Dr. Dermot Hudson

Chairman

British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is proudly celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding. 75-year is without a doubt a great milestone. The USSR sadly was not able to celebrate its 75th anniversary, it only existed for 69 years. The fact that People’s Korea is celebrating its 75th anniversary is testimony to the invincibility and durability of Juche-based socialism established by the great leader President Kim Il Sung and further developed by the great leader Chairman Kim Jong Il. Now under the guidance and leadership of dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un the DPRK is achieving miracle after miracle, following the road of Juche laid down by President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il.

President Kim Il Sung founded the DPRK on the 9th of September 1948 encapsulating the unanimous desire of the Korean people to have their own independent state. Right from the start the DPRK was a truly independent country, a country of Juche. The very name Democratic People’s Republic reflected the independent, popular and democratic character.

The respected H.E. Kim Jong Un remarked;

“Free from a past that was stained with sycophancy and dogmatism, Kim Il Sung, throughout the whole course of leading the revolution, regarded independence as its lifeline and solved all the problems arising in the revolution and construction in a unique way and in conformity with the demands of our revolution, the interests of our people and the actual situation of our country. By consistently holding fast to the principle of independence, he built a powerful driving force of our revolution, smashed at every step the counterrevolutionary offensive of the imperialists and reactionaries and the interventionist schemes of the ‘Leftist’ and Rightist opportunists, and led to victory two revolutionary wars, two rounds of reconstruction, two stages of social revolution and socialist construction.”

President Kim Il Sung ensured that the DPRK established Juche in all fields of the revolution and construction and worked out original Juche-based lines and policies. Thanks to President Kim Il Sung’s leadership and the Juche idea, the DPRK avoided the mistakes of other socialist countries which deviated either to the Right or Left and eventually collapsed.

The DPRK did not join the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) of the Soviet revisionists or the Warsaw Pact but instead pursued the line of self-reliance and building an independent national economy and also self-reliance in national defence. Once the revisionist traitor Khrushchev offered to supply the DPRK with electric power but President Kim Il Sung wisely declined it pointing out that the Soviet Union could turn off the power if they wished leaving the DPRK in darkness.

In implementing the line of self-reliance and economic independence President Kim Il Sung roused the masses through movements such as the Chollima movement in the 1950s (Chollima being a mythical horse that could cover 400km in one day). The growth of the DPRK economy was truly phenomenal. At a time when the Western countries had enforced virtually total sanctions and blockade in the late 1950s the DPRK economy grew at a rate of 36.6% per annum 1957-1960.

President Kim Il Sung following the Juche-based and people-oriented policy made sure that they were really tangible benefits for the people. In 1953 universal free medical care was introduced in the DPRK and in 1959 universal free compulsory education. President Kim Il Sung had abolished the taxation system in March 1974 making the DPRK the first tax free socialist country.

Chairman Kim Jong Il, who had worked for scores of years at the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, took up the baton of leadership when President Kim Il Sung regrettably passed away in 1994. At the time, open and hidden enemies of People’s Korea hoped that there would be a “policy change” and “reform” and “opening up”. However Chairman Kim Jong Il declared “Expect No Change From Me”, and powerfully led the DPRK along the road of Juche, independence and socialism without flinching in the face of innumerable difficulties. Chairman Kim Jong Il carried forward the Juche-based lines, policies and ideas of President Kim Il Sung.

In the days of the mid 1990s the DPRK faced all kinds of difficulties such as the disappearance of the world socialist market, the sanctions and blockades of the US imperialists and several years of natural disasters. Instead of bowing down before difficulties and unconditionally accepting the aid of others, Chairman Kim Jong Il rallied the people to overcome difficulties and socialist construction was pushed ahead in the spirit of self-reliance. New farming land was created through rezoning and potato farming was encouraged. Self-reliant industries of the DPRK such as the Vinalon industry, the Juche steel industry and the Juche fertiliser industry were revitalised and built up. Self-reliant socialist construction surged ahead. At the same time Chairman Kim Jong Il always puts the people first. Even in the days of the Arduous March he made sure that small children were supplied with soya flour drink and soya flour drink vans were to be seen on the streets.

The US imperialists and other international reactionaries tried to militarily stifle the DPRK by force but Chairman Kim Jong Il administered the Songun (army first) politics. The revolutionary armed forces were built up firmly to deter imperialist aggression and ensure that the DPRK did not follow the fate of Iraq, Libya, Yugoslavia and others. Under the leadership of Chairman Kim Jong Il, the DPRK’s first nuclear test was carried out on the 9th of October 2006 thus announcing to the world that the DPRK became a member of the nuclear club, a proud socialist nuclear power of Juche.

It is thanks to the leadership of President Kim Il Sung, Chairman Kim Jong Il and Marshal Kim Jong Un that today the DPRK is the most independent country in the world. The DPRK is not a member of the IMF, the World Bank, the WTO, NATO, the EU or the World Economic Forum. It eradicated COVID-19 by its own efforts, without the imperialist aid. These achievements are also the precious fruit of the Juche idea and line of self-reliance.

Today the Juche idea, authored by President Kim Il Sung and developed in depth by Chairman Kim Jong Il, is displaying its vitality and is attracting attention beyond the borders of the DPRK. This year the International Institute of the Juche Idea celebrated the 45th anniversary of its foundation in April. The foundation of the IIJI fully reflected the fact that the Juche idea had spread beyond the borders of the DPRK and had taken root in many countries of the world. The first Juche idea study group was formed in Mali, Africa in 1969 and the Juche idea study groups were formed in many countries of the world. Delegation after delegation visited Pyongyang. Revolutionaries in many countries earnestly sought for the writings of the great leader President Kim Il Sung.

Without a doubt the IIJI has played the vanguard role in the study and dissemination of the Juche idea. Figures of the IIJI have worked tirelessly to promote the Juche idea. The IIJI has organized World Congresses on the Juche Idea, international and regional seminars involving many people including leading academic and political figures.

Our study group has participated in the events held by the International Institute of the Juche Idea. We participated in the World Congress for Anti-imperialism and Independence held in Caracas, Venezuela in 2005 and a delegation of the Juche Idea Study Group England was greatly honoured to participate in the World Congress of the Juche Idea in April 2012 and speak at it. We took part in the international online seminars organized by the IIJI and Korean Association of Social Scientists in 2021 and 2022.

We also participated in European Regional Seminars on the Juche Idea in 2003, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Seeing the DPRK, the homeland of Juche, marking its 75th founding anniversary, we are convinced that the Juche idea will be ever-victorious!

Glory to the 75th founding anniversary of the DPRK!

Glory to the memory of the great leaders President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il!

Long live the great Juche idea!

Long live the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un!