KFA Mexico

Esteemed comrades, participants, and friends of the korean people:

It is with a profound sense of international solidarity that I address you today from the City of Tlalnepantla, Mexico, on this momentous occasion: the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The WPK has one of the most remarkable histories of national liberation, socialist construction, and anti-imperialist struggle in the modern era.

For eight decades, the WPK has stood as a vanguard, guiding the Korean people not by imitating foreign models, but by creatively applying the science of socialism to its unique national conditions.

In the post-soviet world, the destruction of socialism in Eastern Europe, Africa and Central Asia, created an immense ideological and material challenge for remaining socialist states. The DPRK faced intensified pressure and isolation. The WPK did not deviate from its path and thus began the Arduous March of the 1990s, a period of severe hardship caused by natural disasters and the loss of trading partners, tested the nation. The Party's leadership during this time ensured the preservation of the state's independence and its socialist character, despite immense challenges. This resilience stands in stark contrast to the fate of many other socialist states that collapsed or capitulated under external pressure.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The WPK was established in October 1945, at a decisive moment when the Korean people emerged from decades of colonial domination. Its foundation gave an organized

form to the struggle for independence, for national dignity, and for the construction of a new society free from exploitation. For eight decades, the WPK has led the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea through challenges and transformations, always guided by the principle that the masses are the masters of the revolution and of construction.

The strength of the WPK has been its close bond with the people. The Party was not an imported model but developed in line with the specific conditions of Korea. Under the leadership of Comrade Kim Il Sung, the Party placed national independence as the central axis of its policy. This was not simply political independence, but also economic and cultural independence. The Juche idea, first advanced in the 1950s, provided the theoretical foundation that clarified this principle: that the korean revolution must rely on the creative role of its own people, and that external models cannot dictate the path of development. This orientation distinguished the WPK from many other post-war parties that became dependent on foreign powers.

Over 80 years, the WPK has confronted war, sanctions, and isolation. During the Korean War, the Party organized national defense under conditions of enormous destruction. Despite these difficulties, reconstruction after 1953 advanced rapidly. The WPK emphasized heavy industry, electrification, and universal education. These achievements were not accidental; they were the product of a system where the Party provided unified leadership and where mass mobilization ensured that policies were implemented by the people themselves. This system has allowed Korea to withstand pressures that in other countries led to collapse or dependency.

In the global context, the destruction of both the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the 1990s resulted in a gigantic economic crisis world wide that mostly affected countries of the global south. Many argued that socialism had been defeated. Yet the WPK defended the socialist system and did not abandon the principles of Juche. Instead of copying reforms that dismantled socialism elsewhere, the Party reaffirmed that the only guarantee for survival and dignity is self-reliance. This decision has proven correct. While other post-socialist

societies entered dependency on global capital, the Korea preserved sovereignty and an independent path of development.

The WPK also developed the Songun, military-first, policy, which ensured the country’s defense in a hostile international environment. This was not a departure from socialism but an application of Juche to the new reality: that without a strong defense, no independent policy could be sustained. Today, Korea possesses strategic capabilities that deter aggression and guarantee national survival. These capabilities are the result of the Party’s consistent line that independence is not negotiable.

At the same time, the WPK continues to emphasize economic modernization. Current policies focus on science and technology, food security, and the improvement of living standards. Despite sanctions, Korea has advanced in sectors such as biotechnology, renewable energy, and housing construction. The Party insists that material progress must be linked to ideological education, so that development strengthens collective spirit rather than individualism. This approach reflects the understanding that socialism is not only about economic growth, but about transforming social relations so that the working people remain the decisive force.

The 80th anniversary of the WPK is not simply a commemoration of the past. It is also a moment to examine the lessons that can guide the future. The main lesson is that revolutionary consistency, rooted in national independence and people’s participation, is stronger than any external pressure. The WPK has demonstrated that socialism can endure, adapt, and renew itself even when global conditions shift. For those studying Marxism-Leninism today, especially in the post-Soviet world, the Korean experience shows that theory must be creative, not dogmatic. The WPK applied Marxism-Leninism to korean reality through Juche, and in doing so, ensured that socialism remained alive on the peninsula. 

Octavio Alonso Maya Castro