Contribution of WP of Korea [En]

Speech delivered by Cde. Ri Su Yong, Vice-Chairman of the

Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea at the

18th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties

Esteemed Comrade Chairman,

Dear Delegates,

Let me, first of all, extend my warm congratulations on the successful opening of the 18^th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties, held amid great attention and expectations of the world’s progressive political parties and people.

I would also like to convey, on behalf of the Workers’ Party of Korea, militant greetings to communist and workers’ parties of the world who are waging a valiant struggle to defend and advance the cause of socialism in the face of the imperialists’ challenges.

The IMCWP, which has been held year after year since its inception in the last century, has greatly contributed to communist and workers’ parties sharing experiences gained and strengthening mutual support and solidarity in the struggle to vigorously advance the socialist movement against the imperialists’ anti-socialist moves, in keeping with its original mandate and goal.

I am convinced that this meeting will mark an important occasion for communist and workers’ parties to victoriously push ahead with the cause of socialism with correct strategy and tactics and further strengthen unity and solidarity in the face of ever-deepening confrontation between the forces of independence and those of domination.

Comrades,

We now witness in the international arena a sharp confrontation and battles between the world’s progressive peoples who want to defend the sovereignty and dignity of their countries and the imperialist reactionary forces for whom aggression, war and high-handed and arbitrary practices are a daily routine.

In the historic report to the 7^th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea held last May, the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, said that the current international situation is characterized by the ever-worsening contradictions and confrontation among the world powers in their pursuit of a greater sphere of influence, and the gradual decline of the US-led imperialist reactionary forces in the showdown between the forces of independence and those of domination.

The imperialist reactionary forces who are doomed to downfall, are making a desperate attempt to cling to their hegemony.

Behind the façade of “democracy”, “war on terror”, “human rights”, and “globalization”, the US-led imperialists are seeking to maintain their hegemony by trampling on the sovereign rights of other countries and nations.

The current international situation in which the sovereignty of states and international justice are being ruthlessly infringed upon due to the arbitrary and high-handed practices of the imperialists demands more than ever before that all the communist and workers’ parties of the world unite firmly under the banner of socialism and anti-imperialism and step up the efforts aimed at advancing the cause of global independence by resolutely crushing the moves of hostile forces.

To achieve global independence is the common aspiration of mankind and a historic task of the times.

In order to realize global independence it is essential for all countries and nations to adhere to the principle of independence under the unfurled banner of anti-imperialist independence, and in this struggle, the communist and workers’ parties should naturally be the standard-bearers and vanguards.

The imperialists are currently scheming to prevent the countries and nations that aspire to independence from achieving unity by sowing seeds of distrust and discord and fanning mutual enmity among them; they are also meddling in regional and ethnic disputes to further complicate the matter.

It is a principled stand of the Workers’ Party of Korea that the imperialists’ scheme of creating division and sowing discord should be countered with a strategy of unity.

The communist and workers’ parties of the world should unite under the banner of anti-imperialist independence, and turn the spearhead of their attack against their common enemy, the imperialists.

To ensure genuine international justice by frustrating the imperialist and dominationist forces’ policy of war, aggression and interference in the internal affairs of other countries and by safeguarding global peace and security is the most important and urgent task for the communist and workers’ parties today.

It is in this context that we wholeheartedly approve the theme of the 18^th IMCWP—that is, correct strategy and tactics of the communist and workers’ parties in advancing the socialist cause in the face of vicious imperialist offensive.

Comrades,

Socialism owes its eternal viability to its scientific accuracy and truthful nature.

It is thanks to its scientific accuracy and veracity that socialism has held a secure place in the hearts of people for almost a century since the birth of the world’s first socialist state after the victory of the great October socialist revolution.

Socialism suffered a temporary setback in Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, we see today many communist and workers’ parties marching victoriously along the path of socialism and their international gatherings being held annually, all in the spirit of the Pyongyang Declaration adopted in April 1992 reflecting their desire and will to defend and advance socialism.

The ultimate goal of the Workers’ Party of Korea is to accomplish the cause of socialism and realize the full independence of the masses of people.

Today, the Workers’ Party of Korea, having held the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un at its highest post, is ushering in a new golden age in the implementation of the cause of building a powerful socialist country under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un clarified that Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, the guiding ideology of the Workers’ Party of Korea, is, in essence, the people-first principle. His politics is the politics of love for the people in which the highest and absolute priority is given to the interests of the people.

Our army and people are working out miracles in line with the blueprint for the building of a powerful socialist country, laid out by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, at its 7^th Congress.

The Workers’ Party of Korea is firmly determined to build the best country in the world, one with great national strength that is prosperous and whose people enjoy a happy life with nothing to envy, by stepping up the efforts to build an economic power with a high level of civilization on the strength of science and technology while consolidating the country’s political and military might.

The Workers’ Party of Korea will maintain the 3-point strategy of prioritizing people, army and youth in its vigorous march towards the final victory of the cause of socialism, and will, without fail, build a powerful socialist nation by crushing the anti-DPRK moves of sanctions and blockade perpetrated by hostile forces, on the strength of self-development-first principle.

A peaceful world free from war is a goal the Workers’ Party of Korea is fighting for, and to endeavor for peace and security in the region and the world is a position our Party has consistently maintained.

The Workers’ Party of Korea has put forward and is working hard to implement the strategic line of simultaneously promoting economic construction and strengthening the nuclear forces in order to counter the ever-increasing threat of nuclear war coming from the US and safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and right to existence as well as peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the region.

The new strategic line of our Party called Byongjin, is lawful requirement of our revolution, an inevitable choice based on the supreme interests of our Party and the state.

The Workers’ Party of Korea under the unfurled banner of the Byongjin policy will work hard to remove, by means of our powerful nuclear deterrent, the root cause of the threat of nuclear war created by the United States and to safeguard peace in the region and the rest of the world.

The Workers’ Party of Korea greatly values the militant solidarity and firm support from all communist and workers’ parties of the world in our struggle for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

The Workers’ Party of Korea will continue to work hard to safeguard peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the world and to achieve victory of the cause of independence of mankind and the socialist cause, with the support and encouragement of the communist and workers’ parties of the world.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my firm conviction that this meeting will mark an important occasion that will powerfully demonstrate the militant unity and solidarity of the communist and workers’ parties of the world in the struggle for the victory of the cause of socialism.

Thank you.