Remembering Kim Jong Il

Mun Myong Sin calls for solidarity

By New Worker correspondent 

LONDON comrades and friends gathered last Saturday to mark the “Day of the Shining Star”, the anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il, and to celebrate the continued advances of the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and their contribution to international peace and progress.

A film on the significance of Kim Jong Il’s life and work was shown, along with a photo exhibition on the work of the DPRK leader, who sadly passed away in December 2011, as well as portraying Democratic Korea’s recent technological, cultural and architectural achievements.

Addressing the meeting Comrade Mun Myong Sin from the DPRK embassy in London said that tensions are currently growing in the Korean peninsula due to the West’s interference.

Commenting on the recent UN Security Council sanctions imposed on the DPRK, Mun pointed out that the DPRK’s neighbours have launched hundreds of satellites for peaceful use, “but the Western media portray the launch of satellite by the DPRK as a threat”. He concluded by saying: “We really appreciate your support at this time, and for helping us to build socialism in our country”.

Michael Chant from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (ML) exposed the unfairness of the new UN Security Council sanctions, and declared his full support for the DPRK’s independent right to pursue the peaceful exploration of space.

Dermot Hudson from the Juché Idea study group said: “The commemoration of the anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il is always celebrated by the Korean people as their greatest national holiday, as well by Juché Idea followers throughout the world. Now, with the threats by the US imperialists and others against the DPRK, it takes on even greater significance as celebrating it is actually a profound and meaningful act of solidarity with People's Korea in the face of these threats.

“Taking advantage of the collapse of socialism in several countries, the imperialists made a fuss about the end of socialism itself. The imperialists and those who turned their backs on the socialist cause resorted to despicable smear campaigns against socialism to justify their argument on the end of socialism. They directed the spearhead of their offensive to Korea that remained as a bulwark of socialism.

“At this critical juncture Chairman Kim Jong Il clarified the scientific accuracy and truth of socialism and the inevitability of its victory through his energetic ideological and theoretical activities, dealing a resolute counter-attack to the imperialists’ manoeuvres against socialism.

“He published a series of works including The Historical Lesson in Building Socialism and the General Line of Our Party, Abuses of Socialism Are Intolerable and Socialism Is a Science so as to lay bare the absurdity of the slanders and abuses of the imperialists”.

The meeting was a fitting tribute to the memory of the Kim Jong Il’s revolutionary contribution, and a timely gesture of solidarity when imperialism is renewing its pressure and threats against the people of Democratic Korea.

The meeting, at the Marchmont Centre in the heart of the capital, was organised by the Co-ordinating Committee of Friends of Korea which consists of the European Regional Society for the Study of the Juché Idea, UK Korean Friendship Association, New Communist Party of Britain, Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) and the Socialist Labour Party. It holds public meetings in London throughout the year.