One day before Korea’s liberation (August 15, 1945), the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung had talks with Zhdanov, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the former Soviet Union.

At that time Zhdanov asked Kim Il Sung how many years it would take the Korean people to build a sovereign state after the liberation of their country.

Kim Il Sung replied in a confident voice that it would take two or three years at most. Zhdanov was pleased to hear it, rubbing his hands together, yet he showed a sign of surprise.

To him Kim Il Sung said that in the course of the lengthy anti-Japanese armed struggle and national liberation struggle our people had been awakened to political consciousness and tempered greatly, that in the course of this a steadfast leading hard core and broad sections of the patriotic forces that could build a state by their own efforts had been prepared, and that we had acquired rich fighting experience, boundless creativity, seasoned organizing ability and a strong capability to mobilize the people.

Listening carefully to his explanation, Zhdanov asked in what form his country could give assistance to the Korean people in their struggle to build their country after liberation.

Your help will, as a matter of fact, be welcome, but we are going to build the country by ourselves to the best of our ability. Though difficult, it will be beneficial for the future.

He clarified his determination and will at a meeting of the military and political cadres of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army on August 20, 1945.

At the meeting Kim Il Sung delivered a historic speech On Founding the Party, State and Armed Forces in the Liberated Homeland .

In the speech he said: With the accomplishment of the historic cause of national liberation we are now faced with a fresh struggle. We must continue to advance the Korean revolution on the basis of our triumphant success, and through our own efforts to build a prosperous, independent and sovereign state.

His line of building an independent state clearly reflected the thoroughgoing stand of independence that the building of a new country should be carried out by the Korean people themselves, in their own way and in conformity with the actual conditions of their country, just as the historic cause of national liberation was achieved by their own efforts.

Thanks to the line of building a democratic, independent and sovereign state advanced by Kim Il Sung , the Korean people could dynamically pave the way for building a new country in the complicated situation after the liberation of the country, and finally establish the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on September 9, 1948.

Ham Kwang Hyok