• International E-seminar in Celebration of the 80th Birth Anniversary of General Kim Jong Il

 

I am feeling proud and glad by sending a few words to the e-seminar organized to mark the Day of the Shining Star. I fear, it would be a repetition to iterate that the conscientious people of Korea have conferred the adoration of the Shining Star to a great person of Mount Paektu, none other than the great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il.

He is one of the world renowned Great Leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who had been chosen as the successor to the Great Leader of the Korean revolution, President Kim Il Sung by the Korean Communists through the democratic process of the Workers' Party of Korea in 1974.

He has honored the choice through his splendid contributions to the Juche revolution of Korea. As his 80th birth anniversary falls in February this year, it is being celebrated as the 80th anniversary Day of the Shining Star, not only by the Korean people, but also by the progressive people across the globe.

Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il, born in February 16, 1942 at the anti-Japanese revolutionary secret camp established in the dense forest of Paektu mountain, was reared amidst the fire of the anti-Japanese armed struggle. He grew up amidst the revolutionary upheaval and the great Fatherland Liberation war of 1950-53.

The revolutionary environment of his family and the then Korean society tempered him as the dedicated patriot and Juche revolutionary. Fulfilling the given responsibilities with flying colors in the Youth League, the production and construction works, military training and University studies, he joined the WPK in July 1961 and began to work in the Central Committee of the WPK since June 19, 1964. Later, on September 1973 he was elected as a secretary of the Party Central Committee. He was unanimously elected a member of the political committee of the CC of the WPK in February, 1974.

Comrade Kim Jong Il contributed tremendously to the ideological as well as the organizational building of the Party and establishing the monolithic ideological system in the Party. Juche idea, the man-centered ideology which maintains that man is not only the master of himself but he can also change the society and the nature, propounded by the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, has been conscientiously upheld by Comrade Kim Jong Il.

He not only applied creatively the Juche idea in solving the problems of revolution and construction of Korea, but also contributed tremendously to establish its contiguity and relation with Marxism-Leninism. He published many articles and treatises proving that not only both of them can go together, but naturally they are going together. Successfully built Juche-based Party and socialism in the DPRK are Marxist-Leninist Party and socialism of Korean style. And, in this respect, huge credit goes to Comrade Kim Jong Il.

During the fall of 1980's and the beginning of 1990's, due to several internal and external reasons socialism in east European countries and in the Soviet Union collapsed. Imperialists and rightists were politically pounding against the remaining a few socialist countries, Marxism-Leninism, socialism and Communist Parties of different countries.

DPRK was in their hit-list and was facing a difficult time-pressures and threats. In such a situation, Comrade Kim Jong Il was elected as Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army by the CC of the WPK in December 1991 and Chairman of the Commission of National Defense of the DPRK by the Supreme People's Assembly in April 1993. Thus he was put on the grave responsibility of defense of the socialism as well as that of the DPRK.

In the mean time, there occurred the untimely painful demise of the Great Leader President Kim Il Sung on July 8, 1994. Overcoming the great sorrow, Comrade Kim Jong Il assumed the responsibility of leading the Party, army and the people.

In course of time, Comrade Kim Jong Il was officially elected as the General Secretary of the WPK in October 1997 by the unanimous desire of the entire Party-members, army men and the people and Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK by the Supreme People's Assembly on September 5, 1998.

The international situation was developing bad to worse for the DPRK due to the hostile policy of the US imperialists. There were imperialists' threats and sections against the DPRK and even the draught and floods like natural calamities were causing havoc on the Korean people.

In such a critical situation, Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il, holding high the banner of Juche idea and sticking fast to the revolutionary mettle of the early revolutionary years brought forward the Songun Politics for defending the DPRK and building Juche-Socialism to make people well-fed, self-reliant and prosperous. Earlier in March 1993, when the imperialist had put military pressure against the DPRK, under the pretext of "nuclear issue", he had proclaimed a semi-war state throughout the country and withdrawn from the Non-proliferation Treaty.

In such a situation, Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il, gave emphasis on enhancing the defense capabilities of the country in accordance with the Juche policy of self-reliance in national defense. Advancing along the orientation outlined by Comrade Kim Jong Il guided by the Juche idea, the present day DPRK has turned out to be a 'small country but a strong power' to whom no power in the world can undermine.

At present whoever talks about the DPRK, he will be talking about the Juche Korea. And, whoever talks about Juche Korea, he cannot remain aloof without talking about Kim Jong Il, because they are intertwined with one another. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary Day of the Shining Star, the 80th birth anniversary of Comrade Kim Jong Il, I would like to pay him the highest tribute. Red salute to him with honor and appreciation!!