Zimbabwe Herald Article on Kim Il Sung

Harare — THERE are always great men in the leaves of history.

While celebrating Independence Day, many Zimbabweans look back on the history of their patriotic liberation struggles.

After enduring severe trial, Zimbabwean patriots led the people to attain independence and freedom from the colonial restraints.

Numbers of sons and daughters fell in bloody battles without seeing the day of independence.

But their independent spirit and achievements will always be alive and praised into the modern history of Zimbabwe.

The independence of Zimbabwe received warm welcome from many progressive countries over the world.

Among them was the Democratic People's Republic of Korea which gave full support to the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe.

DPRK was among countries that were invited to the Independence ceremony and established diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980 in the first place before anyone else. Thus Zimbabwean people celebrate their 30th Independence anniversary as the two countries also mark 30 years of friendly relations.

When mentioning DPRK's support to Zimbabwe, many people think about President Kim ll Sung.

President Kim Il Sung, who was born on April 15, 1912 led armed struggles that led to victory and restored the independence of Korea in 1945, was well aware of the long-cherished desire of the oppressed peoples and paid deep attention to liberation struggles in African countries that were suffering under the colonial yoke.

Many African countries like Zimbabwe which are currently building new societies do not forget immortal exploits rendered by President Kim Il Sung who made great contribution to their independence and socio-economic development.

Before and immediately after Zimbabwe's Independence there were meetings between President Kim Il Sung and President R.G. Mugabe, thus they formed special relations.

DPRK, which is committed to friendly ties with Zimbabwe, has provided economic and technical assistance in many fields including the construction of the National Heroes Acre.

All kinds of support given to oppressed people by the DPRK are based on the love and spirit of President Kim Il Sung.

Among merits achieved by President Kim Il Sung is that he authored the Juche idea, a philosophy centred on human beings. He illumined the way for mankind to follow in the era of independence.

By the evolution of the Juche idea, oppressed people, who had writhed in agony as colonial slaves, could emerge as masters of their destiny, and the strong current of independence swept across the world.

President Kim Il Sung, loved people and administered benevolent politics throughout his life saying "The people are my God" as his motto.

It is not fortuitous that the Korean people addressed him as the "fatherly leader" rather than by his official title.

DPRK cherishes sovereignty and independence and is willing to maintain friendly relations with other nations on the basis of independence, peace and friendship.

But sometimes it is described wrongly by occidental mass-media.

In international politics, North Korea is always a crucial point that attracts sharp attention. To get a clear understanding of the country, it is reasonable to look at the true nature of the politics of DPRK government and the geopolitical circumstances of the Korean peninsula.

Since its founding, DPRK has followed the socialist road steadfastly even under the military threat and extreme blockade and sanctions of the imperialist allied forces which caused severe economic difficulties as in other countries.

This kind of menace and blockade was reinforced more and more by disturbing a normal socio-economic development of DPRK in particular after several socialist countries collapsed one-after-another in east Europe.

When the imperialist allied forces were focusing their anti-socialist offensive on DPRK at the end of the last century, the DPRK government thoroughly embodied the Juche and Songun ideas in all its activities.

The principle of Songun underlies all the activities of the country in ideology, politics, economy, culture and other fields.

Songun politics -- adopted as a basic political mode -- has provided the country with a treasured sword with which to firmly defend the national sovereignty and dignity and assure the building of a socialist power in difficult circumstances.

As it upholds the banner of the Juche idea and the Songun idea, DPRK, though not so large in territorial area, has proved itself in the present international community as a political power, a country strong in ideology.

It has also been turned into a military power by putting great efforts into developing self-reliant defence capabilities in due consideration of the specific politico-military situation on the Korean peninsula.

The development of the defence industry has always been of great concern to DPRK. In the course of this, it has prepared a strongest war deterrent.

An eye-opening achievement has also been made in all fields of social life, including the economy and culture.

For example, after the Korean War during which every building over one storey was demolished by US bombers and the whole country reduced to ashes, the government successfully carried out reconstruction and realised the socialist transformation of relations of production in urban and rural areas in no more than four to five years, thus establishing the socialist system in 1958.

It fulfilled the historic task of industrialisation in only 14 years, transforming the past colonial agrarian country into a socialist industrial state.

The national economy developed into a powerful self-reliant one, capable of building the famous West Sea Barrage and other monumental establishments on its own already in the 1980s.

As is well-known to the world, it placed its first artificial satellite Kwangmyongsong 1 in orbit in August 1998 at its first launch and the second one in 2009.

The successful launch shook the whole world, for it was a fait accompli in the international community that socialist Korea would soon collapse, strangled by critical economic difficulties caused by the extreme blockade and sanctions of the imperialist allied forces and consecutive natural calamities.

DPRK demonstrated through the event its inexhaustible economic potential, the might of the self-reliant national economy built up for decades.

It is the goal and will of the DPRK government to open wide the gate to a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation in 2012, marking the centennial birthday of President Kim Il Sung, father of socialist Korea.

Externally, DPRK is in the course of developing its relations with other countries as it has done in the past, especially with African countries.

To mention only examples of recent years, DPRK high level delegations visited Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Ethiopia, DRC, Angola, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Egypt, Algeria, Gabon, Senegal, Gambia and etc.

And many Korean technicians and medical doctors are working in many African countries as well as in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, DRC, Libya, Egypt etc, in the fields of medical services, building, education, sports and industry.

DPRK, which has signed many Agreements with Zimbabwe, continues to support it not only in politics but also in economic development.

Last year, a state delegation of DPRK visited Zimbabwe on the invitation of President R.G. Mugabe during which the two sides reaffirmed their intention to reinforce and develop further bilateral co-operation in many fields.

A Zimbabwean delegation headed by Minister of Home Affairs visited Pyongyang last year in May and agreed with the Korean side to co-operate in several sectors.

Korean doctors were dispatched since 2 years ago and deployed to Government hospitals in Chitungwiza, Bulawayo and Mutare.

The history has already proved the justice and effectiveness of bilateral co-operation between Zimbabwe and DPRK prepared and founded by President R.G. Mugabe and President Kim Il Sung.

The immortal exploits of President Kim Il Sung accumulated in developing friendship between Korean people and Zimbabwean people will be highly applauded and magnified day-by-day for the prosperity of both friendly countries.

As the Korean people designated April 15 as the Day of the Sun and acclaimed Kim Il Sung as the eternal President of DPRK, he is always alive not only in the memory of Korean and Zimbabwean people but also into the history of progressive peoples over the world.

Kim Yong Nam is the DPRK's economic and commercial representative to Zimbabwe.