Dependence and Self-Reliance

THE expression self-reliance is in vogue in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Fifth Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in December last year called on the people for self-reliance and to strengthen their internal power. Why is the DPRK emphasizing self-reliance?

Dependence and Brilliant Transformation

The DPRK needs external environment favorable for its economic construction, which is its main task. The hostile forces including the US are saying that they would help the DPRK achieve economic development while demanding that the latter give up its nuclear deterrent. Suppose they keep their promise and the DPRK opt for a brilliant transformation.

The core part of the economic development will be controlled by the big powers, and the developed countries will never give up their monopoly of the cutting-edge technology and development of equipment; they will offer equipment and related technical service to the DPRK, and very expensively at that, but not their core technology.

The foreign forces will control the factories that constitute the lifeblood of the national economy even though the factories are situated in the DPRK. The financial system based on the dollars will tightly control the DPRK: if the DPRK would not listen to what the foreign forces have to say, they will drive its economy to ruin in a moment like Soros did to the Thai economy in the 1990s.

The same will be true of national defence. Geopolitically, the DPRK is situated in a place where interests of big powers are acutely intertwined. If the DPRK continues to take the road of independence after giving up nuclear deterrent, it cannot escape the fate of Libya. The DPRK will have no other choice but to live as a slave of big powers.

Self-Reliance and Dignity

The people of the DPRK want to live as masters even though they may go hungry 2 rather than to live as slaves. From the historical point of view, the outside forces persistently tried to control the country. The imperialists started to impose sanctions on it already in the early days of its founding. The great-power chauvinists inside the socialist camp put unfair economic pressure on it.

The slogan the DPRK put forward at that time was self-reliance. It realized socialist industrialization in only 14 years by dint of self-reliance.

And by the 1980s it achieved a comparatively high standard of economic development by building an independent national economy. It provided all the people with jobs and houses free of charge. Free education and free medical care systems were introduced well before the developed countries in the West did. Its people enjoyed a dignified life even though not luxurious. No big power could dare to provoke the country.

Self-Reliance and Its Destination

Today when the integration of the world economy has been realized, many people are sceptical that they could achieve prosperity by their own efforts only. The DPRK proved with the successes it achieved in the year 2019 that it is possible. The Fifth Plenary Meeting of the Seventh Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea called on to take a bigger stride with the spirit of achieving prosperity by the country’s efforts. The possibility is that all the Korean people unanimously support the determination of the WPK and the government. They call it single-hearted unity.

The foundation of their independent national economy is continuing to get stronger even under the sanctions. They have the strong power of science and technology. Their country has possessed ultra-modern weapons system which only the countries with advanced defiance science and technology have. And all the sectors of the national economy are showing the sign of growth. Everyone knows that the hostile forces have no more bargaining chips in their relations with the DPRK.

The sanctions to check the advance of the DPRK is limited but not the potential of its self-reliance. The successes the DPRK has achieved in building up its defence capability prove this. The DPRK would prove it in its economic development, too.

Ethiopia and Self-reliance

Self-reliance is very important for the country and the society itself. A country without independence is always serving for other country rather than their own country and nation under the cover of globalization followed by different sanctions and military intervention.

In our country , Ethiopia is constructing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which is a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan. It will be the largest hydropower project in Africa. The project which is important for self-reliance in the economy is fully financed by the government by mobilizing the all citizen. No financial aid is involved from other country and donors.

The US government tries to intervene from the negotiation with in three countries about Nile river by pretending they have a concern for Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. The US and the World Bank's role does seem to have extended beyond being observers and actually they have been involved in drafting an agreement, obviously using the input of the negotiators from the three countries, and it's that draft agreement which Ethiopia has rejected. After refusing the proposal by Ethiopia government the US start to impose by cutting development aids , but our country and nation continued the construction and filling the dam.

Our prime minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed showed them how our country and nation have their own Sovereignty and independence .we do have our own golden history a country never colonized by westerns.

The economy construction in DPRK which is depend self-reliance and self-development is an exemplary for the whole world. My Country Ethiopia also following home grown economy depending on Self-reliance.