KFA Staffordshire, UK

Workers' Party of Korea, A Party of the Juche Type. By Shaun Pickford

As progressives around the world mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, it is the perfect opportunity to recall the heroic history and unique character of the WPK. The Workers' Party of Korea can be considered to be the most successful and durable Communist Party in the world today. Drawing upon its deep historical roots, the Workers' Party of Korea hewed out a new path for the development of the Korean revolution.

Though the WPK was founded in 1945, Korea had long been engaged in the struggle to set up a which would defend the interests of the popular masses. Under the leadership of the Great Comrade Kim IL Sung, the Korean revolutionaries laid the firm foundations for party founding through a protracted and arduous struggle. The Korean Revolution which had experienced ups and downs in the early communist movement of the 1920s, needed a party which would lead the revolution to victory, overcoming all trials. In order to pave a new road for the revolution during the struggle for national independence and liberation. Comrade Kim IL Sung visualized a vanguard organisation which would wage the struggle for national and social liberation with a fighting programme and in reliance on the masses. In 1926, Comrade Kim IL Sung formed the Down-With-Imperialism (D.I.U). As the first truly revolutionary organisation in Korea, the DIU would guide the sacred work of achieving Korea's liberation and independence and of socialism and communism. The principle of independence set forth by the DIU became the principle of the building of the Workers' Party of Korea.

After the liberation of Korea in August 1945, there was the pressing need to unite all the anti-imperialist and progressive forces in the task of building a new nation. In order to unite the popular masses and actively enlist their enthusiasm in a constructing a Democratic Korea, it was imperative to found a party which would act as a political general staff. The Communist Party of Korea was founded on October 10th, 1945 by the Great Leader Comrade Kim IL Sung. As the Communist Party was strengthened and the Democratic Revolution was successfully

promoted, Kim IL Sung saw the need to unite all the two main working people's parties into one. The merger of the Communist Party with the New Democratic Party was a huge step forward in consolidating the Peoples Power in the north of Korea. The appearance of the Workers' Party of Korea, a united party of the working people, on August 30th, 1946, was an event of great significance for the development of the Korean Revolution.

The Workers' Party of Korea is a party which ensures the oneness of ideology and leadership. The leader is the personifier of the organisational will of the entire party. In the 1970s, the WPK established a new principle to ensure the oneness of ideology and leadership in keeping with the requirements of the revolution.With a far reaching plan, Kim IL Sung set the strategic policy of modelling the whole society on the Juche Idea. Imbuing the whole party with the Juche Idea is a work of making all its members embrace the Juche Idea as their world outlook and carrying on party building with the Juche Idea as the core. The WPK is a new type of working class party, a party of the Juche type. It is a political party of the working masses, composed of the workers, peasants and intellectuals and bases its activities on the desires and interests of the popular masses.

One of the greatest achievements of Kim Jong IL was to carry forward and accomplish the cause of consolidating the Workers' Party of Korea as the party of Kim IL Sung, with the one ideology and practice of the Juche Idea. In the 1970s and 1980s, Kim Jong IL made sure that the party and the wider society was dyed Red with the Juche Idea. The works of Kim Jong IL fully crystalized and systematized the Juche Idea, the Juche based revolutionary theory and leadership methods. Kim Jong IL's wrtings on the Workers' Party of Korea are masterpieces of Communist theory and practice, worthy of study by all socialists. When Kim Jong IL was elected the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in October 1997, the WPK took a new turn into becoming an invincible party of the Juche type.

The Dear Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un has the made the Workers' Party of Korea into a fighting vanguard party fit to deal with the

challenges of the 21st century. The ideological system of KimilsungismKimjongilism was worked out by Kim Jong Un as the guiding ideology of the WPK in keeping with the ever changing circumstances of the Korean Revolution. The 7th and 8th Congresses of the WPK under the leadership of Comrade Kim Jong Un propelled the strategic lines of Korean style socialism to further development and modernization. The 20x10 regional development strategy of the WPK is bringing rapid growth in the various regions of the DPRK and making them equally prosperous. Kim Jong Un maintains the firm principle in party work of the people first in all the activities of the Workers' Party of Korea.

On the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea, the WPK is rightfully seen as the most successful Communist Party in history. This due to the leadership of President Kim IL Sung, Chairman Kim Jong IL and Marshal Kim Jong Un. Another factor in how the WPK has achieved so much in its 80 year existence is down to the fact that the party firmly upholds revolutionary principles while displaying creativity, this has been its winning formula. The 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea is an opportunity to reflect, learn and celebrate the history of the Glorious WPK, the Party of the Juche Type!!

Long Live The Workers' Party of Korea!

Shaun Pickford 08.09.25

KFA UK Staffordshire branch

Secretary General British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea