Based on the Juche idea and relying on the people

Advancing the Struggle -

About the Eighth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea -

Taira Ken-ichi,

Professor Emeritus at Okinawa University, Japan

The Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held for eight days from January 5 to 12, 2021.

I would like to make a few comments in accordance with the Concluding Speech made by General Secretary Kim Jong Un at the Eighth Congress of the WPK.

Japan Who Intentionally Subordinates Herself to U.S. and Pursues Policy of Military Buildup

The U.S. President has been replaced by Biden instead of Trump, who was abnormal. There are some differences in their policies in the details, how do they differ in essence? I believe they should be examined rigorously.

The Biden administration is calling for international cooperation and the further strengthening of allies. The U.S. is strengthening her deceptive military alliance with the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the pretext of defending the East China Sea and the South China Sea from the threatening of China.

About the U.S. relationship with Japan, in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, President Biden announced that the two leaders had agreed to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. On the pretext of encountering the threat of China around the Senkaku Islands, the U.S. is conducting a hostile policy against the DPRK. Continuing contacts with the U.S. allies like Japan and the ROK, President Biden is pursuing war policies.

The U.S. Declaration on International Cooperation is not a call for world peace at all. In case of the U. S., since entering in the year 2021, and in the midst of the corona pandemic, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus is increasing: the number of infected people are close to 300, 000 per day; the total of infected people is 2 some 20 million; and the death toll is over 350, 000; the worst of this case in the world. Under the corona pandemic the American society has been more and more deteriorated and various contradictions in the economy have arisen.

In the midst of the tyranny of financial capitalism and neo-liberalism, a great deal of contradiction is occurring. It seems to me that while trying to deal with these contradictions by any means, and responding to China, by utilizing the power of her allies, the U.S. is aiming for a new hegemony in order to recover its declining national strength.

The top diplomats of the U.S. and China held talks in Anchorage for two days from March 18, 2021. The two sides engaged in a heated exchange on the issues such as human rights and security problems, and so on. The U.S. harshly criticized China on her repression of human rights in the Uighur District, China, and the issue of ignoring human rights in Hong Kong and Taiwan. China hit back at the U.S. saying that the U.S. in spite of having racial discrimination and human oppression issues within herself, is criticizing China. That was indeed ludicrous. It can be said that there would be nothing different in the Biden administration or it rather would be more skillful to take war policies.

Similarly, under the Biden administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Japan and the ROK, and “Two Plus Two” meetings comprising ministers of foreign affairs and defence between Japan and the U.S. was held on March 16, 2021, and the similar one between the ROK and the U.S. on March 18, 2021

At the “Two Plus Two” between Japan and the U.S. Motegi Toshimitsu, minister of Foreign Affairs and Kishi Nobuo, minister of defence affirmed to further strengthen the alliance between the two nations. Although they did not explicitly discuss increasing Japan’s share of the cost of stationing U.S. troops in Japan, they emphasized that fact that it was the first official visit to Japan as ministries under the Biden administration.

There is no doubt that Japan is attempting to buildup military forces by increasing the budget for fiscal 2021.

On the pretext of China’s military threat to the Senkaku Islands, Japan is positively trying to become militarily dependent on the US. Japan is inevitably, positively, and 3 voluntarily becoming more and more dependent on the U.S., and voluntary dependency is being formed here in Japan. It seems to me that Japan is not only merely dependent on the U.S., but also is being declined to follow the U.S. positively and increase her own military forces to this end.

The U.S. nuclear strategy is the cornerstone of its hegemony. She is setting China and the DPRK as the target of her nuclear strategy, say, making them the threat to the world. In this regard, Japan is locked into the US nuclear strategy.

The Japanese government has no idea of abandoning nuclear power plants. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan has nine nuclear power plants that have restarted as of March 2021. Ex Prime Minister Koizumi Jun-ichiro is now calling for an abundance of nuclear power plants. However, the current Prime Minister Suga in the same line with the former Prime Minister Abe, has never considered abandoning nuclear power plants. The resumption of the nuclear power plants is a great humiliation to the popular masses.

The Nuclear Weapons Convention came into force on January 22, 2020. However, those countries like the five Nuclear Powers as well as Japan that is dependent upon the “Nuclear Umbrella” have not signed nor ratified the treaty. What a shame it is! The reason for why Japan has not signed nor ratified is resulting from the fact that she is positively subordinate to the U.S.

It is said that Japan is completely subordinate to the U.S., but now it cannot be said unconditionally that it is merely subordinate.

What is characteristic now is that Japan is not merely subordinate to the U.S. that possesses a large number of armed forces including nuclear forces in an attempt to use the power of the latter, but also is voluntarily building bases on her own volition. In the relationship with the U.S., Japan positively intends to be subordinate to the U.S. bases in JapanJapan is positively sidling up to the U.S., offering to pay for the stationing costs for U.S. Forces in Japan. Of course there is another aspect of hesitation in the Japanese government in responding to a critical voice that Japan has contributed too much money for it in the name of “a sympathy budget or host-nation support” to US military bases in Japan.

Similarly, it is not comprehensive but that Japan has another aspect of strengthening her own defence forces to positively advance her war policy even opposing to the 4 Constitution of Japan, which can be said to be quite crafty and risky. Japan says that the Senkaku Island is the Japan’s territory, so that she defends the island by herself as opposed to the China’s say that it is her territory.

n comparison with the U.S.’ nuclear policy that is for invading other countries, the DPRK’s nuclear policy is a countermeasure against the U.S. that makes an attempt to frustrate the socialist regime. The reason for why the U.S. cannot attack the DPRK can be referred to a metaphor of an elephant and a hedgehog. Even if the elephant tries to eat the hedgehog, the former cannot do so, as the latter is against the former with its needles. Like the metaphor of an elephant and a hedgehog, having nuclear armed forces the DPRK possesses is deterrent in itself.

Those five nuclear powers including the U.S. possess nukes, also saying deceptively that they are deterrent in themselves. That the U.S. says they are deterrent in themselves can be deceptive. General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed nuclear deterrence as a countermeasure to the nuclear threat by the U.S. and said in his concluding speech at the Eighth Congress of the WPK as follows:

“We must further strengthen the nuclear war deterrent while doing our best to build up the most powerful military strength.”

I believe that it is a correct way in facing the nuclear threat to possess nukes to defend one’s own nation and safeguard peace without allowing the aggression. On the other hand, the nukes possessed by the U.S. to invade other countries cannot be said to be deterrence at all.

Basic Direction of the Eighth Congress of the WPK

I am sure that it is significant that the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held in the midst of prolonged “sanctions ” on the DPRK. Under the circumstances that imperialism headed by US imperialism is surrounding the world, the world situation around the DPRK has still remained critical, I should say like this.

Similarly, at the time when the novel coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented infectious disease, is covering the world, the DPRK came to hold the Eighth Congress of the WPK under the situation without any infected person.

Prof. Emeritus Kamakura Takao at Saitama University mentioned that the DPRK 5 has any novel coronavirus-infected person and has taken her perfect preventive measures. He said that the perfect preventive led by the state works well in the DPRK, but above all, there is another aspect that each and every one of the people has taken responsible and conscious actions to prevent the spread of the disease. This conscientious actions of the entire people with single-hearted unity is based on modelling the whole people on the Juche idea, or on modelling the whole society on the Juche idea. He stressed that the total socialization of the Juche idea has been wide spread in the DPRK.

In his Concluding Speech at the Eighth Congress of the WPK, General Secretary Kim Jong Un concretely and bitterly criticized and summed up the biases and shortcoming inherent in the Party, the State, and the activities of the army and every sphere of social life and expressed his determination to overcome them. He clarified those biases and shortcomings and expressed his determination to build a new system to this end.

At the same time, General Secretary Kim Jong Un has taken decisive measures to deal with various unrealistic problems in accordance with the Party principles. In other words, it is to take decisive measures to correct unrealistic and life-distancing researches, ideas and some problems in view of the principles on the Party building in accordance with the Korean methods. In this way, the WPK is aimed to realize its policies that are met with its principles like the foot grounded on the earth.

When some technically great ideas in the party work have been put forward, it happens to think that they are awesome. However, they would be worthless, if they are not accorded with the principles of the Party building and the Party work, with the requirements of the developing realities, with the actual lives of the people and they are things that make the lives of the people prosperous. General Secretary Kim Jong Un said that the amendment of the Constitution of the WPK by correctly reflecting the demand of the reality has guaranteed the important basis of strengthening the leadership and fighting capacity of the Party to make a health development.

He said that on this basis in order for the Party to play its due mission and role a new system of discipline and supervision inside the Party was established to guarantee the 8th Central Committee of the WPK with human resources who are loyal to the Party and the revolution as well as practical ability.

The Main Idea and Main Spirit of the Eighth Party Congress

―Revolutionary Will of the WPK

\ The main idea and main spirit of the WPK, and its revolutionary will of the Eighth Party Congress have been clarified. They are very important.

The external circumstances around the Korean revolution are severe and hard. So, First of all, it is necessary to recognize the reality, severe and hard as it is, and then, it is indispensable to enhance the driving force or internal force of their own for their socialist construction to encounter the situation as such. It is the will of the WPK to achieve great victory in the revolution that is the main idea and main spirit of the Eighth Party Congress.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un said as follows:

“The historic heavy tasks facing our revolution require the entire Party to cherish the ideals of ‘The people are God,’ single-hearted unity and self-reliance deeply in mind once again and adhere more strictly to them.”

General Secretary Kim Jong Un is saying: I regard the great people of us as the heaven of my own destiny. In other words, the great people of us are all above the Party, who should be regarded as the heaven of the destiny, so that the masses of the people are always set in the centre. The Party is the servant loyal to the people. This is the people-first principle. General Secretary Kim Jong Un pledged to devote himself to the people, working hard for them, and referred to the spirit of “the people are God.” Then, General Secretary Kim Jong Un referred to single-hearted unity. This means that each and every one of us should be united in mind with a belief in one’s own strength to carry out one’s own tasks.

Next, it is about self-reliance, in other words, to open up the way with our own efforts.

These three principles are the fundamental keys to strengthening the leadership of the WPK and the fundamental methods for being able to take deeper root among the people. It seems to me that the revolutionary will of the WPK is expressed in these three principles and from which we can see the Party’s determination to take root deep among the people. General Secretary Kim Jong Un said that “The ideals of ‘The people are God,’ single-hearted unity and self-reliance--herein lie the fundamental key to 7 enhancing the leadership abilities of our Party, the fundamental method for it to strike its roots deeper among the masses and the fundamental and sole guarantee for us to survive and open up our way ahead.”

Then, in order to achieve the revolution, General Secretary Kim Jong Un proposed for carrying out the Party work with the three ideals of “The people are God,” “Singlehearted Unity,” and “self-reliance.” He said that “I would like to suggest substituting cherishing our Party's ennobling three ideals of ‘The people are God,’ single-hearted unity and self-reliance deeply in mind once again as the slogan of the Eighth Party Congress for putting up a high-sounding slogan.”

In his resolution addressed in September 2020, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide stated that the image of the society I am aspiring after is self-help, mutual support, public support and ties. The first one is self-help, which means to help themselves with might and main, and the second one is mutual support, and finally public support, which means the role of the government. After all, things the government should do come at last. This is the way here in Japan.

The DPRK stresses the order of importance in the policy completely opposite to that of our Prime Minister Suga’s. “The people are God” means that the Party and the Administration work for the good of the people. The Party should make the greatest effort, and then people should be united with single-hearted unity and work in the spirit of self-reliance, which means that believing in their own strength and to do their possible best, while working together hand in hand. Likely, Japan and the DPRK are completely opposite in their work structure.

New Five-Year Plan for National Economic Development

On the basis of the three ideals a new Five-Year Plan for the National Economic Development has been put forward.

Socialist construction is raised as the important task in the new five-year plan for the national economic development. It is required to build the scientific bases for the socialist economic construction. The plan regards the metal and chemical industries as the main link in the whole chain of the economic development. The metal and chemical industries should be mainly developed. Then, the organized relations among other key 8 industries should be strengthened to boost the economy. This means that to connect various key industries in an organized manner, not in an unorganized manner enables to activate the economy in real.

Furthermore, it is pointed out to consolidate the material and technical foundations for the agricultural sector, and to heighten more the living standard of the people by raising the portion of national raw materials in the light industry.

Similarly, they are considering what the metal and chemical industries should be developed. They are focusing the work to put the metal and chemical industries back onto their normal track and then activate the work onto the higher stage. In this way, all the sections should be enhanced in coordination with other sectors.

The development in the metal and chemical industries will lead to the solution in the food problems that is essential to the people’s living. The development that does not serve the well-being of the people. It should only lead to the solution of the food problem of the people.

Under the situation that the DPRK faces the hostile policies by the imperialist countries and their economic sanctions on the former has been prolonged, she is in the position to product food by itself and thus to solve her food problem. I am sure that the Korean people have been forced to endure the hard living, harder than we could imagine due to the prolonged sanctions on the country.

The aim of developing science and technology lies in the solution of the food problem.

The General Secretary mentioned that the actual development in science and technology should support the promotion in the economic construction and the people’s living standard and that science and technology are an engine for developing the socialist construction, the main motive force for the development of the state economy. It means that science and technology should be regarded as the important task for the achievement of the new five-year plan for the national economic development so as to play a role as an engine. In this regard, science and technology is put precedence to as a research task.

Similarly, it can be said that nuclear development is related with the development of science and technology. Nuclear forces are not merely those for wars, weapons or armed forces but the promotion in technology for nuclear development will lead the 9 entire development in the technology possessed by the DPRK.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un also mentioned that the development in science and technology will lead to that in the local economy. In other words, the WPK will go for the development in the local economy by encouraging the independent, and multifaceted development of cities and counties, and thus build the basis for the promotion in the living standard of the people.

In view of putting precedence to the education and discipline for all the party, all the state and all the people, the General Secretary further referred to the prevention and control of all the kinds of criminal acts such as of anti-socialism, non-socialistic tendency, the abuse of right, bureaucracy, injustice and decomposition, forcing burdens except taxes on the people that can be seen every sphere of social life.

There are a variety of foundations for science and technology. It is freshly put precedence to education and discipline.

Those matters also can be applied to our country, Japan. We have here in Japan many problems in the political field such as the abuse of right, bureaucracy, and injustice and decomposition. In case of our country, those politicians who were questioned in the Diet are all trying their way out. There are many cases that have not yet been ascertained. They should not be admitted but be set under the thorough control.

The abuse of right and bureaucracy should not be admitted but be put under the control and prevented as they are the worst things. In the DPRK, it will be of quite importance to fight against things about anti-socialism that destroy and refuse its own system in order to protect its socialist system.

The subjectivity and corrupt ideas of each and every member of the Party and the people would lead to the collapse of the socialist system from within. This is why education and discipline are put precedence to in the DPRK. In this regard, they are paid great attention to in the Concluding Speech of the General Secretary.

The General Secretary again mentioned nuclear deterrence at the end of his Concluding Speech. It means that nuclear deterrence protects socialism from the military threat of external forces and their nuclear policies. As a matter of fact that there are imperialist movements to destroy the DPRK. In order to defend socialism it is indispensable for the DPRK to reinforce her defence capability in quality and quantity to attain the strongest of this kind.

As long as there are aggressors like U.S. imperialism and its allies that intend to suffocate the DPRK, she cannot be negligent for building her own nuclear forces. Of course, the competition for armed forces itself is not a good thing at all. However, there is no way but to be competitive in the current situation.

In his Concluding Speech, the General Secretary did not mention the concrete contents of external negotiations. I believe that the DPRK is not on the stage to propose a draft of her diplomatic policies for the time being. I am sure that the DPRK is considering her various policies, while looking at other counterparts’ attitude specifically.

The report to the 8th Congress of the WPK is not merely things about the DPRK but it includes the universal contents that would be related to our activities and movements. So, it will be important for us to make a deep study of it and apply it to our practice.