The eternal memory of Kim Jong Il

Alex Kempshall speaks in solidarity

by New Worker correspondent

Friends and comrades returned to the Marchmont Centre in London last Saturday to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the passing away of dear leader Kim Jong Il who devoted his life to serving the Korean people. Organised by the Korean Friendship Association (KFA) speakers included Dermot Hudson of the KFA, Shaun Pickford and Alex Meads. Kim Song Gi, Minister Counsellor from the DPR Korea embassy also spoke while New Communist Party national chair Alex Kempshall delivered a solidarity message during the meeting.

Dear leader Kim Jong Il died at his post, whilst on a train giving on-the-spot guidance, on 17th December 2011. His entire life had been dedicated the revolutionary movement that was founded by Kim Il Sung, and the young militants around him, to fight the Japanese colonialists and build a modern communist party that would lead the Korean workers and peasants to a new life under socialism. Building a guerrilla army that took on the might of the Japanese Empire, great leader Kim Il Sung mobilised the masses in a struggle that ended in victory in 1945 and the establishment of a people’s government in the north of the country.

The Workers’ Party of Korea, with Kim Il Sung at the helm, led the battle for land reform, education and socialist construction in the 1950s and 1960s, and then pushed forward on the engineering, technical and scientific fronts to build a modern socialist republic where every individual worker is master of his or her own life. The DPRK stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the peoples of the Third World struggling to break the chains of colonialism, and gave technical and economic aid to their new republics to defend their freedom and independence.

From an early age Kim Jong Il worked side by side with Kim Il Sung, and when Kim Il Sung passed away Kim Jong Il told the Korean people and the world that they could “expect no change from him”.

 Under his leadership the Workers’ Party of Korea won even more great victories. Natural disasters were overcome. Imperialist diplomatic isolation was broken and the intrigues of US imperialism were exposed. Scientists in Democratic Korea mastered the secrets of the atom to guarantee the DPRK’s defence and energy needs, and now Korean rockets reach for the stars.

Now led by Kim Jong Un, the Korean people are following in the footsteps of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to overcome all obstacles to fulfil the revolutionary tasks that faced the Korean people when they began their long march to socialism in the struggle against Japanese imperialism.

Farewell to an old friend!

Dermot Hudson and Hyon Hak Bong

by New Worker correspondent

Korea solidarity activists met last weekend to hear an eye-witness report from Democratic Korea  and to say goodbye to the DPRK ambassador who is returning home in the next few weeks.

The meeting, at the Korean Friendship Association’s regular venue at the Chadswell Centre in central London, heard a number of comrades commemorating the 71^st anniversary of the foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), the 90^th anniversary of the Down with Imperialism Union and the successful nuclear test of the DPRK.

The KFA Chair, Dermot Hudson, gave a report-back of the International Seminar on the Juche Idea that he attended last month. Other speakers included Alexander Meads, David Munoz de Castro, Shaun Pickford and NCP leader Andy Brooks. But the highlight of the meeting was the DPRK’s London ambassador, who came to join in the celebrations and to say farewell personally to the friends he made during his time in London.

Ambassador Hyon Hak Bong is no stranger to KFA events. He has taken part in many KFA and Friends of Korea events over the years, but this would be his last before he goes home to Pyongyang.

The Ambassador spoke warmly of the friendships made over the years in London and said his country greatly valued the work of the UK KFA and the British Juche societies. Dermot Hudson made a presentation to Hyon Hak Bong on behalf of everyone and the meeting formally ended with the singing of the Red Flag and the Internationale.