Salute the Workers' Party of Korea!

Shaun Pickford, Dermot Hudson and Alex Meads speaking

By New Worker Correspondent

Korean solidarity activists celebrated the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party of Korea on Saturday 3rd October  at a meeting organised by Juche Idea Study Group and the Korean Friendship Association (KFA). New Communist Party comrades, including general secretary Andy Brooks and Central Committee member Daphne Liddle, joined supporters of the Korean revolution in marking this important date in the Korean calendar at a hall in central London last weekend.

 Keynote speakers Dermot Hudson, Shaun Pickford and Thae Yong Ho from the London embassy of the DPR Korea, outlined the fighting history of the Korean communist movement supported by others including NCP leader Andy Brooks, Alex Meads and David Munoz on different aspects of the Korean revolution.

The WPK was founded on 10th October 1945 by great leader Kim Il Sung. Since its birth the WPK has led the Korean revolution and socialist construction, performing tremendous feats. Under the guidance of the respected leader Kim Jong Un, the WPK is now leading the drive to build a thriving and impregnable socialist country.

Dermot Hudson said: "The Workers' Party of Korea which was, 70 years ago, founded on October 10th originally as the Communist Party of North Korea by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung and is led today by the great leader comrade Kim Jong Un is a Juche type party totally different to both bourgeois parties such as Tory and New Labour and also to the former ruling parties of the socialist countries.

“It is different because it is rooted the popular masses. It was not formed as a result of a sudden decision but its formation was a process that actually spanned several decades starting with the formation of the Down with Imperialism Union on October 17th 1926 by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung. Indeed the process did not come to an end on October 10th 1945 but a further merger of parties took place in 1946 between the Communist Party of North Korea and the New Democratic Party to form the Workers' Party of North Korea. This prevented the forces of the working masses being split.

 “In 1949 the Workers' Party of North Korea merged with the Workers' Party of South Korea to form a unified party for the whole of Korea the Workers Party of Korea. Indeed the road travelled by the Workers' Party of Korea since October 10th 1945 has been one of continuous struggle, development and consolidation....

“The WPK is proudly known throughout the world, from Sao Paulo to Vladivostok, for its struggle for socialism and its anti-US, anti-imperialist struggle. It is known as an invincible iron-willed party of Juche! Under the leadership of dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un the WPK is continuing the anti-imperialist and anti-revisionist traditions of the Workers’ Party of Korea”.

NCP leader Andy Brooks said: "The Workers' Party of Korea has led the Korean revolution performing tremendous feats in socialist construction, defeating US imperialism, beating the US-led economic blockade and overcoming natural disasters to become a nuclear power and a modern socialist society that serves the people throughout their lives. The revolutionary struggle was led by  the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung and dear leader comrade Kim Jong Il . Today leader Kim Jong Un follows their footsteps at the helm of the party ".

 Alex Meads  spoke on the foreign policy of the Workers' Party of Korea . He explained that the WPK  and DPRK's foreign policy is based on independence, peace and friendship . He praised the DPRK 's noble proletarian internationalist assistance to Cuba and Vietnam in their struggle against US imperialism . He said that the foreign relations of the WPK are rapidly expanding.

 This was taken up by David Munoz who thanked the Workers' Party of Korea for its contribution to the world communist movement and said that the WPK is the vanguard of the world communist movement.

After the speeches everyone joined the Korean comrades for a party to celebrate the foundation of the WPK and everyone thought it was an afternoon well-spent at the Chadswell Centre in central London.

The UK Korean Friendship Association (KFA) organises solidarity meetings and protest pickets in London throughout the year. The KFA also works side by side with the Friends of Korea committee which also holds regular events in the capital.