Humankind’s cause of independence and

President Kim Il Sung

April 15 is the birthday of President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994). He is not only the eternal President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, but also the great pioneer of the cause of global independence, enjoying boundless respect of the Korean people and the progressive people all over the world.

Kim Il Sung provided the cause of independence with the guiding principle towards its successful accomplishment based on the Juche idea and Songun idea.

The Juche idea is the doctrine that represents the fundamental demand of man as a social being to live and develop in an independent way as the master of the world and his own destiny and gives light to the correct way for its realization. The Songun idea based on the Juche idea sets as its fundamental purpose the realization of independence of the country and nation and the popular masses, and firmly ensures it by means of powerful arms.

By relying on the Juche idea and Songun idea, the President put forward the original ideology and theory on the world revolution. He developed the world revolution from the struggle for class liberation of the international working class to the one for defending and realizing the independence of the oppressed and exploited people of the world, and gave correct answers to all theoretical and practical problems arising in the struggle for realization of the cause of global independence, such as the national liberation in the colonial countries, the socialist movement, anti-imperialist and anti-US struggle and the movement for reconstruction of socialism. He newly delineated and systematized the theory on the world revolution centering on the independence of the people-the nature and strategic goal of the world revolution, the common task of the struggle of the revolutionary people of the world, the law of development and victory of the world revolution and its subject and object, main strategy, and the principle of forming the revolutionary forces of the world-which are the unchanging guiding principle for implementation of the cause of independence of mankind.

Kim Il Sung set a practical example in the national liberation struggle in the colonial countries and gave full support to the oppressed people of the world in their struggle for national liberation.

He set on the road of revolution in his early teens, and organized and led the 20-year-long anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle (1926-1945) to liberate Korea. After national liberation, he beat off the US imperialists, the ringleader of imperialism, to firmly defend the national dignity and sovereignty. It was a historic event that substantiated the truth that the people of the colonial countries can win the imperialists and rescue the destiny of the nation and realize the independence of the popular masses when they wage the armed struggle, believing in and relying on their own strength. 

During the days of the anti-Japanese armed struggle for national liberation, he rendered active support to the revolution in China and defended the former Soviet Union with arms. Even after the liberation of Korea, he wisely led the struggle of the people of many countries for national and class liberation.

His support and encouragement to the Algerian people is an example. The Algerians held up the torch of armed struggle for national liberation in Africa which was called the “continent of darkness” and the “colonial continent” in the past. Encouraged by the Korean people’s victory in the Korean War (1950-1953), the Algerian patriots formed the National Liberation Front in August 1954 and engaged in the armed struggle. The President saw to it that great material assistance including provisions was given to them and that the “Day of Algeria” and the “Week of Algeria” be designated in token of solidarity with the Algerian people. Then the provisional government of the Republic of Algeria was founded in September 1958, the DPRK was the first to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with it. He also gave active and disinterested support and encouragement to the struggles of the people of Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and other countries against colonialism and racism.

President Kim Il Sung energetically led the socialist movement of the world, holding high the banner of socialism.

He built Korea into a socialist power of independence, self-reliance and self-defense, and put great efforts in strengthening the international solidarity with the socialist countries and achieving the unity in the international socialist movement.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis from October to November in 1962, he made sure that the full support was expressed to the Cuban people, who were fighting bravely against the US maneuvers of stifling and that the DPRK embassy staff in Havana and the Korean students studying in Cuba made every preparation for combat and share the destiny with the Cuban people. He greatly encouraged the Vietnamese people and gave selfless material and moral aid to them in the grim days when the US cooked up the “Gulf of Tonkin Incident” in August 1964 to lead to Vietnamese war. These are only a few examples of his achievements in the cause of independence of humankind.

Thanks to his energetic activity, the Pyongyang Declaration, “Let Us Defend and Advance the Cause of Socialism”, was adopted on April 20, 1992, signed by heads and delegates of 70 parties of the world, which was an event of historic significance in strengthening the unity and solidarity between the parties aspiring for socialism and reconstructing the cause of socialism. At present, the number of parties that have put their signatures to the declaration has increased to over 270.

During the period of over two years from the adoption of the declaration till the last time of his life he met heads and delegates of more than 120 parties and organizations and devoted his heart and soul to defending and rebuilding socialism and bringing about new upsurge in the socialist movement.

President Kim Il Sung, who achieved undying exploits in mankind’s cause of independence, will be remembered for ever with the advancing cause of independence.