Victory Hinges on Single-Hearted Unity of the Leader and the Popular Masses, Development Based on Internal Factors

-Learn from the report of the Eighth Congress of the WPK-

Ogami Ken-ichi

Secretary General, International Institute of Juche Idea

The 8 th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held from January 5 to 12, 2021 amid the internal and external expectations.

The congress was of weighty significance in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and it was the historic one that provided universal guideline for the important issues including global independence and accomplishment of socialism, independent reunification of Korea and security of peace in Asia.

1. Characteristics of the 8 th Congress of the WPK

The characteristic of the 8 th Congress of the WPK lies in the fact that it was held with unprecedentedly unique contents and forms.

Defining it as a congress for work, struggle and progress, General Secretary Kim Jong Un made preparations on a sound basis in order to reject conventional methods and ensure the congress to be the substantial one.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un formed a non-permanent central inspection committee 4 months before the congress. The General Secretary saw that the committee dispatched assessing and examining teams to provinces to carefully listen to the opinions of workers, peasants and intellectuals on the spot while staying with them.

The teams acquainted themselves in detail with what was wrong, what was neglected among what could be carried out and what was implemented in a profitable way or formalistic way in executing the resolution of the 7 th Party Congress, if there were mistakes, what were their causes and what were the defects in Party guidance.

A resolution “On Thoroughly Implementing the Tasks Set Forth in the Report to the 7 th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea” that was deeply studied and discussed in the departmental consultative meetings during the Eighth Party Congress was adopted.

Accordingly, opinions of the Party members working in the lower units were fully reflected and the awareness of all the Party members to actively and responsibly participate in the implementation of the resolution of the report was raised. Furthermore, the position and role of the Party congress was renewed at the 8 th Party Congress.

The reason why the 8 th Party Congress is estimated as a unique one is that the congress was held in spite of excessive non-fulfillment of the five-year strategy for the national economic development decided at the 7 th Party Congress in almost all sectors.

Holding of the Party congress is a noteworthy political event of weighty significance both in the influence to be made on the change and development of the internal and external situations and the prospects of the WPK, the socialist ruling party…

It is because holding of the Party congress itself is an expression of the WPK’s resolute confidence to lead the revolution to the next stage of victory and the strong will and solemn pledge to repay the great trust and expectation of the people by fulfilling its duty shouldering the future of the country.

Holding of the Party Congress itself was an expression of the WPK’s high sense of responsibility and the revolutionary will to develop the socialist cause and bring the popular masses to the bright future and an important occasion in developing the Party work.

The 8 th Party Congress decided in its rules to convene the congress once 5 years in the future, contrary to the previous method of holding the congress after registering successes.

In concluding speech at the 8 th Party Congress, General Secretary Kim Jong Un explained the main idea and main spirit of the 8 th Party Congress. He said.

“Achieving a great fresh victory on all fronts by remarkably increasing our own strength, our internal force, in socialist construction—this is the main idea and main spirit of the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

In other words, it is the revolutionary will of the Workers’ Party of Korea reaffirmed at this congress that our internal force must be readjusted and rearranged in a comprehensive way and, on the basis of this, we must make a frontal attack against all hardships to open up a road of new advance.”

General Secretary Kim Jong Un set the orientation of the future economic construction, from the standpoint of seeking the key to victory in economic construction in the motive force, not in the objective conditions and implementing the plan by strengthening the motive force. Herein lies another characteristic of the Eighth Party Congress.

As regard with the non-fulfillment of the five-year strategy for the state economic development, General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed that the cause of mistakes should be found not in the objective conditions but in the subjective conditions and all problems be resolved by enhancing the role of motive force.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed that it was important to admit open-heartedly what failed to be implemented and have an attitude of explaining the reasons and the ways.

He sounded a note of warning against the tendency toward ascribing the cause of mistake to the objective conditions, stressing that if one ascribes its failure to objective conditions, he can do nothing and the action and role of the driving force will be unnecessary, and it is impossible to accelerate the revolutionary struggle and construction work unless the unfavorable external factors are removed.

The objective conditions around the DPRK were severe during the period under review. The US and other hostile forces imposed sanctions and blockade with tenacity and the severe natural disasters that hit the DPRK every year and the world health crisis caused by COVID-19 that broke out last year and became protracted were the unprecedentedly grave situations to the DPRK.

However, General Secretary Kim Jong Un repeatedly stressed that the internal factors are the most important ones in implementing the plan and advancing the cause of socialism.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un explained in detail the subject and objective factors.

Firstly, the five-year strategy for the national economic development had not been properly worked out on the basis of scientific calculation and grounds. This implies that not the external disturbance but the irresponsible working attitude was a factor of non-fulfillment of the strategy.

Secondly, science and technology failed to actually play the role of propelling the economic work of the country.

Thirdly, the work of readjusting and reinforcing the irrational economic work system and discipline was not properly done.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un criticized that the enthusiasm of the people was repressed, the plan was rough and unscientific and the work was businesslike and formal. He concluded that the objects for economic construction fell a long way short of implementation owing to the officials’ wrong ideological viewpoint and irresponsible working attitude.

That General Secretary Kim Jong Un brought the mistakes and faults into bold relief was the expression of his standpoint that drawing bitter lessons is necessary and important for the development, and his view that the mistakes and faults should serve as the basis of advance.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un noted that the successes we have already achieved are priceless for us, and so are the bitter lessons that have been accumulated.

He explained that serious mistakes were revealed in the work of several fields including economic work under the grave internal and external situations, but those were deviations made in the stage of new development and in the course of the advance of the socialist cause and were problems which can surely be solved by our own wisdom and efforts. He stressed optimistically that the future of the socialist cause hinges on the strengthening of the motive force.

2. Validity and Might of People-first Principle

The report to the work of the 7 th Central Committee of the WPK delivered by General Secretary Kim Jong Un consists of the following 4 parts.

1. Achievements made during the period under review

2. For epoch-making advance in socialist construction

3. For independent reunification of the country and development of external relations

4. For development of Party work

The report stressed the achievements made during the period under review because vitality and might of the politics based on the people-first principle were proved.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un deeply recollected that the past five years since the 7 th Party Congress were the years in which the Party believed in the people as in heaven, served the people and made efforts for the good of the people.

During the period under review, not only the Korean people but the world people saw Chairman Kim Jong Un respect the people and devote his all for their good. The people-first principle could be served as the guide of the people as they held the leader who stood in the van for the struggle for their happiness.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un reviewed that, though the five-year strategy for the state economic development failed to be fully fulfilled, the great achievements made in the course of embodying the politics based on the people-first principle served as the valuable asset for hastening the successes in the future struggle.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un saw that the Party Central Committee intensively endeavor to make the people-first principle run through the Party and state activities, holding aloft the slogan “Everything for the people and everything by relying on them!”

General Secretary Kim Jong Un gave top priority to the work of realizing the politics based on the people-first principle without an inch of deflection and slightest concession, respecting the people’s demand and will and offering their conveniences in production and construction. He saw that the traits of devoting for the people and helping and valuing them in earnest were prevailed.

In the course of realizing and strengthening the politics based on the people-first principle on a society-wide scale, the single-hearted unity of the leader, the Party and the masses was realized and the whole society formed a big family. It is only the DPRK in the world that the whole society formed a harmonious collective.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed that the power of the politics based on the people-first principle of finding the motive force of the revolution in the hearts of the people and arousing them to action was expressed in a concentrated way in enlisting to the maximum the spiritual strength and creativity of the people to deal with the difficulties and the change of the situation.

The politico-ideological strength of Juche was cemented unprecedentedly thanks to the politics based on the people-first principle. The motive force of the revolution is in the hearts of the people. Accordingly, it is the most important undertaking in hastening the revolution to go among the people and arouse them to action.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed that it is the precious truth proved once again during the period under review that it is possible to tackle any unfavorable subjective and objective factors and easily carry out the huge tasks for the socialist construction if the politics based on the people-first principle is thoroughly pursued.

3. Strategy and Policies for Struggle Set forth at Eighth Congress of the WPK

The Eighth Congress of the WPK set forth three strategies.

The first strategy is the victorious advance of the socialist construction, the second is the independent reunification of Korea and the third is the prospect that makes victory in the cause of global independence.

The first strategy means to cement the single-hearted unity and accomplish the industrial revolution in the new century and build a military power. It also means the near completion of the socialist construction.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un set forth the new five-year plan for the national economic development in order to direct all efforts to the socialist construction. The plan, whose theme is self-reliance and self-sufficiency and which aims to hasten the socialist construction to a new stage, has it as the content to make sustaining development of the economy without being affected by any external influences. General Secretary Kim Jong Un clarified in detail the strategy for the struggle in the economic field in the coming five years.

The major task of the new five-year plan is to focus investment with the metal industry and chemical industry as key links and increase production by combining other sectors of national economy. The strategy of future struggle is to develop agriculture and light industry, lower the proportion of dependence on imports, promote the construction of tidal power stations, construct 50 000 flats in Pyongyang and refurbish the whole country into a land of beautiful scenery, a socialist fairy land. The national economy is a self-supporting and planned one that serves the people.

The DPRK is not only to be self-sufficient and strong in the economy but also to hasten the industrial revolution in the new century and build a highly-developed economic giant. The 5-year plan for the state economic development decided at the 8 th Party Congress is a manifestation of the DPRK’s will to build a socialist ideal society with sure, and the DPRK’s position will further be raised even after its attainment.

With regard to the second strategy, that is, the independent reunification of Korea, General Secretary Kim Jong Un elucidated that the problem of reunification of the Korean peninsula should be settled on the basis of the following 3 points.

It is imperative to establish independence. Independence implies the withdrawal of outside forces, and sovereignty of the country can be established only by doing so.

Reunification hinges on the principled struggle against imperialism and victory in the anti-imperialist, anti-US struggle. The reunification movement should be unfolded as the one based on independence.

The north and the south should improve relations in the direction of dialogue, transcending differences in their political systems.

It is also imperative to put an end to the national division. To do so, it is necessary to oppose foreign forces, the root cause of the division, in particular, the US imperialists, to achieve great national unity and to restore sovereignty of the country on the Korean peninsula. It is important to achieve the reunification by the efforts and will of the popular masses themselves.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un clarified that the guide for national reunification should be run through with independence and rely on the strength of motive force of the reunification, the people in the north and the south. The national reunification line advanced by General Secretary Kim Jong Un reflects his fixed will to achieve the national reunification and includes detailed contents for its end.

The report strictly criticized the south Korean authorities’ political stand and expressed expectation of their future response.

The south Korean authorities are now continuing military hostile acts and smear campaign against the DPRK and reinforcing reactionary policies including the involvement in the sanctions to Iran with the pro-US policies.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un affirmed that a new road of improvement of inter-Korean relations can be opened up only when the south Korean authorities fundamentally withdraw their abnormal and anti-reunification acts.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un noted that the north-south relations may return to a new starting point of peace and prosperity in the near future, as they did in the spring three years ago, depending on the south Korean authorities attitude.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un advanced clear-cut judgment and policy of external relations proceeding from the independent stand.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un expressed again the principled stand towards the DPRK-US relations.

Important is that the General Secretary revised definition of US imperialism and concluded it as the most heinous enemy, the principal enemy of the world people.

In the relations with the US, the DPRK rejected subordination and subjugation, adhered to the principle of independence and secured the easing of tension with the US. As a result, peaceful atmosphere was created on the Korean peninsula and in the world.

The General Secretary had friendly summit talks with China and Russia to develop traditional friendship relations. Summit talks with Cuba and Vietnam were held, too, to further strengthen unity and solidarity with the socialist countries. Then, what made the DPRK strengthen and develop the external relations in difficult situations?

General Secretary Kim Jong Un underlined the following two points: one of them is that the DPRK conducted its external activities based on the out-and-out principle of independence. The other of them is the united strength of the people firmly rallied around the Party in any adversities.

Today there is a tendency of considering that nature of US imperialism has become weakened. However, imperialism never goes to ruin of itself nor weaken its aggressive nature on its own. The US imperialism is the substantial obstacle in the development of the Korean revolution, the principal enemy as ever.

Though some people look forward to change in the policy of the new US administration toward the DPRK, General Secretary Kim Jong Un correctly judged that whoever takes power in the US, its entity and the real intention of its policy toward the DPRK would never change.

Stating that the key to establishing new DPRK-US relationship lies in the US withdrawal of its hostile policy toward the DPRK, the General Secretary clarified the WPK’s stand that it would approach the US on the principle of power for power and goodwill for goodwill in the future, too.

The General Secretary also stressed the need of forming the international anti-US, anti-imperialist united front for the global independence and peace.

Today the DPRK becomes a standard-bearer of the global independence and peace, an example of all countries.

4. Development of Party Work and 3 Ideals of “The People Are God, ” Single-hearted Unity and Self-reliance

General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed the Party work in order to establish the monolithic leadership system of the Party Central Committee, ensure and defend the Party Central Committee’s absolute authority.

He also stressed the Party work in order to consolidate single-hearted unity by channeling efforts into the internal work. To do so, it is important to substantially carry on internal work of the Party to realize the single-hearted unity of the Party and the revolutionary ranks.

It is also important to choose the officials from those who are ideologically prepared and competent.

Party is an organization that conducts its activities by forming oneness with the leader in ideology and purpose. It is important for the party to define ideological work as its basic duty and intensify it in the whole period of revolution and construction.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un stressed that the Party work should be people-friendly one. This implies that the Party work should be the one that touches the masses’ hearts and is combined with realities

In his concluding speech at the 8 th Party Congress, General Secretary Kim Jong Un suggested cherishing the Party’s ennobling three ideals of “The people are God,” single-hearted unity and self-reliance deeply in mind once again as the slogans of the 8 th Party Congress instead of putting up a high-sounding slogan.

“The people are God” implies that one holds up the people as the best of all and serves them. This suggests that one should live and work for the good of the people.

The single-hearted unity is the unity of the leader, the Party and the people in one mind. It shows not a simple methodology but the future of socialism.

Self-reliance enables one to surmount difficulties with one’s own efforts however unfavourable the conditions may be.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un noted that self-reliance serves as the lifeline of self-dependence and self-development and a powerful engine for development.

Self-reliance demonstrated its might in such severe situation that the imperialists intensified sanctions and the cooperative relations between socialist countries were getting worse.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un noted that “The people are God,” “single-hearted unity” and “self-reliance” are the fundamental key to enhancing the leadership abilities of the WPK, the fundamental method to strike its roots deep among the masses and the fundamental guarantee for the DPRK to survive and open up its way ahead.

In particular, during the period under review the DPRK held the position in the world as a military power, a strategic state and made the peaceful development of self-reliant economy on the principle of self-reliance thanks to the accomplishment of the cause of building the nuclear forces. Recently, the single-hearted unity of the leader and the people has been further cemented in the course of severe struggle to implement the new unprecedentedly huge tasks.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un clarified that the WPK developed the DPRK into the only country that advances on the strength of self-reliance by accomplishing the cause of building the nuclear forces and the DPRK people are waging dynamic struggle to implement the presented tasks with self-confidence in their state and thus opened up an era of our state-first principle.

The art performance “We Sing of the Party” and the military parade held in celebration of the 8 th Party Congress proved that the our state-first principle serves as the powerful strength of the DPRK people.

Noteworthy event after the Eighth Congress of the WPK was that the 2 nd Plenary Meeting of the 8 th Central Committee of the WPK was held for 4 days from February 8 to 11, 2021.

At the plenary meeting, General Secretary Kim Jong Un said that the meeting was convened in an appropriate and necessary period in the sense that it helped rectify mistakes from the stage of planning this year’s work and newly decided on the great work for our people and also helped find out and correct the ideological maladies including passivism and self-protectionism latent in officials.

Noting that the main purport of convening the 2nd plenary meeting of the WPK Central Committee is to thoroughly implement the first year’s tasks of the five-year plan set forth at the 8 th Party Congress, he put important emphasis on waging intensified struggle for putting an end to unit specialization and self-centeredness.

General Secretary Kim Jong Un criticized that idea and policy of the Party Congress were not properly reflected in the plan for economic work for this year proposed by the Cabinet and innovative viewpoint and clear tactics could not be found. He continued that the Cabinet failed to play a leading role in mapping out plans of key economic fields and almost mechanically brought together the numbers drafted by the ministries.

On the basis of ways and plans for correcting the disclosed internal shortcomings, a dynamic struggle is being waged in the DPRK so as to bring the people happy life. Under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Un, the DPRK advances vigorously to build a powerful socialist country. The 8 th Congress of the WPK and the struggle of the people in the DPRK after the congress serve as the universal guide for the independent and peaceful world and the social development of each country.

Aware deep of the important duty of learning from General Secretary Kim Jong Un, who devotes his all for the good of his people and of studying and disseminating Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, we will be active in our efforts hands in hands with the world Juche idea followers.