Foundation of Socialism

Construction of the Foundation of Socialism

After the Korean War, the Korean people were confronted with difficult tasks to rehabilitate the ruined national economy in no time and stabilize the people's living in a short period while pushing ahead with the socialist revolution.

Damages caused by the war were enormous. The US troops dropped average 18 bombs per sq.km. reducing cities and rural areas to ashes. All sectors of the national economy, irrespective of factories, rural economy and rail transport and facilities of education, culture and public health were damaged. People were completely deprived of houses and living tools, and food and clothes were in short supply. Indeed, the country's situation was in a harsh condition beyond description and a number of complex issues were raised.

The Party viewed heavy industry as a centerpiece to solution of all issues arising in postwar reconstruction and advanced a basic line of economic construction on developing light industry and agriculture simultaneously while giving priority to the heavy industry. In terms of developing industries, especially heavy industry, the Party made sure those sectors urgently needed for the national economy and the people's livelihood and able to produce quick economic results should be rehabilitated on a priority basis. In the rural economy an emphasis was put on the agricultural production in order to solve the food problem at an early date while introducing socialist cooperation of private farming.

Under the above line and policy a 3-year plan (1954-1956) of post-war reconstruction of the national economy was mapped out and the whole Party and the entire people turned out to implement it. Under the wise guidance of the Party, the Korean people tightened their belt and displayed the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance so as to tide over difficulties and fulfill the 3-year plan ahead of schedule.

In the wake of the fulfilled 3-year plan, the Korean people embarked on the 5-year plan from Juche 46 (1957). The 5-year plan was intended to finish the building of the foundation of socialism.

The Party put forward a task to wind up the agricultural co-operativization and socialist transformation of private trade and manufacture. The key task of the 5-year plan was to lay the foundation for socialist industrialization and to basically solve the problems of food, clothing and housing.

In the period towards implementing the 5-year plan, the situation at home and abroad was very complicated, which caused new difficulties and ordeals in the way ahead of the Korean people. At that time President Kim Il Sung roused the entire people to a heroic struggle to overcome hardship and trials at the plenary meeting of the Party's Central Committee held in December, Juche 45 (1956). It is how upswing in socialist construction and Chollima Movement came into being.

The Korean people continued to pursue upsurge in socialist construction and Chollima Movement further and implemented the enormous 5-year plan ahead of schedule. Agricultural cooperativization and socialist transformation of private trade and manufacture came to a successful end in August Juche 47 (1958). The plan was fulfilled in two and a half years in terms of total industrial output value and fulfilled or over fulfilled in four years in terms of production indices.

As a result, DPR Korea turned into a socialist industrial and agricultural state with firm foundations of independent national economy. In urban and rural areas socialist production relations established an undivided sway, bases of heavy industry centered on machine-building industry and light industry were built up, and the rural economy acquired solid production foundations.

Accordingly, the historic task of the building of the foundations of socialism in the northern half of the Republic was successfully undertaken.

Comprehensive Socialist Construction

President Kim Il Sung reviewed successes gained in the socialist revolution and socialist construction and put forward a gigantic program of the first 7-year plan in the Fourth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea held from September 11 to 18, Juche 50 (1961).

The main task of the 7-year plan was to carry out a comprehensive technological reconstruction and the cultural revolution and to make radical improvements in the people's living conditions by relying on the triumphant socialist system.

He convened various important meetings at the Party and State levels to successfully implement the 7-year plan to set forth wise policies and led the efforts to a victory to implement them. In particular, he personally organized and guided efforts to hit 6 major targets of grain, textile, fishery, housing, steel and coal, thus making a crucial turning point in fulfilling the 7-year plan.

When grave difficulties were created in the fulfillment of the 7-year national economic plan due to the attempt of the US and its stooges to provoke a new war, President Kim Il Sung put forward a revolutionary line to carry on economic construction and national defense up building in parallel. And he, at the same time, took a series of revolutionary steps to strengthen the national defense while reorganizing the overall economic construction work. Based on that, he took active steps of postponing for another 3 years in the fulfillment of the 7-year plan.

The WPK took steps that new miracles and innovations were performed in all sectors of national economy by affecting a new revolutionary upsurge and conducting a vigorous struggle for simultaneous building up of economic construction and national defense.

Under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung the tasks of 7-year plan were fulfilled with good credit. Thanks to the successful conclusion of the socialist industrialization in the 7-year plan, the country has become a socialist industrial state. This has made it possible for the DPR Korea to be in a set of modern independent industrial system, comprehensively developed with strong material bases and equipped with new technologies.

In 1970s the total industrial output has increased to 11.6 times as against in 1956, among them the means of production 13.3 times and consumption materials 9.3 times. This shows a speedy growth of the industrial production at an annual average rate of 19.1 percent in the whole period of industrialization between 1957 and 1970.

The heavy industrial sectors produced 16 500 million kWh of electricity, 27.5 million tons of coal, 2.2 million tons of steel, 1.5 million tons of chemical fertilizers, 4 million tons of cement, and light industry sectors produced 400 million meters of cloth.

In every sphere of the national economy, tasks of full-scale technical revolution was successfully carried out relying on its own powerful heavy industry bases which resulted in radical improvements in technical equipment and wide introduction of electrification and automation. In addition, in the rural economy, irrigation system had been completed, rural electrification fully introduced and a remarkable progress was made in mechanization and chemicalization.

Formidable achievements were made in carrying out the cultural revolution with the result that a 9-year compulsory technical education was enforced while literature and art flourished.

Struggle for a Complete Victory of Socialism

The Korean people faced a task of further consolidating and developing the socialist system and hastening the complete victory of socialism on the basis of successes gained in the 1960s. President Kim Il Sung charted out tasks to ,speed up three revolutions of ideology, technology and culture and hasten a complete victory of socialism in the Fifth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in November Juche 59 (1970).

In the proposed grandiose program of the 6-year plan, he put forward three major tasks of the technical revolution designed to considerably narrow down the gaps between heavy and light labour and agricultural and industrial work and to free women from the heavy burden of housekeeping by unfolding an extensive technical innovation movement in all fields of the national economy and wisely guided the efforts to carry out them.

The workers dynamically launched a mass technical innovation movement in such a way to produce 30 000 machine tools in a little over a year and put production processes on an automatic basis in Hwanghae Iron and Steel Complex. They even built up large-scale and modern Kumsong Tractor Plant to boost the output capacity of tractors. In the course of the three technical revolutions in lively progress, a great deal of harsh and heavy labor was abolished and the 6-year plan was successfully fulfilled.

The Socialist Constitution of the DPRK was adopted in the first session of the Fifth Supreme People's Assembly held in December Juche 61 (1972) and Comrade Kim Il Sung was elected to the highest office as the President of the DPRK.

President Kim Il Sung advanced a policy on dynamically launching the Three-Revolution Team Movement in order to push ahead with the three revolutions of ideology, technology and culture and took measures to dispatch three revolution teams to major factories, enterprises and cooperative farms. As the Three Revolution Team Movement progressed in full swing, the three revolutions gained further development. In such a historic period, the 8th Plenary Meeting of the Fifth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held in February, Juche 63 (1974). In the meeting Comrade Kim Jong Il was elected as a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK and the sole successor to President Kim Il Sung.

As the three revolutions moved forward successfully, the Three-Revolution Red Flag Movement dynamically progressed from Juche 64 (1975) under the revolutionary slogan of "Ideology, technology and culture as required: by Juche" advanced by General Kim Jong Il. The movement was an all-people campaign designed to speed up the socialist construction by giving a further spur to the revolutions of ideology, technology and culture. As the Three Revolution Team Movement and the Three Revolution Red Flag Movement progressed full blast, three revolutions gathered in strength which resulted in remarkable successes in the Three Technical Revolution.

Under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il, the Korean people fulfilled the 6-year national economic plan in one year and four months ahead of schedule.

Modeling the Whole Society on the Juche Idea

Towards the 1980s, the Korean revolution entered a new turning point. A great change occurred in the struggle for a complete victory of socialism as the three revolutions of ideology, technology and culture gathered steam under the slogan of modeling the whole society on the Juche idea.

In an environment of a new, historic turning point, the Sixth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea was held from October 10 to 14, Juche 69 (1980). President Kim Il Sung defined modeling the whole society on the Juche idea as a general task of the Korean revolution and set forth 10 long-term goals of the socialist economic construction to be hit in the 1980s alongside the main task of the socialist construction.

In order to successfully fulfill the task of the socialist economic construction, Comrade Kim Jong Il put forward a revolutionary policy on creating a new speed of the 1980s and wisely guided the struggle to implement it.

Accordingly, dynamic efforts had been made to revolutionize, working-classize and intellectualize all the members of the society and to realize the Juche-orientation, modernization and scientification of the national economy.

The successful fulfillment of the second 7-year plan for the national economic development in Juche 73 (1984) is attributable to the sagacious guidance of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il and devotion of the Korean people. In the period from Juche 67 (1978) to Juche 73 (1984), the total industrial output increased to 2.2 times and among it, the means of production 2.2 times and consumption materials 2.1 times.

Through the endeavors to put the national economy on a Juche-oriented, modern and scientific basis the industry came to robustly rely on its own resources and the internal structures of its sectors were completed, thereby further increasing the independence and Juche character.

Based on the proud successes made in the fulfillment of the second 7-year plan, the Party and the Republic government set up Juche 74 (1985) and Juche 75 (1986) as a period of adjustment and made sure to produce large-size equipment with own efforts which were of great significance in developing priorities of the national economy of coal, electricity, railtransport and metallurgical industry and carrying out the technical revolution.

It is worthy of mention that the Korean people built the West Sea Barrage across the 8 km-long open sea in Juche 75 (1986). In addition, great successes were made in the areas of biology and thermal engineering to suit the global mainstream of the development of modern science and technology and practical requirements of the socialist construction.

Subsequent to the successful fulfillment of the second 7-year plan and tasks of the two-year-long adjustment period, a conference calling for general mobilization was convened to fulfill the third 7-year plan ahead of schedule, which called on the entire people to launch a 200-day battle.

In the progress of the all-people construction, monumental creations sprang up in Pyongyang and the rest of the country and construction of power, metallic and chemical centres of crucial significance in implementing the third 7-year plan were accelerated. 240 km-long railway tracks in the northern part of the country were laid and great successes were achieved in large-scale building of major objects.

In positive response to the Party's call on launching another 200-day battle, the Korean people successfully built 500 objects contributable to raising the level of Juche-orientation, modernization and scientification of the national economy.

The third 7-year plan saw a jump of 1.5 times in an industrial output and irrigation, mechanization and chemicalization underwent a radical change in the rural economy.

In a historic environment of entering a new turning point to fulfill the third 7-year plan and to inherit and accomplish the socialist cause, the Korean people significantly celebrated the 80th birthday of President Kim Il Sung as a greatest national holiday as well as a big political event of mankind of the world.

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Founding of The DPRK

Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Korea was seething with the joy of liberation. President Kim II Sung returned triumphantly home to an enthusiastic welcome from the people. He advanced three major tasks for the building of a party, state and armed forces in the liberated country and specific ways and means to realize them.

On October 10, Juche 34 (1945), in Pyongyang, the Central Organizing Committee of the Communist Party of North Korea was formed. In August Juche 35 (1946), the Communist Party merged with the New Democratic Party to form the Workers' Party of North Korea and in June Juche 38 (1949), the Workers' Parties of North and South Korea merged to develop into the Workers' Party of Korea. Now that they had the WPK, the entire Korean people came to have a guiding force which would step up considerably the struggle to build a new nation.

After liberation, people's committees were organized all over the country. On this basis, the Provisional People's Committee of North Korea (PPCNK), a new type of government, was established on February 8, Juche 35 (1946). The entire Korean people elected Comrade Kim Il Sung, the peerless patriot and national hero, Chairman of the PPCNK.

On having solved the problem of power, the Korean people began to carry out democratic reforms. So a number of democratic reforms were enforced. They were the laws on agrarian reform, on nationalization of industries, transport, communications, banks and so on, on labour, and on sex equality. At the same time various steps were taken for the democratization of judicial, educational and cultural affairs.

On February 8, Juche 37 (1948), the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, founded on April 25, Juche 21 (1932) in the flames of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, developed into the Korean People's Army, a regular army.

Within a short space of time after liberation, under the leadership of President Kim II Sung, the tasks of anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution were carried out triumphantly in north Korea. However, the Korean people's endeavour to build a unified democratic independent country was confronted with a grave difficulty.

The US authorities rejected the Korean people's fair demand for the simultaneous withdrawal of the Soviet and US armed forces from Korea and for the settlement of the Korean issue by the Koreans themselves. Without warrant they brought the Korean issue before the United Nations. They rigged up the "UN Commission on Korea". In May Juche 37 (1948), they held a separate "election" in south Korea under the supervision of the commission to manufacture the puppet government headed by Syngman Rhee. With this, the crisis of national division deepened.

In this grave situation President Kim II Sung called the Joint Conference of Representatives of Political Parties and Public Organizations in North and South Korea in April Juche 37 (1948) and in June that year the Conference of Leaders of Political Parties and Public Organizations in North and South Korea and advanced the policy of founding a unified country in the Korean peninsula without delay. This was to surmount the danger of national division and achieve the country's independence.

On August 25, Juche 37 (1948), the election of deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly was held in all parts of north and south Korea. The whole nation responded with excitement and enthusiasm. In north Korea 99.97 per cent of voters took part in the election. In south Korea 77.52 per cent of the electorate participated in the teeth of harsh reactionary repression. As a result. 572 candidates from all walks of life from the north and south of Korea were elected. Following the eminent success of the historic north-south general election, the First Session of the Supreme People's Assembly was held in Pyongyang in September Juche 37 (1948) and on September 9, the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which represented the will of the entire Korean people, was declared to the whole world.

Comrade Kim II Sung, the national hero of the Korean people, was elected Premier of the Cabinet and the Head of State of the DPRK.

Fatherland Liberation War

Owing to the US armed invasion on June 25, Juche 49 (1950), the peaceful construction of the Korean people was temporarily halted and harsh ordeals were brought to the fatherland and people.

At the moment only 2 years past since the DPRK was founded and the Korean People's Army (KPA) was developed into a regular army. Worse still, the country's economic power was horribly fragile. The Korean people and the KPA, however, displayed unrivalled bravery, self-sacrificing spirit and mass heroism to the fullest and fought to humble the arrogant US imperialists who boasted about being the "strongest" and shattered to smithereens the myth of the US "invincibility".

On July 27, Juche 42 (1953), the US imperialists finally knelt down before the Korean people and the KPA and signed the Armistice Agreement. Accordingly, the 3-year-long Korean War ended with a great victory of the Korean people. The US imperialists mobilized a third of its ground forces, a fifth of its air force, most of its Pacific fleet, mercenaries from its 15 satellite countries, adding up to over 2 million including south Korean troops and squandered 165 billion US dollars in military spending.

The KPA killed and captured 1,567,000 including 405,000 US soldiers, destroyed and captured over 12,200 aircrafts, over 560 vessels of different kinds, 3,250 tanks and armored vehicles, 13,000 trucks, 7,695 artillery and other numerous combat equipment. It is 2.3 fold the size of losses suffered by the US in the 4-year¬long Pacific War in the period of the Second World War.

Rising Up out of Debris

The US army had dropped an average of 18 bombs on every square kilometre of the northern half of Korea, reducing Pyongyang and other towns and villages to ashes. Indeed, the postwar situation in the country presented what seemed to be insuperable difficulties. It was hard for the people to decide what to do first and how to do it. There was a mountain of work to be done.

President Kim II Sung was firmly convinced that as long as there were the people, the territory and the Party, a new life could be built. He roused the entire people in the struggle for postwar reconstruction. The postwar reconstruction was an extremely arduous struggle since it was started when our people could hardly obtain even a brick or a gramme of cement. However, the Korean people, who had been tempered through the war and staunchly united around the leader, waged a heroic and selfless struggle. They displayed the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance to the full. They fought hard, surmounting one difficulty after another. They had to tighten their belts but they built factories, enterprises, towns and rural villages.

The Three-Year Plan for the Postwar Rehabilitation and Development of the National Economy, whose basic task was to achieve prewar levels in all spheres of the national economy, was overfulfilled by 22 per cent. As a result, the war wounds were healed and the country switched over from a period of reconstruction to a period of technological modernization.

At the beginning of the Five-Year Plan the reactionaries at home and abroad intensified their offensives against the Republic on an unprecedented scale. In these grim days. President Kim II Sung held high the revolutionary banner of the Juche idea and confidently led the Korean people on to greater progress in the building of socialism. At (he December Juche 45 (1956) Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea he advanced a militant slogan, "Let us produce more, practise economy, and overfulfil the Five-Year Plan ahead of schedule!" Shortly afterwards he visited the workers at the Kangson Steel Plant (the present Chollima Steel Complex), explained to them the country's situation and encouraged them to advance at the head of a grand march of socialist construction at the speed of Chollima, smashing passivity, conservatism, mysticism about technique.

The working class of Kangson and all other working people across the country responded to the leader's call and bravely overcame trials and difficulties which stood in the way of their advance. They crushed all the old norms and rated capacities and created new norms. They effected achievements which defied imagination, thus bringing about a great upswing in all fronts of socialist construction. Industrial production grew at the extremely high rate of 44 per cent in 1957. In the same year there was a bumper harvest.

The Chollima Movement in Korea developed amid this great advance in socialist construction. Amid the flames of the Chollima Movement the Korean working people manufactured trucks, tractors, excavators, bulldozers, 8-metre turning lathes and other modern machines and equipment. Through the let-eachmachine- tool-make-more movement they produced over 13,000 machine tools over and above the yearly plan in Juche 48 (1959). In only a few months in Juche 47 (1958) they built more than 1,000 local industry factories throughout the country. Industrial production grew at the annual average rate of 36.6 per cent. All this fully showed the heroic stamina and creative talents of the Korean people galloping forward in the speed of Chollima.

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Modern Korea

Modern Korea and Korean National Association

History of modern Korea dating from 1860 is characterized by anti-aggression and anti-feudal struggle that is aimed at repulsing the armed aggression of the foreign forces and opposing the feudal system that stood in the way of social development.

The sinking of US aggressive ship "General Sherman" in 1866 decorated the beginning of the history of modern Korea with a victory. It was followed by a series of successful repulsions of foreign aggressors, including the invasion of French fleet in 1866, US fleet in 1871 and Japanese warship "Unyo-maru" in 1875. However, the conclusion of unequal "Kanghwado Treaty" in 1876 forced by Japanese imperialists and abetted by flunkeyism and submissive behaviour of feudal rulers reduced Korea to a semi-colony. A number of important events such as Imo Soldiers' Uprising in 1882, Kapsin coup d'etat in 1884 aimed at modernizing the country, Kabo Reform and Kabo Peasants' Uprising in 1894 were good examples of Korean people's struggles against the Japanese aggressors and feudal rulers.

However, all the above-mentioned events never succeeded what with the armed intervention and subversive moves of Japanese imperialists and corrupt feudal rulers. The Japanese imperialists colonized Korea by fabricating the unlawful "Five Point Korea-Japan Treaty" in November 1905, and manufactured the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" in 1910. For over a decade around 1910, Korean people staged the movement of Righteous Volunteers' Army and dealt a serious blow to Japanese imperialists. Secret societies, patriotic cultural movements and independence movements abroad all played important roles in Korean people's struggles for independence. The March First Uprising in Juche 8 (1919) that spread across the entire country was another blow to the Japanese imperialists.

The lack of leadership by an outstanding leader was the very reason why the March First Uprising failed. The anti-Japanese national liberation movement of Korean people was finally placed on the right track of development with the leadership of Kim Hyong Jik, father of President Kim Il Sung and an indomitable revolutionary fighter.

On March 23, Juche 6 (1917), Kim Hyong Jik founded the Korean National Association in Pyongyang. The KNA was the largest underground anti-Japanese revolutionary organization of the time at home and abroad. The extending and strengthening of the KNA gave rise to active anti-Japanese struggle of the people and struck Japanese troops with fear.

In Juche (1917), Kim Hyong Jik, who was energetically advancing anti-Japanese patriotic struggle, was arrested by the Japanese police that was tipped by its informants. It was in the prison that he came to hear the news of victorious October Socialist Revolution in Russia. This made him review the lessons learnt in the anti-Japanese movement, during which he was convinced that the only valid way to achieve national independence and win freedom and emancipation for people was to rely on the proletarian revolution led by communism. Upon his release from prison in October Juche 7 (1918), Kim Hyong Jik shifted the arena of anti-Japanese struggle to northern part of the country near the border. Consequently, Kim Hyong Jik arranged for the meetings in Chongsu-dong and Kwanjon where he saw to it that the nationalist movement in the anti-Japanese national liberation struggle were converted to proletarian revolution. The members of the KNA had been actively engaged in a campaign aimed at disseminating progressive ideas among the proletarian masses, organizing the revolutionary forces with workers and peasants as the mainstay and staging armed activities.

The anti-Japanese national liberation struggle that was in the process of changing its guidelines to proletarian ones suffered a great setback with the demise of Kim Hyong Jik in June Juche 15 (1926). The historical task of national liberation was thus to be shouldered by the great President Kim Il Sung.

New History of the Nation

It was President Kim Il Sung who successfully pioneered the victorious modern history of Korea.

He was born on April 15, Juche 1 (1912) in Mangyongdae, Pyongyang. The birth of the President was a great stroke of luck for the Korean nation an event unprecedented in the history of the nation. From then on, a new chapter was opened in the Korean history and the new origin of the Juche era. It represented the beginning of the era of Juche.

Patriotism and love for the nation and people had been long-lasting tradition in the President's family, which has been the most patriotic and revolutionary family for generations. Thanks to the patriotic education and revolutionary influence of his parents, the President grew up to be a great revolutionary with the help of tireless study, first-hand experiences of thecontradictory realities of the contemporary society and revolutionary practice in a struggle against the Japanese imperialists. Being told by his father that the Korean revolutionaries should know Korea well, he was studying in Changdok School in Korea when he heard the news of his father's arrest in January Juche 14 (1925). He firmly made up' his mind not to return to fatherland without achieving the independence of Korea and left Pyongyang for Fusong. The President's journey to Fusong, crossing River Amnok, has been known in history as the One Thousand-ri Journey for national liberation.

The demise of his father on June 5, Juche 15 (1926) was the most severe loss for the President. He summoned up his courage from the idea of "Aim High" and mustering comrades, preparedness for 3 hardships and two pistols--noble legacy left by his father. He firmly resolved to devote his life to the cause of national liberation, remaining true to the behest of his father.

In June Juche 15 (1926), he went to Huadian to explore a new path of Korean revolution. After his admission to Huachengyishu, the President made profound analysis of the previous theories and progressive ideas of the working class in connection with the reality of Korea. He came to draw the conclusion that revolutionaries should have one's own faith and judgment and pioneer the path of revolution by staying among the people and relying on their strength.

The President gave priority to the work of mustering comrades among the students of Huachengyishu who shared the same will--on the basis of his decision that a new and fresh generation of young communists should be raised, that a powerful vanguard organization should be founded with the young communists as the core and that the popular masses must be awakened to revolutionary consciouness and duly organized. As a result of the great President's efforts, the DIU (that stands for "Down-WithImperialism Union") was founded on October 17, Juche 15 (1926) in Huadian. The DIU set forth as its program the liberation and independence of Korea, building of socialism and communism in Korea and struggle for the victory of communism all over the world.

With the foundation of the DIU and revolutionary struggles by the President, the new era of Korean revolution was opened up. This marked the beginning of the glorious revolutionary cause of Juche.

Advancement of Juche-Oriented Revolutionary Line

After the foundation of the DIU, the President moved his arena of activities to Jilin in order to expand the scope of the revolutionary struggle. From January Juche 16 (1927) he enrolled himself in the Yuwen Middle School, Jilin, and launched revolutionary activities. The Japanese troops stepped up their crack-down by the fall of Juche 8 (1929). In an attempt to strengthen their  military presence in northeastern part of China and stamp out the growth of revolutionary forces, the Japanese imperialists instigated the Chinese reactionary warlords to suppress the activities of Korean revolutionaries.

The President was arrested by the reactionary police in that fall. While being imprisoned from the fall to May Juche 19 (1930), he reviewed and analysed the experiences and lessons left by the Korean national liberation movements and communist movements along with experiences of revolutionary movements in other countries and thus discovered the truth of revolution which later became the starting points of the Juche idea.

The President held a meeting for the cadres of the Communist Youth League and the Anti-Imperialist Youth League in Kalun from June 30 to July 2, Juche 19 (1930). In this meeting, he presented a historic report, entitled "The Path of the Korean Revolution". In his report, he clarified the principles of the Juche idea, defined the character and prime task of Korean revolution and gave full illustration of the strategic and tactical issues aimed at the completion of the task. He defined the character of Korean revolution as the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution. He went on to clarify the driving force and targets of the revolution. He further declared that the revolution should be continued even after the completion of anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution so as to build socialist and communist society and carry forward the world revolution. He said that, in order to fulfill the prime task of the Korean revolution, the anti-Japanese armed struggle must be staged, unified anti-Japanese national front should be formed and a revolutionary party must be founded.

Since then, the anti-Japanese national liberation struggle and communist movement in our country entered a new phase of development, being guided by the Juche idea, Songun idea and Juche-oriented revolutionary line.

the first party organization consisting of the new generation communists was founded in July Juche 19 (1930); it was soot followed by the foundation of the Korean Revolutionary Army the political and paramilitary organization.

Foundation of Revolutionary Armed Forces

On September 18, Juche 20 (1931), Japan fabricated "Manchuria Incident" and invaded Manchuria. The abrupt change in the situation called for immediate launching of armed struggle. All the conditions and possibilities for the organized armed struggle were in place.

The President saw the period as providing a golden chance for the launching of armed struggle. Hence, he arranged a meeting at Migyuegou, Yanji for the cadres of Party and Communist Youth League on December 16, Juche 20 (1931), and delivered the historic speech "On organizing and waging armed struggle against Japanese imperialism". He emphasized the need to mobilize all the patriotic forces in the armed struggle and put forth the strategic policy to organize and conduct armed struggle in the form of guerrilla warfare.

As the task and way of conducting the armed struggle, he pointed out that the anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army (AJPGA) be formed. For this, he said the armed ranks be organized with the young communists as the backbone who were trained in the hardest time of struggle to involve later the progressive young people, and in this way, the guerrilla units would be expanded. He also said that they should arm themselves with the trophies of the enemy weapons while at the same time manufacturing the weapons by their own hands. He also emphasized that small guerrilla units be organized at every local area to gradually develop them into a large revolutionary forces and that guerrilla bases be formed, massive foundation for armed struggle be built up, anti-Japanese united front be formed between the Korean and Chinese people, and for this, he said party organizations be born, the work of the young communist league be further strengthened and the role of party organizations be enhanced.

With the Mingyuegou meeting as a momentum, anti-Japanese war was declared openly to annihilate the Japanese imperialists under the slogan "arms for arms, revolutionary offensive for counter-revolutionary offensive".

After this meeting, President Kim Il Sung worked hard to found the anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army. On the basis of these preparations, the President proclaimed the founding of the Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army, the first revolutionary armed forces at Xiaoshahe, Antu county on April 25, Juche 21 (1932).

The founding was an historical event of bringing about a radical change in the revolutionary struggle of the Korean people. The founding of the AJPGA opened up the new chapter of Songun revolutionary leadership which gave initiative to founding army and lead revolution to victory relying on it.

Setting up of the Guerrilla Bases

As the AJPGA was founded and as the anti-Japanese armed struggle was in a full swing, the work to set up guerrilla bases was conducted in the vast areas along the River Tuman. In accordance with the tasks set forth at the Xiaoshahe meeting in May Juche 21 (1932), this work became more accelerated. Less than in a few months, guerrilla zones were stretched in the vast areas along the River Tuman. The guerrilla zones became the assembling points where a great number of revolutionary people gathered from east Manchuria, home and abroad and different organizations of all strata as well as paramilitary organizations were organized, including party and youth league organizations, Farmers' Association, Anti-Japanese Women's Association, Red Guards, Young Vanguards, and Children's Corps.

True to the policy and lines of President Kim Il Sung at the Xiaoshahe meeting, people's power organs and people's revolutionary government were formed within the guerrilla zones in order to stabilize the life of the people and expand and develop the armed struggle. The people's revolutionary government exercised the democratic reforms and other policies such as land reform all of which were suited to their mission and character. This zone was turned into a new world for the people where they enjoyed political rights and freedom, happy and stable life.

As the guerrilla zones were extended in the wider areas along the River Truman, the Japanese imperialists called them as "cancers of the Orient peace," and they resorted to a punitive operation by putting in huge armed forces to nip them in the bud. The well-known battle in this time was the battle in winter to defend the guerrilla bases in Xiaowangqing between Juche 22 (1933) and Juche 23 (1934). In this punitive operation, the Japanese troops mobilized 5 000-strong crack forces and air units and deployed numerous forces in the guerrilla zones in Yanij, Helung and Hunchun.

However, thanks to the taciturn operation conducted by the President to disturb the enemy from the rear, the punitive operation was crashed into pieces and the defensive battle was crowned with a victory.

Foundation of the ARF

At that time, the movement for the anti-Japanese national united front was conducted in a way that formed the united frontal mass organizations such as mass organizations by class and strata and anti-imperialist unions and later included the various anti-Japanese working people. This resulted in an unaviodable diverse nature in the movement of anti-Japanese national united front.

It is only when one standing united front was formed, it became possible to ensure the sufficient party leadership over the united front work thus to develop this movement in a unified way and further strengthen the massive basis for party foundation by closely combining the anti-Japanese armed struggle and mass movement.

While wisely leading the preparation work for foundation of the Association for the Restoration of the Fatherland, the President left Nanhutou and he personally drafted the program, statute, and declaration for the foundation of the ARF in the whole march to Donggang.

Based on this preparation work, he called the meeting of the military and political cadres of the KPRA at Donggang, Fusong County on May 1-15, Juche 25 (1936). At the meeting, the "10-Point Program of the Association for the Restoration of the Fatherland", the "Statutes of the Association for Restoration of the Fatherland" and the "Inaugural Declaration of the Association for Restoration of the Fatherland" were made public, all of which were personally drafted by the hands of President Kim Il Sung.

The 10-Point Program stipulated the following issues; overthrowing the Japanese rule, establishing a genuine Korean people's government, organizing a revolutionary army prepared to fight for independence of Korea, nationalization of industry and land reform, 8-hour working system, sex equality, compulsory free education and other democratic policies. The meeting also decided to issue the ARF's monthly organ called "March 1".

On May 5, Juche 25 (1936), the ARF was declared in its foundation and he was highly held as its president.

The ARF was a comprehensive and integral united frontal organization with its own independent system enabling itself to rally the anti-Japanese patriotic forces of all strata and was a strong underground revolutionary organization that could conduct more active anti-Japanese national liberation struggle. And this was also an anti-Japanese national united front in which the party leadership was ensured. 

Pochonbo Battle

In the latter half of the 1930s, a new type of guerrilla bases was formed near Mt. Paektu. As the time drew to late autumn in Juche 25 (1936), in the thick forest of Mt. Paektu, secure network of secret camps were formed. Frontline secret camps were stretched out to the shoulder of Mt. Paektu while rear secret camps were extended to the wide surroundings of Mt. Paektu.

As these secret camps were extended, the Korean People's Revolutionary Army could expand its own military and political activities deep into the homeland based on the camps and the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and party over the Korean revolution at large could be further strengthened and the party founding preparatory work could be further accelerated on a nationwide scale with the anti-Japanese armed struggle.

Being in a great awe and discomfort over the advance of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army into the homeland, the Japanese troops threw in "punitive" troops in the areas of Rivers Amnok and Tuman laying the main stress on Mt. Paektu. Being relied on the superb guerrilla tactics, the KPRA units waged one battle another in the southwestern part of Mt. Paektu ranging from November Juche 25 (1936) to February next year giving a death blow to the enemy militarily and politically.

In the meeting held at Sujiang in March Juche 26 (1937), it was decided that a large unit would launch attack against the Japanese imperialists in Korea. The KPRA thus advanced to the fatherland. The main unit led by the President passed through the heavily-guarded border and launched attack on Pochonbo at night on June 4, Juche 26 (1937).

The KPRA wiped out the enemy's ruling organs including the police sub-station and the sub-county administrative office and instilled in the people a firm confidence in victory. The President delivered a speech to the cheering crowd in which he called for an all-out nationwide struggle against Japanese imperialists; the speech was entitled "Let's fight staunchly for the restoration of fatherland".

The battle of Pochonbo not only demonstrated that Korea was still alive but also placed hope in the hearts of the people that Korea could gain national independence and achieve national liberation if all the people fought for it.  

Liberation of Korea

On July 7, Juche 26 (1937), Japan invaded Chinese mainland, having cooked up the so-called "Lugougiao Incident". In an attempt to finish the Sino-Japan War in the shortest possible period and prepare for another war, Japanese imperialists intensified the fascist oppression the crackdown and exploitation of Korean people as never before

The President wisely led the struggle to check. and defeat the Japanese aggression and accelerate the cause of national I iberation. He presided over the Napaizi meeting late in Juche 27 (1938) in order to tackle the difficulties standing in the way of the Korean revolution and put forward proposals for the continued upsurge in the revolution.

In a strategic move to actively unfold military and political activities near the border around Mt. Paektu, the KPRA units left Napaizi for the area. This march was recorded in history as the unprecedented "Arduous March". The main unit of the KPRA crossed River Amnok and moved into the homeland in May Juche 28 (1939).

Cornered by the KPRA's activities in the Musan area and in the area northeast of Mt. Paektu, the Japanese imperialists mobilized over 200 000-strong army to launch the so-called "Large Scale Punitive Operations". The President proposed the large unit circuit operations to counter the enemy's moves. In response to his order, the KPRA  units launched the large unit circuit operations and dealt a telling blow to the enemies.

The World War II that started with Fascist Germany's invasion upon Poland in September Juche 28 (1939) rapidly spread across the world.Without completing their war on Chinese mainland, the Japanese imperialists were also trying to launch a new war in Southeast Asia.

In August Juche 39 (1940), the President who penetrated deep into domestic and foreign situations, convened the meeting of military and political cadres of the KPRA at Xiaohaerbaling, where he set out the new strategic line of switching over small unit activities from large unit activities to meet the great event of national liberation flexibly, having clarified that the fall of Japanese imperialism was inevitable.

As the final battle drew nearer, the KPRA's small unit operations worked on positively. After the defeat of Fascist Germany, the preparation for the final battle of national liberation was in a full swing. The dawn of national liberation was breaking. On the basis of mapping out the detailed plan for the final offensive operation, the President gave orders to all the units of the KPRA to launch the general attack for national liberation. The KPRA units smashed Japanese imperialists and advanced into the homeland.  

The KPRA small units and political workers who were already dispatched operating in the theatre organized and agitated armed units consisting of people, organizations for the armed rebellion and the popular masses to armed uprising. They mounted attacks on Japanese ruling bodies all over the country, disturbed the enemy's rear and supported the operations of the advancing KPRA units. 

Under the fierce attacks mounted by the KPRA and active nation-wide uprising, Japan declared its unconditional surrender on 15 August, Juche 34 (1945). The heroic anti-Japanese armed struggle of the Korean revolutionaries and people led by President Kim Il Sung achieved a brilliant victory, and thus Korea was liberated.  

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Ancient History

The Birth and Development of Human Beings

From the first period of mankind the Korean nation has continuously lived on this land. They developed into an "old type of Korean man" and modern Korean man through primitive, Paleolithic, Neolithic Men in the course of evolution process.

The primitive remains excavated in Korea such as Komunmoru Remains in Sangwon County, Pyongyang, Taehyon-dong Remains in Ryokpho District, Pyongyang and Sungrisan Remains in Tokchon City, South Phyongan Province mean the primitive man (Komunmoru Remains) developed into a Palaeolithic Man ("Ryokpho Man") and Neolithic Man ("Sungrisan Man"). Especially Pyongyang area is endowed with remains and relics representing different periods of primitive society including the fossils of mankind showing the successive stage of evolution.

These prove that Korean people originated and developed around Pyongyang. They produced wealth through the creative activities to reform the nature and society and advanced the society step by step via the period of primitive community, matriarchal clan society, consanguinean clan society to a class society.

Ancient Kingdoms

Kojoson (Ancient Korea)

Kojoson is the first slave-owning state in the Korean history. Tangun, founder of the state established it early in the 30th century BC. It existed till 108 BC in vast areas, of Northeast Asia around Pyongyang. The capital was Pyongyang. Kojoson was the powerful kingdom wide-known to neighboring countries with its integral ruling system and developed economy. It had a statute "8 Provisions of Violating of Bans", three provisions of which have been transmitted up to now.

Developed from early period of its establishment were agriculture (rice, foxtail millet, barley, Indian millet, bean and etc.), stock-farming, handicraft (especially the pipha-shaped dagger, narrow brass dagger, bronze mirror with small striped patterns and etc.) and foreign trade. They used ironware before the 12th century BC, and further produced and used carbon tool steel through dry metallurgical process by the 7th century BC.

Puyo

Puyo Puyo was one of the duchies of Ancient Korea, but in the 15th century or so it became free from Ancient Korea. Its capital was Yesong (Jilin region today). Agriculture (Indian millet, foxtail millet, bean, millet and barley), stock-farming and handicraft (pipha-shaped dagger, narrow brass dagger and etc.) were developed in the country. By the spread of iron extracting technology around the 5th century BC, iron culture was developed.

However, the socio-class contradiction became acute from the 3rd century BC and the national power was on the decline, thus it was ruined in 219 BC by Koguryo, newly emerged powerful kingdom.  

Kuryo

Kuryo was one of the duchies of Ancient Korea, but became free around the mid-15th century. Its capital was Jolbon (Hwanin area, Liaoning, China today). Developed in the country were agriculture and handicraft (especially bronze ware and ironware). At the early 3rd century BC Ko Ju Mong seized Kwarubu, one of the five administrative districts and established Koguryo, thus the country was ruined.

Jinguk

Jinguk was one of the ancient states existed in the southern part. It is separated from Ancient Korea and became an independent slave-owning kingdom before the 12th century BC. Its capital was Woljiguk (Jiksan region, South Chungchong Province today) and later moved to Kumma (Iksan region, South Jolla Province today).

Developed in Jinguk were agriculture (rice, wheat, barley, bean, foxtail millet), handicraft (especially ironware, bronze ware and silk), commerce, foreign trade and so on. Jinguk people who created developed economy and culture sailed across the Japanese archipelago to disseminate the advanced culture and made a great contribution to the development of Japan's ancient culture.

It began to collapse early in the 3rd century BC and minor countries like Paekje Minor State in Mahan region, Saro Minor State in Jinhan region and Kaya Feudal State in Pyonhan region. But later early in the first century the minor countries were incorporated with Pakeje, thus it brought ruin of Jinguk.

Feudal States

Koguryo

Koguryo was the first feudal state founded by King Tongmyong (Ko Ju Mong) in 277 BC. Its first capital was Jolbon but later moved to Jian, China and Pyongyang in 427. Koguryo was the most powerful state in the Korean history. It had developed economy and culture which was in the van of the three kingdoms and played the key role.

Its science and culture were considerably developed, in particular, astronomy and fine arts including drawing, handicraft and sculpture. It had its independent astronomical chart at the end of 5th century to the early 6th century and mural paintings in the underground preserve their vivid colours and the art of drawing. It prospered for nearly a millennium and was ruined in 668.

Paekje

As one of the feudal states established at the end of the first century BC among the minor countries in Paekje area with the acceleration of feudalization. The capital was Hansong (Kwangju, Kyonggi Province today), but moved to Ungjin (Kongju, South Chungchong Province today) and Sabi (Puyo, South Chungchong Province today) in 538.

Pakje had developed agriculture (rice, barley, bean and etc), handicraft (metallurgy and metal processing) transport and foreign trade. The metal processed goods including gold crown, gold earrings, gold bracelets and the "Sword of Paekje with 3 blades at each side" show metal processing of it were in high level. Science of several fields like astronomy, geography and medical science were also developed as well as literature and fine art.

Its science and technology gave a considerable influence to Japan. Its technologists helped building of varieties of temples including the Temple of Four Devas, Horyuji Temple, Pophung Temple, Popgi Temple and Paekje Temple. It was ruined in the mid-7th century by Silla conspired with Tang dynasty.

Silla

Silla existed from early or mid-first century BC to 935. Its capital was Kyongju. Silla existed in the period of Three Kingdoms were called Former Silla (Early or mid-first century-mid -7th century) and Silla appeared later called as Later Silla (mid-7th century-935).

It had developed agriculture and handicraft. Especially it was in high level of gold and silver work. For example, the well-known gold crown excavated from the Silla Tomb of gold crown proves the fact. Casting technique was also developed. The Buddhist Saint of Hwangnyong Temple was cast in copper (more than 210 000 kg) and plated with gold at one heat in 574.

Meteorology, astronomy, architecture and other science and technology were also developed. Astronomical observatory built in the first half of 7th century in Kyongju has been world-famous and a long-lasting precious cultural legacy of the nation among the remaining observatory remains. 9-story pagoda of Hwangnyong Temple, Tabo Pagoda of Bulguk Temple and Shakyamuni Pagoda are evidencing the developments of architectural technique during the Silla dynasty.

A peasant war was swept over the nation at the end of 9th century. In this turmoil, the schemers established Later Paekje and Thaebong State. Thus, three kingdoms existed in Later Silla. This period is called the period of Later Three Kingdoms in the Korean history.

King Kyongsun, last king of Later Silla personally went to Koryo with the royal family to surrender to it, and this led to the downfall of Silla.

Palhae

Palhae inherited Koguryo. It has existed from 698 to 926. It took a vast land and enjoyed a state power, and it developed the economy and culture while displaying the wisdom and dignity of the nation. Its capital was Tongmosan (Wudongcheng in Dunha).

Agriculture (foxtail millet, barley, bean and sorghum), hunting, livestock husbandry, fishing, handicraft (hemp, silk and porcelain), commerce and foreign trade were developed. Palhae which inherited the culture of preceded Koguryo developed mathematics, astronomy, calendar science and other sciences. It can be proved from the fact that 0 Hyo Sin, scholar of Palhae went over to Japan in 859 to deliver an astronomical calendar called Sonmyongryok and taught how to use.

It ended its existence in 926 due to the aggression by the Kitan who took an advantage of the weak state power caused by the internal conflicts and corruption within the rulers from the beginning of the 10th century.

Koryo

Koryo was a feudal state which existed from 918 to 1392, founded by Wanggon. Its capital was Kaesong. As soon as Palhae was collapsed, Koryo inherited a unified policy of Koguryo, winning the ruined people over to its side. On the other hand, it has merged Later Silla in 935 and Later Paekje in 936, thus it achieved its cause to unify the land. So there appeared the first unified state in the Korean history.

Its culture was much more superior compared with other cultures. People in Koryo advanced publishing by inventing metallic types. Its fame was displayed with the Koryo Celadon treasured by the world people for its peculiar color, pattern and shape, shipbuilding and invention of gunpowder and its weapons.

Koryo with developed economy, culture, science and technology has been come down as Corea. Koryo saw its end in 1392 by Ri Song Gye and his followers who, with an ambition for power, staged a coup d'etat to overthrow the king.

Ri Dynasty

Ri dynasty ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. It was the last feudal state in the Korean peninsula. Korea was known as Joson by then. However, to differentiate it from either the Kojoson or modern Korea, it is commonly referred to as Ri dynasty or Korea under Ri's rule--named after the royal family.

Korean people, during the Ri dynasty, made their country known all over the world by inventing rain gauge made of iron, creating Hunminjongum, the Korean alphabet and building Kobukson, the world-first armored battleship and thus greatly contributed to the development of science and technology of the mankind.

The Japanese imperialists colonized Korea by cooking up the unlawful "Five Point Korea-Japan Treaty" in November 1905, and subsequently fabricated the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" in 1910. Koreans were thus deprived of their country

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