Workers Party of Korea, 75 Years of Leadership-Struggle and Faithfully Serving the People

THE founding of the Workers Party of Korea 75years ago on the 10th October 1945 by President Kim Il Sung was both a significant and historical event for the Korean people and the world revolutionary movement.

Liberated from the yoke of Japanese military fascist on the 15th August 1945 by the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (KPRA) under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung, the Korean people under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung, General Kim Jong Il and now Marshal Kim Jong Un and the Workers Party of Korea have overcome all of the difficulties that have confronted them and have achieved victory after victory in the development of the economy, in the fields of science, technology and in defence of their Fatherland and the preservation of peace.

To fully understand these significant and historical achievements the lessons of history and the courageous struggle of the Korean people against the Japanese occupiers must be fully understood and appreciated as a main factor in the founding of the Workers Party of Korea.

While the Korean people in the early stage of resistance had waged a courageous struggle against the Japanese militarist occupiers by forming pockets of Korean guerrilla resistance their struggle lacked a proper direction and ideological perspective. Recognising this serious weakness, President Kim Il Sung formed the “Down with Imperialism Union” (DIU) October 1926, which for the first time provided the Korean people struggle against the Japanese a fundamental anti-imperialist revolutionary outlook. The formation of the DIU was an historic announcement heralding a new start of the Korean revolution and an epoch event provided a milestone of a radical turn in shaping the destiny of the future of Korea and its independence.

The formation of the DIU also provided fertile ground for the roots of the WPK to grow. Under the banner of the DIU the anti-Japanese armed ranks were organised and the arm struggle against the Japanese took a new direction in waging an anti-imperialist national independence struggle.

President Kim Il Sung also understood that a political force needed to be enhanced with a well-organised military force and on 25th April 1932 formed the Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army (which was renamed the Korean People's Revolutionary Army)  and at the formation ceremony President Kim Il Sung made a speech and the following words are extracts from that speech;

“Comrades,
Today we are organising an Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army in order to crush the brandish Japanese Imperialists through an armed struggle and achieve the historic cause of national liberation."

“Our people have now risen with determination and are fighting everywhere in the teeth of the Japanese imperialists barbarities. The workers and peasants are replying with violence to counter fascist repression by Japanese imperialism, and groups of active patriotic are seeking a new way of struggle.”

With the formation of the KPRA (Korean People’s Revolutionary Army), the struggle of the Korean people against the barbaric Japanese Militarists Fascists took a new direction with a proper ideological perspective, it became a struggle for national independence, a strong unity of the army and the people was developed and consolidated, the birth of Songun politics had arrived. The Korean people went over to the offensive and the KPRA scored a huge military victory against far superior Japanese forces at the battle of Pochonbo on June 4th 1937.

President Kim Il Sung put forward the motto that guerrillas cannot exist without people just like fish cannot exist out of water and saw that the guerrillas always strengthen the bonds of kinship with the people. This was the strength of the KPRA unity between the people and the army. The military victory of the battle of Pochonbo clearly demonstrated that the Japanese military forces, although superior both in numbers and weapons could be defeated and the Pochonbo victory encouraged the KPRA and the people to ever new heights in their struggle against the Japanese Militarists.

With liberation the Korean people faced the massive task of rebuilding their economy due to the scorch earth policy of the Japanese occupiers Korea was left in ruins. Most of its infrastructure had been destroyed, mines flooded, power stations and transmission lines destroyed, roads and rail network disabled.

Formation of Workers' Party of Korea

However too successfully rebuild the economy substantial political and ideological changes needed to be implemented to the political landscape that would serve the best interest of the working people and the peasantry. Fully understanding this fundamental need President Kim Il Sung initiated the formation of “People's Committee” who instituted popular policies of land redistribution, industry nationalisation, labour law reform and equality for women. While the People's Committee served an essential purpose in the immediate period President Kim Il Sung recognised that the future of Korea required a political party that represented the class interest of the Korean working people, peasantry and the progressive intellectuals.

For this purpose existing communist groups were reorganised as a party and 10th October 1945 local Communist Party Committees were combined to form the North Korean Communist Party (NKCP). In August 1946 NKCP merged with the New Peoples Party to form the Workers Party of North Korea and on 30th June 1946 the present day Workers Party of Korea (WPK) was formed by the merger between the Workers Party of North Korea and the Workers Party of South Korea.

However the period of peace for the Korean people and the opportunity to rebuild their shattered economy was short lived. On September 8th 1945 US military forces masquerading under the false flag of Liberators landed at Incheon under the command of Lt. General John R. Hodge who then took charge of the government in the South. Four days before he arrived in Korea, Hodge told his officers that Korea “was and enemy of the United States” and arbitrarily divided Korea at the 38th parallel.

On the 25th June 1950 the Korean people where once again defending their Fatherland against the military might of US Imperialism. Under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and the WPK and against the mightiest military force in the world the Korean people waged a tremendous and courageous struggle that forced the US military to sign an armistices agreement 27th July 1953. For the Korean people this date signifies the Victory of the Fatherland Liberation War.

Following the victory of the Fatherland Liberation War, the Korean people rebuilt their ravaged country,  while at the same time simultaneously undertaking three revolutions, Ideological, Technological and Cultural, providing the foundations for the development of a Juche orientated socialist state with the might and arms of Songun politics, further strengthening the unshakable unity of the WPK, army and people.

On the 8th July 1994 the Korean people suffered a great loss with the demise of their beloved leader President Kim Il Sung and the mantle of leadership was placed upon the shoulders of General Kim Jong Il. Worse still the country was facing even more hostilities from the US with sanctions and military threats while at the same time confronted with unprecedented natural disasters. It was a period that the Korean people describe as the “Arduous March.”

Despite all the difficulties that confronted the Korean people during this time of intense economic pressure and outside hostilities and the tremendous social costs, the Korean people maintained their faith in WPK leadership and Korean socialism and defied all the US predictions that it was only a matter of time before the collapse was imminent.

After enduring some years of immense struggle and pressure the Korean people sustained the worst and emerged from the period of the Arduous March stronger ideologically and politically with even a greater determination to defy US militarism and continue the path of building a powerful prosperous socialist country under the leadership of the WPK and General Kim Jong Il.

At the same time and true to President Kim Il Sung policy of reunification General Kim Jong Il continued to promote reunification as a core policy of the DPRK. As a result of his efforts to continue the legacy of President Kim Il Sung, the first inter-Korean summit meeting was held between General Kim Jong Il and Kim Dae-Jung in June 2000 in Pyongyang and adopted there the June 15th North-South Declaration with the core principle of “By Our Nation Itself.”

Korean People Suffer Huge Loss

Sadly on the 17th December 2011, the Korean people suffered a huge loss with the unexpected demise of General Kim Jong Il. At the time of General Kim Jong Il demise the DPRK and its people were under sustained pressure as a result of U.S hostilities and tensions on the Korean peninsula were at an all time high.

Despite the loss of their Great General the Korean people remained undaunted and continued to rebuff all of U.S. machinations and at the fourth conference of the WPK 11th April 2012 Marshal Kim Jong Un was elected leader of the WPK under the newly created title “First Secretary” with the previous position of General Secretary being bestowed eternally to General Kim Jong Il.

Facing off all of the threats of US Imperialism Marshal Kim Jong Un continued to implement the legacies of both President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il of strengthening both the defence of the country and improving all aspects of the economy while at the same time seeking to improve inter-Korean relations. By the end of 2017 the DPRK had became a nuclear state with its borders secured from any US Military threat.

In his 2018 New Year address to the Korean people Marshal Kim Jong Un put forward far reaching proposals designed to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and improve both Inter-Korean and US relations.

As a result of those proposals inter-Korean relations gathered pace and on April 27th 2018 the historic summit between Marshal Kim Jong Un and South President Moon Jae-In was held at the House of Peace at Panmunjom. The summit lasted one day and was a huge success for all the Korean people and those who support the principle of the reunification of the Korean nation and the Korean peninsula becoming a zone of peace. The declaration adopted by the two leaders and announced to the world is titled “Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula.” The success of the summit culminated in two more highly successful summits being held further enhancing inter-Korean relations.

Positive Rapid Changes

As a result of positive rapid changes taking place on the Korean peninsula the US found themselves on the sidelines and momentum gathered pace of the unthinkable, an official summit between the DPRK and the US, such were the dynamics of changes taking place without the US involvement and on the 12th June 2018 the first historic summit between the DPRK and the US took place in Singapore. While the outcome of the Singapore summit was considered to be highly successful with the adoption four point statement of principles in support of peace and better relations the subsequent summit held in Hanoi 27th February 2019 ended in disarray primarily as a result of the US failure to offer any concessions on sanctions relief in return for the DPRK genuine offers to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Since the Hanoi summit US has continued its aggressive policies against Korea and its people refusing to consider any relieve of the unjust and illegal sanctions enforced by the UN. Despite the sanctions and continue military economic threats from US Imperialism the Korean people under the wise leadership of Chairman Kim Jong Un and the WPK are gaining in strength and confidence as they continue their trailblazing success in developing their economy and consolidating their socialist homeland.

On the 10th October the Korean people will have great cause to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of their revolutionary party, a party that is a beacon for the world revolutionary movement, and that provides confidence and inspiration in the struggle for peace, socialism and the emancipation of humankind.

Long Live the Workers Party of Korea.
Korea is One.

Raymond Ferguson
National Secretary
Australia–DPRK Friendship and Cultural Society

Joint Secretary
Asia Pacific Regional Committee for Korea's Peaceful Reunification (APRCKPR)

Secretariat Member
Organizing Committee of the International Festival in Praise of the Great Persons Mt Paketu (OCIFPGPP)