Half a century has passed since the DPRK became a full member of the Non-aligned Movement (NAM). On August 25, 1975 the country was granted full membership of the movement in accordance with the unanimous support and consent of the non-aligned nations. This served as a significant occasion for further enhancing the position and prestige of the country in the international arena and promoting the effort to build a new, independent world onto a higher stage.

Ever since its entry into the movement, the country has striven to strengthen the movement under the banner of anti-imperialist independence, true to its consistent foreign policy whose main content is independence, peace and friendship.

President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il showed deep concern to the movement from its early years and dedicated themselves to strengthening and developing it and achieving the cause of human independence.

The immortal exploits the great leaders performed for the development of the movement are steadfastly carried forward by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un .

Once he said that non-aligned countries should foil the imperialists’ schemes to maintain and strengthen their aggressive military blocs, and oppose all forms of aggression and intervention, subordination and inequality and make a concerted effort to launch a counterattack against the imperialists’ manoeuvres for aggression and war.

History has long advanced with a change of centuries since the establishment of the movement. However, the international arena is still rife with high-handed and arbitrary practices based on the logic of power while the sovereignty and rights to existence of NAM member states continue to be gravely infringed upon.

The present international situation requires NAM member states to be awakened and raise higher the banner of anti-imperialist independence, solidarity and cooperation in the endeavour to realize international justice.

The DPRK has steadily built up overwhelming war response capability with which to curb any kind of provocations and moves on the part of the imperialists at a single effort and made perfect and thoroughgoing military preparations, thus firmly defending the regional peace and security.

The DPRK’s steps to boost its self-defensive military strength are a just exercise of its sovereign rights to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state and control the situation in a stable way in order to tackle the unstable security environment of the region created due to the dangerous military moves by the US and its allies. This totally conforms to the ideal of the NAM which resolutely opposes all sorts of violation of sovereignty and interference in internal affairs of other countries and constitutes a contribution to the development of the NAM as well as global peace and security.

The DPRK has invariably attached importance to enhancing the NAM’s role in establishing a new international order based on independence and discharged its mission and role in the struggle to achieve independence, justice and peace as a responsible member of the international community.

Sin Yong Nam