance in the DPRK-US negotiations and Earlier this year MIG 29s of the KPA Air Force successfully chased off a US Spy plane thereby defending the skies of the Juche motherland from the US imperialist Aggressors.These moves strike fear in to the hearts of the US imperialists and their Followers but are applauded by the progressive people of the world and Juche idea Followers throughout the world.These decisive moves of the DPRK in defending Its independence are the fruit of the Songun Idea and the Songun revolutionary Leadership of the great leader supreme commander Marshal Kim Jong Il.
We believe that friends of the DPRK and Juche idea followers should rally round the Songun politics,the invincible banner for the defence of independence.
For all the above reasons members of the Juche Idea Study Group of England decided to establish the Association For the Study of Songun Politics in order to deepen research into the Songun idea of leader Kim Jong Il and also to promote Songun politics.We have established our own modest website.Recently as US Songun Politics Study Group has been established.This shows that a trend to Study Songun politics is emerging.
Bascically the Songun idea means giving priority to military affairs in all circumstances.The Songun idea also means that stress is put on the role of the Army as the pillar and main force of the revolution.
It should be clarified here that the army plays a fundamentally different role.In capitalist and imperialist countries the Army is used to maintain the existing order and to oppress the people and also for overseas wars of aggression to invade and plunder other countries.However in socialist society it defends the rights and interests of the popular masses freed from exploitation and oppression.
As the great leader comrade Kim Il Sungsaid
"Our Peoples Army us honourably defending the freedom and independence of the country and the life and property of the people from the enemy encroachment and it is firmly safeguarding the Party and the revolution.The invincible might of our Peoples Army stems from the fact that it is a genuine peoples army armed with revolutionary idea of Marxism-Leninism and composed of the best sons and daughters of the working class.To strengthen the Peoples Army,therefore it is nessecary first of all,tothoroughly equip the soldiers with the revolutionary spirit of our Party so that it becomes a genuine army of the revolution,of the Party and of the working class"(KIM IL SUNG Selected Works Vol 3 p 465)
The Songun idea concentrcially expresses the whole experience of the Korean revolution spanning 7 or so decades.In a nustshell the Korean revolution was started,advanced and defended by force of arms.The great leader Generalissmo Kim Il Sung pioneered the Korean revolution under the banner of the Juche idea and clarified the truth the revolution is carried out and ultimate victory achieved by the force of arms.
Comrade Kim Il Sung founded the Army-the Korean Peoples Revolutionary Army before founding the party and liberated Korea through armed struggle.After liberation in 1950 the Korean people defended their independence and peoples democratic system against the US imperialist aggressors by force of arms in the great Fatherland Liberation War and won a shining victory.
The great leader comrade Kim Jong Il brilliantly systematized the the experience of the Korean revolution and the cause of Juche army building by elaborating the Songun idea.Today comrade Kim Jong Il is at the helm of the Songun revolution.
The Songun idea fully reflects the present era in which is one of intense confrontation between imperialism and socialism.A fierce anti imperialist class struggle is going on so it is inevietable that a revolutionary army should be the main force of the revolution.
Today the US imperialists are frenziedly trampling down the independence of different nations.For example they have invaded many countries: Panama,Iraq, Afghanistan,Somalia,Yugoslavia and Haiti.They have also intervened in Colombia And Sierra Leone and sent troops to East Timor and Rwanda under the cloak Of ‘humanitarism’.Moreoever the US imperialists have even expanded into parts of the Former USSR such as Uzbekistan.Given this grave situation independence can only be Defended by force of arms.
The US imperialists habitually attack those countries that are weak such as Iraq , Yugoslavia and Afghaniistan.By applying Songun politics to build up military strength The great leader comrade Kim Jong Il has proved himself to be very wise.To put It simply the Amercians would never attack a country that can fight back.
Songun Politics fully conforms to the requirements of the present era.As stated above the US imperialists have invaded and destroyed the independence of many countries.Moreover during the 1990s the DPRK faced a difficult situation.Because of the collapse of the USSR and other socialist countries in Europe the world socialist market disappeared. Moreover the US imperialists and international imperialist reactionary forces visciously maneuvered to stifle the DPRK and increased sanctions against the DPRK.
The great leader comrade Kim Jong Il rallied the people with his Songun idea.In January 1995 he inspected a unit of the Korean Peoples Army and put forward the Songun line he said
the Peoples Army should be strengthened to the the utmost in order to protect revolutionary gains by thwarting the persistent manooevres of the imperialists and reactionaries to stifle the republic
The Army based policy of the WPK fully embodies the Juche idea the idea for the realization of independence of the popular masses and mirrors demands for the accomplishment of the socialist cause and pushed forward in fierce confrontation with the imperialists.Indeed the Songun idea makes it fully possible to carry to completion the cause of independence of the popular masses,the cause of socialism.
The application of Songun politics have achieved great results in practice.
The DPRK has been able to defend its independence against the US imperialist efforts to strangle it under the pretext of the ‘nuclear issue’ even though it is a country of 22 million people.Far bigger countries than the DPRK gave into US Imperialism for example the USSR had an army of 3 million and the capability to destroy the USA several times over but in 1962 it capitulated to US imperialism during the Carribean Crisis.It should also be mentioned that due to ideological weakness the USSR collapsed In 1991 without a shot being fired.
Under the great Songun idea the DPRK has built up powerful defence forces capable of defending the nation independently and self reliantly.
Important achievements have been made in the fields of the economy,science and technology despite the the US sanctions and blockade.In August 1998 the DPRK launched its own satellite.The rocket and satellite were 100% DPRK materials, technique and funds.In 1996 the DPRK completed the Anbyon Power station the third largest Hydro Electric Power in the world which cost twice as much as the West Sea barrage built in the 1980s.This project was carried out by soldier builders of The KPA.Also constructed by the KPA was the Pyongyang-Hyangsan motorway.Other Notable achievements include the Kaechon –Taesong Waterway,the constructions of 100s of mini power stations and the rezoning of land.
The Songun era has also seen many ideological achievements.Songun means that the entire people should acquire the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.Great strides forward to achieving this have been made.The DPRK is solidly united on the basis of revolutionary comradeship and the army and people are united around the leader.
Anti imperialist class education has been strengthened in the DPRK:the Sinchon ri museum which graphically shows the atrocities of US imperialism has been extended and a new class education hall in Pyongyang has been opened.
Songun politics is of great significance not only for the DPRK but for the whole world.Songun politics is a model for the people of the world in their anti US anti Imperialist struggle as it shows a small country can stand up to the unilateralism and diktat of US imperialism.
We in the Association for the Study of Songun Politics of the UK and the Juche Idea Study of England hope that in future a deeper study of Songun politics will be made in Europe.
Thank you for your attention
Dermot Hudson 2003.
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