aus der Ausgabe 06/2005 aus der Ausgabe 06/2005
Songun Traditions in Korea
The Korean revolution is now advancing dynamically along the road of Songun which President Kim Il Sung opened up in the days of the anti-Japanese war.
Songun was created and developed in depth amid the flames of the unprecedentedly arduous and complicated anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and its might and vital power have been proved graphically in the practice of the Korean revolution.
Leader Kim Jong Il pointed out:
“The idea and line of giving prominence to force of arms and to the military affairs which were put forward and were invariably adhered to by the great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung are the basis and the starting point of Songun politics of our Party.”
The Songun revolutionary cause in Korea has a historically long and strong root of its own.
The traditions of laying stress on the military affairs in the Korean revolution were built up in the years when efforts were being made to open up its new path.
Setting out on the road of the revolution in his early years, President Kim Il Sung propounded the idea that victory in the revolutionary cause and the sovereignty and independence of a country and the people and their prosperity are guaranteed only by force of arms and, basing himself upon this idea, opened up the road ahead of the Korean revolution.
His Songun revolutionary leadership and his Songun idea and method of leadership which started with the founding of the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerrilla Army on April 25th, Juche 21(1932) constitute the fundamental guideline for the anti-imperialist struggle for independence even today.
Up to the present ever since the establishment of the traditions of the Songun revolution in the thick forests of Mt. Paektu, not a few miraculous successes have been gained and great achievements accomplished in the history of the Korean revolutionary movement.
The might of Songun made it possible to realize the cause of national liberation by driving the Japanese imperialists out of Korea and to heighten the dignity and uplift the honour of the country by defeating the US imperialists, the provoker of the war of aggression in Korea.
In addition, it rendered it possible for the People’s Army and the people to advance and firmly defend the cause of socialism by holding fast to the high priority military principle.
The Songun traditions involve the profound principle of arms philosophy.
The President established the high priority military principle embodying the Juche idea for the first time in history and, on this basis, led the Songun revolutionary cause.
That the path of revolution is cleared and completed by the invincible military strength, that all the gains of the revolution come into being and are defended, consolidated and developed by force of arms and that before anything else, stress must be laid on military affairs in the revolution—this is the revolutionary principle clarified by the President in the years of the anti-Japanese revolution.
This principle constitutes the cornerstone consistent in all contents of the Songun traditions.
The establishment of the arms philosophy was an event of historic significance which brought about the start of the revolutionary struggle to defeat the most villainous imperialists with the youngest revolutionary forces.
The anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle was the first revolutionary struggle which emerged victorious by embodying the President’s idea of giving prominence to arms.
The Songun revolutionary principle expounded by the President became the starting point in formulating the line, principle, strategy and tactics of the Korean revolution. Based on the Songun principle, a new strategy for the formation of revolutionary forces and revolutionary unity was formulated, a basic guiding principle for the building of the Party, the state and the army was provided and a shorter way to the remaking of society and nature and human remoulding was clarified.
The lines and policies of the Workers’ Party of Korea which the President set out on the basis of the high priority military idea proved highly efficient in every historical stage of the Korean revolution.
The subjective and objective circumstances of the revolution today are quite different from those of the past.
However, the position and role of the army in the revolutionary struggle remain unchanged and are becoming greater.
The world situation today when the revolution is collapsing and national sovereignty is being trampled down owing to the imperialists’ aggression and high-handedness gives proof of how correct was the high priority military idea put forward by the President at an early age.
With the passage of time the might and vitality of his arms philosophy are being displayed strikingly. Therefore, this philosophy is eliciting an increasingly warm response from revolutionary people whoever they may be and is having a deeper grip on them.
The Songun traditions provided by the President is now creditably being taken over by leader Kim Jong Il.
In a little over ten years gone by, the Korean people had to traverse the road of trying ordeals without precedent in history.
The Korean people had to break through manifold trials and hardships and the imperialists’ manoeuvres to isolate and stifle the country became more undisguised day by day.
In the years of the “Arduous March” when the Korean revolution was in the deepest adversity he resolutely set out on the long road of Songun to lead the battle to defend socialism triumphantly.
He developed in depth the unique method of revolutionary leadership of the President who had led the revolution and construction by relying on force of arms, in conformity with the situation then prevailing, thus establishing a method of Songun politics.
On top of it, he trained the powerful ranks of Songun revolutionary fighters.
Today the Korean people are waging a fierce battle decisive of national destiny.
The hearts of the Korean people out in this struggle are filled with a firm determination to take over the Songun traditions of the anti-Japanese war to the last, no matter how many years may go by and how the situation may change.
This is because all of them are well aware that taking over and embodying the Songun revolutionary traditions means building a socialist great prosperous powerful nation in this land at the earliest possible date.
The Korean people will complete to the last the Juche revolutionary cause started on Mt. Paektu by firmly defending, adhering to and glorifying the Songun traditions under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.