Marking the passing of Kim Jong Il

 By New Worker correspondent

Michael Chant, Andy Brooks and Hyong Hak Bong speaking

 FRIENDS of Democratic Korea returned to the John Buckle Centre in south London last weekend to mark the 2^nd anniversary of the passing of dear leader Kim Jong Il and show their solidarity following the purge of the hidden traitor Jang Song Thaek.

The event, at the south London headquarters of the RCPB (ML), was chaired by New Communist Party leader Andy Brooks and it opened with a powerful baritone rendition of the Song of General Kim Jong Il by one of the DPRK London diplomats accompanied by the violinist Leslie Larkum. This was followed by Changing Sorrow Into Strength, a short film about Koreans’ grief at the loss of their leader. But the highlight of the evening was the opening by the DPRK ambassador, Hyong Hak Bong, on the life of Kim Jong Il and the crimes and punishment of Jang and his counter-revolutionary faction.

All these points were taken up during discussion by other members of the committee including Michael Chant of the RCPB (ML)), Dermot Hudson of the UK Korean Friendship Association and John McLeod from the Socialist Labour Party (SLP).

Michael, who is the FoK secretary, then moved a solidarity message that was endorsed by acclaim to end the formal part of the meeting, which closed with drinks and a buffet of Korean food.

The Co-ordinating Committee of Friends of Korea 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 and it holds meetings in London throughout the year.