INTERNET INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON KIMILSINGISM-KIMJONGILISM

organised by International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI)

“Vitality of Juche idea and justness of the Report of the 8 th Congress of the WPK”

Date: March 17 th , 2021

A presentation by Lawrence Mayambala,

Country Director, Uganda National Committee for the Study of Juche Idea

On behalf of the Uganda National Committee for the Study of Juche Idea, allow me to extend my sincere congratulations and greetings to all Comrades taking part in this historical event as we celebrate the 109 th birth anniversary of H.E. Kim Il Sung who created the Juche idea.

I would like to present my compliments to H.E Comrade Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, President of the State Affairs of the DPRK and the Supreme Commander of the Armed forces of the DPRK for having been carrying forward, developing the Juche idea and formulating Kimilsungism as Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism which is great revolutionary ideology representative of the Juche era.

General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, H.E. Kim Jong Un said.

“Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is an integral system of the idea, theory and method of Juche, and a great revolutionary ideology representative of the Juche era.”

The essence of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is the Juche idea.

It is remarkably well known that there was the 8 th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in January in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK.

In the report of the 8 th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), General Secretary of the WPK, H.E. Kim Jong Un reviewed the achievements made by the WPK and the Korean people in the struggle for boosting their own power during the period under review.

He said that the struggle of the WPK and Korean people for implementing the decisions made at the Seventh Congress of the Party was a positive offensive for paving a new avenue for socialist construction by breaking through manifold difficulties, holding fast to self- reliance as the lifeline of self-respect and self-development and a powerful engine for development.

He also stressed that in the period under review the WPK gave importance to construction as important political work for building up the overall national power and leading the people to socialist civilization, and remarkably changed the appearance of the country by vigorously accelerating the construction work.

As H.E. Kim Jong Un mentioned in the report the DPRK has achieved great achievements in various fields with holding fast to self-reliance as the lifeline of self-respect and self- development and a powerful engine for development.

In regard with the theme of this discussion, I would prefer to narrate my personal experience to elaborate the truth about the victorious and indeed independent DPRK in which the vitality of Juche idea can be easily witnessed in reality.

When my visit to the DPRK was confirmed I was so exited because there was the first time for me to visit to the country as an adherent to Juche idea. Even though I knew the fact that the DPRK had been ever-victorious with independence and self-reliance and people centred socialist country I was so eager to witness the reality of what the country was indeed. It reminded to me “Seeing is believing” at that time.

The day came to me to check what my imagination was. I set off my visiting to the DPRK on the 6 th of September 2016. I

had been invited for the Juche (the guiding philosophy of the Workers’ Party of Korea which places premium on the centrality of man in socio-economic transformation) conference, in Pyongyang, in which many adherents to the Juche idea from all over the world would take part.

My exciting visit to the DPRK began on 8 th of September 2016 when I arrived at Pyongyang International airport.

It was so impressive moment when I first landed my first foot to the country. I was greeted by a very cordial team from the Korean Association of Social Scientists (KASS). I was allocated an interpreter by the names of Ri who turned out to be not only an incredible professional but also a very amiable character who was always handy and made my stay in the DPRK memorable.

Then we entered Pyongyang city. My immediate impression was that it was arguably one of the cleanest and least polluted and least traffic jammed cities in the world. I still hold the same view.

Pyongyang is a well-planned city with wide boulevards, massive apartments with huge spaces between them. It has a vibrant skyline with 20- 40 stored high-rise apartment buildings.

Despite experiencing long pressure and blockade of hostile forces against the DPRK, Pyongyang continues to make demonstrable progress in infrastructure development.

There was massive construction of apartment blocks and other public buildings especially along Ryomyong Street. (the construction of Ryomyong Street was already finished and people are now living there.)

Apartments are free and allocated according to one’s workplace. There are neither homeless people nor beggars in Pyongyang.

In this city, things work quite well. The public electric buses provide free transport to hundreds of residents to and from their work stations. The metro is integral to the transport system of Pyongyang. A network of tunnels ensures the streets are relatively free of human traffic.

Locally manufactured vehicles are common on the street I learnt that the automobiles are manufactured by Sungri and Pyonghwa enterprises.

The residents of Pyongyang generally exude a deep sense purpose and orderliness as they go about their day to day lives. Patriotism songs bellow from the numerous loud speakers littered all over the city.

You get the sense of a people prepared and determined to respond to the slightest act of provocation made by hostile outside forces. The ordinary person is unfazed about threat of danger and appear always prepared for any situation with a full self-respect.

Social harmony and unity are evident, for my eight days of interaction.

Integrity too seems to be abundant among the DPR of Korean citizens. A story is told of diplomatic whose 100 dollar bill slipped out his wallet during a transaction in a souvenir shop. The attendant who found it reported to her supervisors and the owner was traced for several days until he was found and returned to him.

SOCIAL SERVICES:

The key pillars the DPRK’s socialism are; Universal Healthcare for all citizens and Free Education. The two pillars are largely responsible for the Life expectancy of 70 years.

Education is universal and state funded. The national literacy rate for citizens at the age of 15 and older is almost 100%. I learnt that it is unthinkable for a Korean child of school going age to be out of school.

LEISURE AND RECREATION

The mushrooming state of the art recreation and sports facilities, in Pyongyang speak to the premium. Marshal Kim Jong Un places on sports and recreation for the rich cultural life of the people.

What makes the WPK ever-victorious?

It is explained from the line and its existence of the WPK. The WPK, to the present since it had a hammer, a sickle and a writing brush embroidered in its flag, has guided Korea along the path to victory and prosperity with confidence by unvaryingly maintaining the line of independence in the unprecedented crucible and challenges of the times.

In the meantime, it is worth to note that the WPK, with its peculiar mode of existence that is to share the destiny with its people and make selfless, devoted efforts for the good of the people, has won people's unreserved support and trust as well as enjoying the respect and admiration of the world progressive people.

General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, H.E. Kim Jong Un said.

“Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism is ,in essence, the people-first principle.

It is quite justifiable and scientific that WPK as the general staff of the Korean revolution guides the Korean people to victory and achieves great successes in socialist construction with holding fast to the banner of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, the people-first principle.

What could be another one of keys behind this magnificence which the DPRK shows ?

The most important thing to note is that achieving economic independence is very important and an urgent task for guaranteeing development and socio-economic stability of a country. A sovereign country must build the economy that progresses without being dependent on other countries. This idea which is one of principles guided by the Juche idea has led the DPRK to serving its own people and it has developed into a self-reliant economy by relying on its own resources and technology.

Indeed Self-reliance is the principle that people of each country should maintain to expedite the building of independent national economies which relies on the local domestic resources to lay firm material and technological foundations.

The report of the 8 th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea clarified the strategy for the struggle in the economic field in the coming five years.

And it says that the new plan reflects the demands for perfecting the self-supporting structure of the national economy, lowering the proportion of dependence on imports and stabilizing the people's living by taking the actual possibilities into consideration.

It also stressed that the main seed and theme of the plan are, as always, self-reliance and self-sufficiency. From the requirements of developing revolution and from the urgent requirements of socialist construction, self-reliance during the period of the new long-term plan should develop into nationwide, planned and scientific self-reliance.

I am convinced that the Korean people will fully demonstrate the vitality of the Juche idea with the scientific self-reliance embodied by the principle of the Juche idea

It is testimony that the ideological orientation set by the report of the 8 th Congress of the WPK is just right.

I am sure that the people of the DPRK will successfully achieve the targets set by the 8 th Congress of the WPK as long as the Korean people move forward to right direction in various fields under the wise leadership of H.E. Comrade Kim Jong Un and the WPK with the spirit of scientific self-reliance stressed in the report of the 8 th Congress of the WPK.

As we celebrate today, it is important to also note that back in Uganda, the President is already fasttracking local socialist programs aimed at uplifting the social well being of citizens. Such programs include Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). This provides good seeds, livestock, feeds and guarantees market for the produce as a way of supporting the farmers 5 in accumulating wealth. In other programs, the government is encouraging its population to open and manage local savings and credit associations (villege banks) locally known as SACCOs through which government provides money grants to help people occupied in carpently, mechanics, construction, beauty services to get capability to run their businesses. We hope in the near future, this approach will make a great difference in the socio- economic status of the people of Uganda.

And I am sure that if the people of Uganda follow the policy of the National Resistance Movement which upholds patriotism and self-reliance as its important manifestos the future of the Ugandan people will be much more well-being and stronger than ever before.

Happy celebrations.

Long live Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism

Long live Comrade H.E Kim Jong Un

Thank you.

Yours,

Lawrence Mayambala

Country Director,

Uganda National Committee for the Study of Juche Idea