aus der Ausgabe 04/2006

Songun Politics in DPRK and Juche Idea

The Main Political mode that leads socialist Korea today is Songun politics.

Songun politics finds its ideological foundation in the Juche idea authored by President Kim Il Sung early last century.

Generally speaking, an idea, whatever it may be, originates from a certain social practice.

The Juche idea was originated, reflecting the requirement of the new era, when the oppressed and maltreated popular masses began to emerge as the masters of their own destinies.

President Kim Il Sung embarked on the road of revolution in the middle of the 1920s. In his early days of revolutionary activities the President already mastered the preceding revolutionary idea and theory and applied them to the Korean revolution along creative lines. In this way he put his heart and soul into finding out a new road for the times and people to follow.

In the course of this he became convinced that the masters of the revolution are the masses of people, that the revolutionary struggle can emerge victorious only when they are educated, organized and mobilized, that the revolution should be carried out true to one’s own conviction and on one’s own responsibility instead of conducting it after obtaining someone else’s recognition or under someone else’s instructions, and that all problems arising in the revolution should be solved independently and creatively. Later, at the meeting of leading personnel of the Young Communist League and Anti-Imperialist Youth League held in Kalun in June Juche 19 (1930) he clarified the principle of the Juche idea.

The principle of the Juche idea that man is the master of his own destiny and has the power to hew out his own destiny has been thoroughly embodied in the whole course of the Korean revolution.

In the early days of his revolutionary activities President Kim Il Sung put forward the idea that an organized armed struggle should be waged by Koreans themselves in order to win back the country occupied by the Japanese imperialists. Then he founded an armed force first of all, and on the strength of it, accomplished the historic cause of national liberation in August 1945.

In the postliberation days the Korean people successfully carried out the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution. Afterwards they emerged victorious in the three-year-long Fatherland Liberation War, finished post-war rehabilitation in three years that, it was said, would have been impossible in over 100 years, established a socialist system, and carried out the socialist industrialization in a brief period of 14 years. All these successes are the fruits of the independent spirit and creative power of the Korean people.

In those days the Korean people were raised from the status of the object of history to that of the master of history and built the people-centred socialism holding fast to the principles of independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy and self-reliance in national defence.

The leader Kim Jong Il, who took over the cause of President Kim Il Sung, has defended socialism and carved out the destiny of the country and the people adhering to the Juche idea of the President.

Entering the 90s of the 20th century, former Soviet Union and east European socialist countries collapsed, bringing about global changes in the world political formation and balance of forces. The imperialist reactionary forces, availing themselves of the developments, directed the arrow of point upon anti-imperialist independent forces, in particular, Korea which was still advancing under the banner of independence, banner of socialism.

The US imperialists and its followers tried to suffocate the DPRK by putting pressure upon it in all spheres of politics, the economy, ideology and culture and diplomacy, while intensifying their military and aggression manoeuvres to stifle the DPRK by force.

The DPRK had to overcome harsh trials and difficulties unprecedented in history and counter the concentrated offensives of the imperialist aggression forces, while confronting the United States single-handed.

At that time the leader Kim Jong Il discerned that the destinies of the country and people could be saved and the revolution and construction be advanced along the road of victory only when the People’s Army was strengthened by focusing efforts on the military affairs and pursued the Songun politics more resolutely.

Songun politics is the revolutionary way of leadership or the socialist political mode whereby the army is strengthened and put forward as the pillar of the country and the main force of revolution, and the socialist cause is promoted as a whole on the strength of the army.

Songun politics stemmed from President Kim Il Sung’s idea and line of attaching importance to military affairs and has been developed in depth in keeping with the demand of the changing situation.

In recent years the DPRK has defended its ideal and system against the vicious manoeuvres of the Western allied forces to isolate and stifle the DPRK and expanded its foreign relations while making any argument it wants to against the formidable imperialist enemy. This is attributable to the might of Songun politics.

In the DPRK the Songun politics has enabled the army and people to share a single idea and manner of work and the same way of life at a high level.

A vigorous civilian movement is conducted to adopt the revolutionary soldier spirit and fighting traits set in the People’s Army.

The army is making a breakthrough in all sectors of socialist construction and the people are bringing about innovations in the production and construction in the spirit and way of the army.

The Korean people feel keenly the validity and vitality of the Songun politics through the marvelous reality that the socialism, their lifeblood, is defended and a bright future is opened for the country and people. So they regard the Songun politic as their life-line and are faithfully supporting it.

Little wonder that the world progressive people speak highly of Songun politics as a successful political mode and omnipotent sword for consummating the independent cause of humankind.