KIM JONG IL
                          
THE
                                    SONGUN-BASED
                                  REVOLUTIONARY
                                    LINE IS A
                                    GREAT REVOLUTIONARY
                                  LINE
                                  
OF
                                  OUR ERA AND
                                  AN EVER-VICTORIOUS
                                  BANNER OF OUR REVOLUTION
Talk
                                  to the Senior Officials of the Central
                                  Committee of the Workers’ Party of
                                  Korea
January
                                  29, Juche 92 (2003)
These days the
                                Korean revolution, guided by the Party,
                                has been making a victorious advance
                                under the banner of Songun.
Thanks to the
                                Songun-based politics pursued by our
                                Party, the revolutionary armed forces
                                have been incomparably strengthened, the
                                defence line of the homeland
                                consolidated and a great change effected
                                in the revolution and construction.
By dint of Songun
                                politics we have smashed the anti-DPRK,
                                anti-socialist machinations of the
                                imperialists step by step, defended the
                                country and the revolution and exalted
                                the dignity and prestige of socialist Korea
                                in the eyes of the world.
The Songun-based
                                politics of our Party is a politics the
                                invincibility of which has been verified
                                through, severe historical ordeals, and
                                an all-powerful sword for victory in the
                                revolution. It is an invariable
                                conviction and will of our Party to
                                defend and carry forward by force of
                                arms the sacred revolutionary cause
                                which was pioneered and has won one
                                victory after another by force of arms.
                                The whole Party, the entire army and all
                                the people must wage a resolute struggle
                                under the banner of Songun and thus
                                build a great, prosperous and powerful
                                socialist nation, achieve national
                                reunification and accomplish the
                                revolutionary cause of Juche.
Our Party’s
                                Songun-based revolutionary leadership,
                                Songun-based politics, is a
                                revolutionary mode of leadership and
                                socialist mode of politics that gives
                                top priority to military affairs, and
                                defends the country, the revolution and
                                socialism and dynamically pushes ahead
                                with overall socialist construction by
                                dint of the revolutionary mettle and
                                combat capabilities of the People’s
                                Army. The underlying aspects of Songun
                                politics are that military affairs are
                                of paramount importance, that the army
                                is the hardcore and main force of the
                                revolution, and that the army must be
                                strengthened in every way. The essential
                                characteristic of Songun politics is
                                that it safeguards the security of the
                                country and defends the revolutionary
                                gains by developing the People’s Army
                                into invincible revolutionary armed
                                forces, and that it builds up the
                                driving force of the revolution and
                                deals with all affairs of socialist
                                construction in a revolutionary and
                                militant way with the People’s Army as
                                the hard core and main force.
The idea and line
                                of giving importance to force of arms
                                and military affairs, advanced and
                                consistently maintained by President Kim
                                  Il Sung,
                                constitute the basis and starting point
                                of our Party’s Songun politics.
The struggle of
                                the masses of the people for the cause
                                of independence, the cause of socialism,
                                is accompanied by confrontation of power
                                with imperialism and all sorts of other
                                counterrevolutionary forces. Therefore,
                                military affairs emerge as a matter of
                                key importance on which hangs victory or
                                failure in the revolution and the rise
                                or fall of a country or a nation. A
                                country or a nation can emerge
                                victorious in the revolution and defend
                                the revolution, and carve out its
                                destiny independently only when it has
                                its own powerful revolutionary armed
                                forces.
It is the force
                                of arms on which hinge the victory of
                                the revolutionary cause, independence
                                and sovereignty, and the prosperity of a
                                country or a nation. This is the
                                Juche-oriented principle of revolution
                                and the law of revolution, elucidated by
                                President Kim
                                  Il Sung
                                and whose soundness has been verified by
                                history.
President Kim
                                  Il Sung
                                organized an armed unit first in the
                                early period of his revolutionary
                                activities, achieved the historic cause
                                of national liberation by force of arms,
                                and founded the Party and the State
                                afterwards. In each period and at each
                                stage of the revolution after the
                                liberation, he always paid primary
                                attention to military affairs and
                                constantly strengthened the
                                revolutionary armed forces, and thus
                                laid a solid military guarantee for the
                                victorious advance of the revolution and
                                construction.
Our Party’s
                                Songun politics is a powerful mode of
                                politics of our era which was created by
                                inheriting President Kim
                                  Il Sung’s
                                idea and line of attaching importance to
                                arms and military affairs in general,
                                and by developing them in depth as
                                required by the changing situation. By
                                dint of Songun politics we have been
                                defending the President’s great military
                                thoughts and immortal exploits, further
                                exalting them on a new and higher level,
                                and opening a vista for the victory of
                                the Juche revolutionary cause. The new
                                era of Juche revolution is the Songun
                                era and it is a new and higher stage of
                                our revolution which is developing under
                                the banner of Songun.
The Songun
                                revolutionary line, Songun politics, is
                                a scientific revolutionary line and mode
                                of statesmanship that most accurately
                                reflect the demands of the times and the
                                revolution.
Our Party started
                                pursuing Songun politics on the basis of
                                its scientific analysis of the
                                international circumstances of our
                                revolution and of the rapidly changing
                                situation.
Entering the
                                1990s, socialism collapsed in the former
                                Soviet Union
                                and the Eastern European countries,
                                giving rise to a great change in the
                                world political structure and balance of
                                forces. Although the imperialists’ mouthpieces and opportunists
                                claimed that a new era of “detente and
                                peace’’ had arrived following the “end
                                of the Cold War,” the world can never
                                exist in peace so long as imperialism
                                remains rampant. By taking advantage of
                                the collapse of the global socialist
                                system, the reactionary imperialist
                                forces intensified their offensive
                                against the anti-imperialist independent
                                forces; in particular, the US
                                imperialists, who had emerged as the
                                only superpower in the world, were more
                                tenacious than ever in the pursuit of
                                their policy of aggression and war, in
                                an attempt to realize their ambition of
                                world supremacy, wielding the power of
                                authority and arbitrariness in the
                                international arena and violently
                                encroaching upon the sovereignty of
                                other countries.
The reactionary
                                imperialist forces spearheaded their
                                attack towards our Republic, which is
                                advancing constantly under the banner of
                                independence, the banner of socialism.
                                The US imperialists and their followers
                                pounced upon us in all directions,
                                stepping up their moves for military
                                aggression on an unprecedented scale to
                                destroy our Republic by means of force
                                on the one hand, and putting pressure to
                                bear upon us in all spheres of politics,
                                the economy, ideology, culture and
                                diplomacy on the other to squeeze us
                                dry. 
Due to their
                                anti-DPRK isolate-and-stifle schemes,
                                the Korean revolution came to face the
                                severest trials and hardships of its
                                history; we had to bear the full brunt
                                of the offensive of the imperialist
                                aggressive forces, in direct
                                confrontation with the US imperialists.
The showdown
                                between us and imperialism is a
                                confrontation of power; the
                                anti-imperialist military front
                                constituted the major front line, the
                                first lifeline of our revolution, on
                                which the destiny of the country, the
                                nation and socialism would be decided.
                                We had to strengthen and rely on the
                                People’s Army by concentrating our
                                efforts on military affairs. In this way
                                we were able to save the destiny of the
                                country and the nation, and lead the
                                revolution and construction to victory.
                                This is the reason why we say the army
                                means the Party, the State and the
                                people. Had we neglected military
                                affairs and failed to strengthen the
                                army, we might have perished already,
                                far from conducting the revolution and
                                construction.
Our
                                anti-imperialist, anti-US struggle is
                                the grimmest war to defend the country
                                and a war in defence of socialism. It
                                was only the People’s Army, the
                                revolutionary armed forces, that could
                                perform its mission and role as the
                                standard-bearer of Songun politics. The
                                Songun politics of our Party embodies
                                the high spirit of annihilating the
                                enemy at all costs, and the unshakable
                                conviction and will to emerge
                                victorious, on the part of the People’s
                                Army. It is entirely thanks to the
                                heroic efforts of the entire army and
                                the whole nation in single-hearted unity
                                with the People’s Army as its core under
                                the Party’s leadership that we could
                                overcome the difficulties in the way of
                                revolution and win great victories.
The practical
                                experience of our revolution has proved
                                that Songun politics, which gives
                                precedence to military affairs and
                                regards the revolutionary armed forces
                                as the pivot, is the most powerful mode
                                of politics of our era and revolution.
                                Songun politics makes it possible to
                                defeat any enemy no matter how
                                formidable, tide over any hardships and
                                trials, and guarantee the victorious
                                advance of the revolutionary cause. The
                                Songun revolutionary line, Songun
                                politics, is a strategic revolutionary
                                line and mode of politics that must be
                                adhered to constantly so long as
                                imperialism exists on the earth and its
                                aggressive machinations continue.
The Songun
                                politics of our Party is a unique
                                socialist mode of politics that gives a
                                new scientific clarification and
                                solution to the issue of the main force
                                of the revolution.
On the basis of
                                its deep analysis of the development of
                                the times and the changed social and
                                class relations, our Party put forward,
                                for the first time in the history of the
                                revolutionary movement, the idea of
                                “precedence of the army over the working
                                class,” giving prominence to the
                                People’s Army as the core unit and main
                                force of the revolution. The originality
                                of Songun politics and its invincibility
                                lie in the fact that it gives prominence
                                to the People’s Army as the core unit
                                and main force.
The preceding
                                revolutionary theories of Marxism viewed
                                the working class as the main force of
                                the revolution. Having analysed the
                                social and class relations in the
                                Western capitalist countries in the
                                mid-19th
                                century, Marx identified the working
                                class as the most advanced and
                                revolutionary class entrusted with the
                                mission of liquidating the domination of
                                capital and all sorts of exploitation,
                                and building socialism and communism,
                                and defined it as the leading class and,
                                the main force of the revolution. This
                                was the reflection of the reality of
                                capitalist society in those times.
                                Later, socialist revolutions emerged
                                victorious in several countries of the
                                world, and socialist construction got
                                under way, with the working class as the
                                main force. As a result, it had been
                                recognized as an unbreakable
                                revolutionary formula in carrying out
                                the cause of socialism to conduct the
                                revolutionary struggle and construction
                                work with the working class as the core
                                and the main force.
However, Marx’s
                                theories and formulas, which had been
                                set forth one and a half centuries
                                before, cannot accord with the present
                                reality. The times have advanced
                                further, witnessing a great change in
                                social atmosphere, class relations and
                                the status of the working class. With
                                the development of capitalism,
                                especially with the rapid development of
                                science, and technology and the arrival
                                of the IT age, the living basis of the
                                working class has been changed and work
                                is being done on a more technological
                                and intellectual basis. The ranks of the
                                working class have been intellectualized
                                and the working masses engaged in
                                technical, intellectual and mental
                                labour are quickly outnumbering manual
                                workers. Moreover, the development of
                                capitalism consolidates the domination
                                of monopoly capital and adds to the
                                prevalence of reactionary bourgeois
                                ideology and culture, which greatly acts
                                to control the class consciousness,
                                awakening and revolutionary assimilation
                                of the working class. The working class
                                of the present times cannot be
                                identified with the working class in the
                                period of industrial capitalism or
                                proletarian revolution, in the fight of
                                either the situation of the times or the
                                actual reality of the labour, social
                                status and labour movement of the
                                working class. The changed situation and
                                the reality require a new ideology and
                                theory, strategy and tactics with which
                                to awaken and rally the broad sections
                                of the masses who oppose the domination
                                of monopoly capital and the aggression
                                and war policy of imperialism, train
                                hard-core elements among them and expand
                                and strengthen the revolutionary forces.
The limitations
                                of Marxist revolutionary theories were
                                also manifested in a socialist society
                                where the working masses, including the
                                working class, have become the masters
                                of the State and society. The preceding
                                theories based on the materialistic
                                conception of history considered that
                                the revolution is completed once the
                                working class seizes power and
                                establishes socialist relations of
                                production. For this reason, they failed
                                to make a correct clarification of the
                                law-governed course of socialist
                                construction subsequent to victory in
                                revolution; in particular, they failed
                                to raise the issue of remoulding man,
                                the ideological revolution, in a
                                socialist society.
For the first
                                time in history, President Kim
                                  Il Sung
                                advanced the outstanding idea that the
                                course of building socialism and
                                communism is, in view of the class
                                relations, the process of modelling the
                                whole society on the working-class
                                pattern and gave scientific explanations
                                of the role of the working class, the
                                development of class relations and the
                                law governing the remoulding of man in a
                                socialist society.
Thanks to his
                                original theory on building socialism
                                and under his wise leadership, the
                                working class and other working masses
                                have been transformed into socialist
                                workers in our country and they all work
                                and live basing themselves on the
                                collectivist principle under the
                                socialist system. Our Party has firmly
                                equipped the masses of the people with the
                                Juche idea and upgraded the process of
                                transforming the whole of society on the
                                revolutionary and working-class patterns
                                by giving definite precedence to the
                                remoulding of man, the ideological work,
                                in the socialist cause. Thus it has
                                brought about a radical change in the
                                socio-economic lives and
                                politico-ideological traits of our
                                people. The Korean people are
                                revolutionary and boundlessly faithful
                                to the Party and the revolution since
                                they have been educated and trained in a
                                revolutionary way in the embrace of the
                                socialist motherland under the guidance
                                of the Party and the leader. These days
                                the masses of the people, who are
                                solidly united behind the Party and the
                                leader with one mind and
                                will, constitute a powerful driving
                                force of socialist construction in our
                                society.
Needless
                                to say, class differences still remain
                                between the working class and the
                                cooperative farmers, and the
                                revolutionary and working-class
                                assimilation of intellectuals cannot be
                                said to have been completed. The working
                                class is as advanced a unit of our
                                society as ever, and has a higher sense
                                of class consciousness, collectivism and
                                revolution than other working masses.
                                Furthermore, it is still in charge of
                                industry, the leading sector of the
                                national economy; especially the workers
                                in the key industries and munitions
                                industry play a very important role in
                                the revolution and construction. That is
                                why our Party treasures the working
                                class and always pays deep concern to
                                further revolutionizing it and enhancing
                                its role.
Applying Songun
                                politics, our Party has given prominence
                                to the People’s Army over the working
                                class, prompted by a new viewpoint and
                                attitude towards the issue of the main
                                force of the revolution and the role of
                                a revolutionary army in the revolution
                                and construction.
The question of
                                the main force of the revolution is one
                                of the fundamental problems in
                                strengthening the motive force of the
                                revolution and in developing the
                                revolutionary movement by enhancing its
                                role. Which class, stratum or social
                                collective becomes the main force of the
                                revolution is decided by its position
                                and role in the revolution and
                                construction, its sense of revolution,
                                organizational discipline, and combat
                                capabilities.
The question of
                                the main force of the revolution cannot
                                remain invariable in any era, society or
                                revolution, nor is it a question that
                                can be solved only on the basis of class
                                relations. Hence, regarding the working
                                class as the main force of the
                                revolution anytime and anywhere is an
                                expression of a dogmatic viewpoint
                                toward the preceding theories and is not
                                correct in principle either.
Unfettered by any
                                established theories or formulas, out
                                Party strictly rejected any expression
                                of dogmatic attitude to and revisionist
                                distortion of the preceding theories,
                                and strengthened the army and upgraded
                                its role as required by the development
                                of the situation and the revolution,
                                thus leading the revolution and
                                construction to victory.
For our Party to
                                give prominence to the People’s Army as
                                the main force of the revolution is
                                essential to the accomplishment of the
                                revolutionary cause of Juche, in view of
                                the position and role of the People’s
                                Army in our revolution at present and in
                                the light of its revolutionary mettle
                                and combat efficiency.
The
                                People’s Army is the revolutionary ranks
                                that defend the first lifeline of our
                                revolution. It defends the Party and the
                                revolution, the country and the people
                                by force of arms and at the cost of life
                                in direct confrontation with the strong
                                imperialist enemy. On the bayonets of
                                the People’s Army hinge peace, socialism
                                and worthwhile and happy life of our
                                people.
This is the noble
                                mission and the heaviest yet most
                                honourable revolutionary task of the
                                People’s Army, for which neither the
                                working class nor any other social group
                                can substitute.
The People’s Army
                                is the most revolutionary, militant and
                                powerful revolutionary group in our
                                society. No group is equal to the
                                People's Army in terms of the sense of
                                revolution and organization and combat
                                efficiency.
Our People’s Army
                                is unfailingly loyal to the Party and
                                the revolution and very strong in
                                ideology and faith, and it is the most
                                organized combat unit. It defends the
                                Party and the leader and carries out the
                                Party’s policies at all costs, and
                                fights to the death for the cause of the
                                Party, the cause of socialism. The men
                                and officers of the People’s Army, who
                                defend the country and the revolution by
                                force of arms in the van, love their
                                country more dearly than anyone else,
                                are eager to defend socialism and fight
                                uncompromisingly against imperialism and
                                the class enemy with intense hatred. The
                                People’s Army is a revolutionary unit
                                that brims over with revolutionary
                                faith, iron will and militant spirit. It
                                is stronger than any other collective in
                                the sense of collectivism, organization,
                                discipline and unity.
The entire army
                                is single-heartedly united behind its
                                Supreme Commander, and moves as one
                                under his command and directive; it
                                arranges all of its soldiers’ routine
                                life and activities as required by
                                military rules and discipline. The
                                collectivist principle and organization
                                and discipline have become the lifeblood
                                and requirements of the routine life of
                                the People’s Army.
The
                                high sense of revolution and
                                organization of the People’s Army is
                                reflective of the characteristics of the
                                armed unit and the mettle unique to the
                                revolutionary army, and constitutes a
                                basic factor of upgrading the combat
                                efficiency of our army and improving its
                                politico-ideological might. 
It
                                is not that any army that takes part in
                                the revolution or any socialist army
                                acquires the traits and qualities
                                befitting a revolutionary army and,
                                moreover, can become the main force of
                                the revolution. The working class or the
                                army can become a revolutionary class or
                                revolutionary armed forces and play an
                                important role in the revolution only
                                when it is awakened and organized under
                                the leadership of a revolutionary party.
                                Apart from the correct leadership of the
                                party and the leader, it is impossible
                                to train any hardcore unit of the
                                revolution or
                                to awaken and rally the broad sections
                                of the masses around the revolutionary
                                ranks.
Our People’s Army
                                has grown up into genuine revolutionary
                                armed forces, an invincible army to
                                perform its honourable mission and duty
                                with credit as the hardcore unit and
                                main force of the revolution, thanks to
                                the leadership of President Kim
                                  Il Sung
                                and the great Workers’ Party.
President Kim
                                  Il Sung
                                built our People’s Army into a prototype
                                of a revolutionary army and laid eternal
                                foundations for its development by
                                thoroughly applying the principles and
                                ways he had put forward for the building
                                of Juche-type revolutionary armed
                                forces. He built the People’s Army into
                                an army of the Party and the leader, a
                                genuine army of the people, and
                                developed it as an armed unit of
                                ideology and faith, possessed of all the
                                politico-ideological traits required of
                                a revolutionary army. Under his wise
                                leadership an independent and modern
                                munitions industry was created and so
                                developed as to serve as the material
                                and technical foundations for the
                              modernization of
                                the entire army. The imperishable
                                exploit he performed for the building of
                                the armed forces is the most valuable of
                                his revolutionary achievements and it is
                                now proving its worth as the solid
                                foundation and priceless asset for our
                                Party to further strengthen the People’s
                                Army and pursue Songun politics.
On the basis of
                                his great achievements in army building,
                                our Party gave prominence to the
                                People’s Army as the standard-bearer and
                                main force of Songun-based revolution,
                                and directed all its efforts to
                                upgrading it. Through the continuous
                                field inspections of the units of the
                                People’s Army, our Party always went
                                deep among the servicepersons and took
                                care of them with love and trust. It
                                strengthened the army through
                                revolutionary education and training by
                                decisively intensifying Party political
                                work within the army and unsparingly
                                supplied everything necessary for the
                                army. The Party took revolutionary
                                measures to firmly equip the People’s
                                Army with our own unique strategy and
                                tactics, and radically improve its
                                military and technical preparedness as
                                required by the characteristics of
                                modern warfare and tense situations. Our
                                Party’s energetic guidance has given
                                rise to a fresh turn in the
                                politico-ideological traits and fighting
                                spirit of the People’s Army, making its
                                combat efficiency and might better than
                                ever before. Being an army of the Party
                                and the leader and an army of the
                                Supreme Commander, in name and in
                                reality, our People’s Army has grown up
                                to be revolutionary ranks of loyalists
                                full of the spirit of defending the
                                leadership of the revolution at all
                                costs, and the entire army from the
                                Supreme Commander to the rank and file
                                has formed a harmonious whole on the
                                basis of revolutionary comradeship. The
                                Party’s leadership over the army has its
                                firm place within the People’s Army, a
                                revolutionary and military spirit
                                prevails in the entire army, and the
                                good traits of unity between superiors
                                and subordinates, between officers and
                                rank and file and between commanding
                                officers and political officers are
                                manifesting themselves to the full
                                within the army.
The noble
                                politico-ideological traits,
                                revolutionary spirit and fighting mettle
                                of the People’s Army are expressed in a
                                concentrated way in the revolutionary
                                soldier spirit. The revolutionary
                                soldier spirit, which was created and
                                has been given full play within the
                                People’s Army under the leadership of
                                the Party, is the lofty revolutionary
                                spirit of our army, characterized mainly
                                by a spirit of defending the leader at
                                the risk of one’s life, a spirit of
                                carrying out tasks at all costs, and a
                                heroic self-sacrificing spirit. It is a
                                death-defying spirit with which the
                                soldiers of the People’s Army fight for
                                the Party and the leader, for the
                                country and revolution at the cost of
                                their youth and lives; it is a
                                revolutionary spirit of sure victory, a
                                spirit of confronting any enemy no
                                matter how formidable head-on and
                                breaking through any difficulties and
                                trials.
The revolutionary
                                soldier spirit of the People’s Army is a
                                noble revolutionary spirit symbolic and
                                representative of the great Songun era.
                                And it constitutes the most
                                revolutionary and militant ideological
                                and spiritual weapon, which makes it
                                possible to create miracles and perform
                                meritorious deeds in the course of the
                                revolution and construction. In the
                                Songun era the working class, too, can
                                perform its class duty and mission only
                                when it is equipped with the
                                revolutionary soldier spirit, and all
                                the other working people can maintain
                                and add luster to their honour of being
                                the masters of the State and society,
                                their honour of being the socialist
                                working masses, only when they learn
                                from the revolutionary soldier spirit.
                                When the entire army and all the people
                                live and struggle with the revolutionary
                                soldier spirit and fighting spirit,
                                united single-heartedly behind the
                                Party, there will be no enemy in the
                                world strong enough to resist us and no
                                fortress we cannot conquer.
Since our
                                People’s Army is the creator,
                                personifier and pioneer of the
                                revolutionary soldier spirit
                                representative of the times and the most
                                powerful combat unit that defends the
                                first lifeline of our revolution, it is
                                the standard-bearer, hardcore unit and
                                the main force of the Songun revolution
                                and, has been exalting the honour to a
                                high degree.
Songun politics,
                                which gives prominence to the People’s
                                Army as its main force, makes it
                                possible to firmly maintain and apply to
                                the letter the fundamental ideals and
                                the basic principles of the revolution.
                                Socialism is the fundamental ideal of
                                our revolution to realize the
                                independence of the masses of the
                                people, and socialist society is a
                                society which embodies the class demands
                                and aspirations of the working class.
                                Apart from the intrinsic desire and
                                class principle of the working class, it
                                is impossible to realize the
                                independence of the masses of the people
                                and complete the socialist cause. We are
                                striving to build a great, prosperous
                                and powerful socialist nation and
                                reunify the country in the midst of a
                                severe class struggle against the US
                                imperialists and other enemies. The
                                complex and grave situation of our
                                revolution demands that the edge of
                                class struggle be sharpened and the
                                working-class principle, the
                                revolutionary principle, be maintained
                                more thoroughly in all spheres. Our
                                Party has upheld the banner of Songun in
                                the acute confrontation with
                                imperialism. Our rifle is the rifle of
                                class, the rifle of revolution, and it
                                is the most powerful weapon for
                                anti-imperialist class struggle. The
                                revolutionary soldier spirit of the
                                People’s Army is the highest expression
                                of class consciousness and the
                                revolutionary spirit of the working
                                class. Today our Party is totally
                                serious and uncompromising about its
                                demand for adherence to the class
                                principle, the revolutionary principle,
                                in all spheres of the revolution and
                                construction and for farther
                                intensification of class education and
                                revolutionary education among the
                                soldiers and the people, as required by
                                the Songun era. When our army and people
                                are firmly equipped with a high level of
                                class consciousness and the
                                revolutionary soldier spirit in support
                                of the Party’s Songun-based leadership,
                                the socialist class position will be
                                further cemented, and the socialist
                                cause will be defended and, completed
                                with victory under any circumstances.
The Songun
                                politics of our Party is the most
                                powerful and dignified politics of
                                independence which embodies the Juche
                                idea.
Independence is the life and
                                soul of a social being, the masses of
                                the people, a country and a nation. The
                                man-centred Juche idea is an idea of
                                independence, and all revolutionary
                                struggles are ones for independence. The
                                Juche idea correctly combines love for
                                the masses of the people with that for
                                the country and the nation, and the
                                independence of the masses of the people
                                with that of the country and the nation,
                                and scientifically elucidates the ways
                                for its realization. The politics that
                                defends and realizes the independence of
                                the masses of the people, the country
                                and the nation on the basis of the
                                fundamentals and principles of the Juche
                                idea is the most revolutionary and
                                scientific politics, and it also
                                constitutes genuine politics of love for
                                the country, the nation and the people.
Our Songun
                                politics that relies on the invincible
                                revolutionary armed forces is a
                                principled and righteous politics of
                                anti-imperialist independence and
                                politics of love for the country, the
                                nation and the people, the politics
                                which reliably defends and guarantees
                                the independent demands and interests of
                                the masses of the people, and the
                                sovereignty and dignity of the country
                                and the people from infringement by the
                                imperialist reactionaries. As
                                self-defensive revolutionary armed
                                forces, our People’s Army is defending
                                by force of arms the dignity of our
                                Party and revolution, our ideology and
                                system and our country and people,
                                smashing the enemy’s war provocations
                                and safeguarding the security and peace
                                of the country. Thanks to Songun
                                politics we are conducting the
                                revolution and construction fair and
                                square in our own way and as suited to
                                the reality of our country and the
                                interests of our revolution, and
                                according to our own ideology and faith,
                                holding up the banner of independence in
                                spite of such complicated and acute
                                situation as today. It is because we
                                have strong military power and an
                                ever-victorious strategy and tactics
                                that we are firmly maintaining the
                                independent principles in politics,
                                resolutely rejecting all manner of
                                outside interference and pressure, and
                                pushing ahead with all our endeavours
                                boldly as we intend, unfettered by
                                anything.
Thanks to Songun
                                politics, our independence remains
                                firmly guaranteed and our socialist
                                motherland is demonstrating its dignity
                                and honour, authority and might as a
                                fortress of independence. Our Party’s
                                Songun politics is literally a politics
                                for the people and a politics geared to
                                defending and ensuring the independent
                                rights and fundamental interests of the
                                masses of the people. For this reason,
                                the entire people support it absolutely
                                and uphold it with loyalty. The unfurled
                                banner of Songun upheld by our Party has
                                become a great national banner inspiring
                                the consciousness of national
                                independence, self-respect and sense of
                                national pride and honour among the
                                fellow countrymen in the north, south
                                and abroad, and opening up the road to
                                the national reunification and
                                prosperity.
Our Party’s
                                Songun idea, Songun politics, has proved
                                its validity, superiority and great
                                vitality, and is demonstrating them all
                                the more with each passing day in the
                                practice and reality of our revolution.
First of all, the
                                military position of our revolution has
                                been fortified impregnably under the
                                Party’s Songun-based leadership.
The military
                                might of the country constitutes the
                                foremost rational power in the struggle
                                for independence and socialism and
                                against imperialism. If one defeats the
                                enemy on the military front one will
                                emerge victorious on all other fronts.
Our People’s Army
                                has grown up to be invincible
                                revolutionary armed forces, and our
                                socialist motherland has emerged as a
                                military power in the international
                                arena. We have won one victory after
                                another in the fierce political and
                                military showdown with the imperialists,
                                and defended the country, the revolution
                                and socialism from all manner of
                                aggressive machinations of the enemy.
The distinguished
                                successes and achievements we have made
                                in the military field are precisely the
                                great victory of our Party’s
                                Songun-based leadership, Songun
                                politics, and clear manifestation of its
                                validity and might. The military
                                position of the revolution that has been
                                cemented into an impregnable fortress,
                                with the People’s Army as the core,
                                thanks to our Party’s Songun-based
                                leadership serves as a basic guarantee
                                for the completion of the Juche
                                revolutionary cause.
Our revolutionary
                                ranks have been united more solidly than
                                ever and the single-hearted unity of our
                                whole society has been further
                                strengthened in the Songun era.
Today the
                                People’s Army and the people have forged
                                a genuine comradely relationship whereby
                                they share weal and woe on the road of
                                Songun-based revolution under the
                                leadership of the Party, and the whole
                                society is brimming over with the
                                beautiful trait of unity between the
                                army and the people. The servicepersons
                                are serving the people with devotion
                                while the latter are taking loving care
                                of the former as their own flesh and
                                blood, assisting them with all
                                sincerity, and devotedly learning from
                                the revolutionary soldier spirit and
                                fighting spirit of the People’s Army. As
                                a result, both the servicepersons and
                                the people share the same idea and
                                fighting spirit. In the Songun era the
                                People’s Army is playing a pivotal,
                                vanguard role in all spheres of the
                                revolution and construction, while the
                                people are treasuring the former above
                                all else, and displaying the trait of
                                supporting and assisting the army,
                                resulting in further solidity of
                                comradely unity between the army and the
                                people.
As a result of
                                our Party’s Songun-based leadership and
                                politics of love for the soldiers and
                                the people, the single-hearted unity of
                                our society has been upgraded to a
                                single-hearted unity of the whole Party,
                                the whole army and the whole nation
                                based on one ideology and faith, and
                                comradely love and obligation.
                                Furthermore, the politico-ideological
                                might of our revolution has been further
                                strengthened to an incomparable degree.
The great
                                viability of Songun politics has been
                                confirmed in the process of
                              socialist
                                construction.
As the main force
                                of the revolution, the People’s Army
                                stands in the van in all spheres of
                                socialist construction and has been
                                performing labour feats, setting a
                                shining example. The officers and men of
                                the People’s Army have erected numerous
                                monumental edifices and modern factories
                                through their heroic struggle in full
                                support of the Party’s idea and
                                policies, and made breakthroughs in the
                                difficult yet important sectors of the
                                national economy. They were the first to
                                overcome manifold hardships and trials
                                and created miracles and brought about
                                innovations in all spheres, thus
                                inspiring the working masses throughout
                                the country to a revolutionary upsurge.
Taking
                                their cue from the revolutionary soldier
                                spirit and the fighting spirit of the
                                People’s Army, the working class and
                                other working masses created the Kanggye
                                spirit and kindled the torch of Ranam,
                                bringing about a sweeping innovation in
                                overall socialist construction. By dint
                                of Songun politics relying on the
                                People’s Army as the main force, we were
                                able to endure the severest “Arduous
                                March” and the forced march, open up a
                                road towards building a great,
                                prosperous and powerful socialist nation
                                and push forward with the revolution and
                                construction in a bold and positive way
                                despite the difficult situation. Our
                                experience shows that if all the
                                officials and the working people uphold
                                the Party’s Songun-based leadership and
                                work as the People’s Army does, it is
                                possible to conquer the fortress of
                                cutting-edge science and technology,
                                build an economic power, establish an
                                assiduous manner in the management of
                                livelihood and a noble way of cultural
                                and emotional life throughout society,
                                and provide our people with affluent
                                lives in a short period of time.
Our Party’s
                                Songun politics has registered a
                                turning-point in the cause of national
                                reunification, furthered the
                                international solidarity with our
                                revolution and radically expanded the
                                external relations of the country.
Songun politics,
                                which is imbued with the principle of
                                national independence and the spirit of
                                love for the country and the people, our
                                policies for national reunification
                                based on it and our positive efforts
                                gave rise to the historic Pyongyang
                                summit, followed by the adoption of the
                                June 15 North-South Joint Declaration,
                                and the further development of
                                inter-Korean relations of reconciliation
                                and cooperation in several sectors. The
                                trend of struggle against the US and
                                other foreign forces and for independent
                                national reunification is mounting to a
                                crescendo on an unprecedented scale in south Korea.
Songun politics,
                                which opposes imperialist aggression and
                                war policies and defends the
                                independence of the country and the
                                nation, is winning broad support among
                                public circles and the progressive
                                peoples of the world. It gives a blow to
                              the
                                aggressive forces
                                of imperialism and encouragement to the
                                anti-imperialist independent forces in
                                the international arena, stimulating the
                                cause of making the whole world
                                independent.
Upholding the
                                banner of Songun under the leadership of
                                the great Party, our army and people
                                have traversed a glorious road of
                                victory, pushing their way through
                                raging storms and creating miracles in
                                history. The Songun-based revolutionary
                                line of our Party is a great
                                revolutionary line of our era and an
                                ever-victorious banner of our
                                revolution. In the Songun-based
                                revolution lie the building of a great,
                                prosperous and powerful nation, national
                                reunification and the victory of the
                                revolutionary cause of Juche. Now that
                                the situation is very complicated and
                                tense at home and abroad, we must hold
                                the banner of Songun higher. The whole
                                Party, the entire army and all the
                                people must advance more resolutely
                                towards a new great victory of our
                                revolution in support of the Party’s
                                Songun-based leadership.
First of all,
                                great efforts should be directed
                                continually at strengthening the
                                People’s Army. The might of Songun
                                politics is precisely the might of the
                                People’s Army; its superiority and might
                                can be given full play only when the
                                People’s Army is soundly prepared
                                politically and ideologically,
                                militarily and technically.
The Party’s
                                leadership is the lifeblood of the
                                People’s Army. Our People’s Army should
                                be strengthened as the first defender of
                                the Party, as the revolutionary armed
                                unit that fights to the death in support
                                of the Party’s idea and leadership, so
                                that it can inherit and add luster to
                                its glorious history and tradition as the army of the
                                Party and the leader. The more complex
                                and tenser the situation is, the more
                                efforts should be made to intensify
                                politico-ideological education and
                                military training within the People’s
                                Army so that all the servicepersons
                                trust and follow only our Party under
                                any circumstances and conditions,
                                heighten their revolutionary vigilance
                                and maintain their preparedness. The
                                People’s Army should be fully ready to
                                mercilessly annihilate the imperialist
                                aggressors whenever and wherever they
                                attack.
The
                                politico-ideological and military
                                positions of our .revolution must be
                                fortified rock-solid by firming up
                                single-hearted unity of the army and the
                                people. There is nothing to fear or
                                impossible to do when the army and the
                                people fight with single-hearted unity
                                under the Party’s leadership. The
                                tradition of army-people unity-both
                                treasuring and loving each other and
                                sharing weal and woe-should be given
                                farther play in the Songun era.
It is important
                                to establish a sound habit, of attaching
                                importance to military affairs
                                throughout society.
The work of
                                consolidating the defence capabilities
                                of the country is an undertaking shared
                                by the entire Party, the whole country
                                and all the people. Our officials and
                                working masses must organize and conduct
                                all work on the principle of giving
                                precedence to military affairs, and make
                                energetic efforts to build up the
                                military might of the country, in
                                addition, the paramilitary forces must
                                be strengthened and the whole country
                                turned into a solid fortress.
It is imperative
                                to expedite overall economic
                                construction while giving precedence to
                                the defence industry, as required by the
                                Songun era, so as to support the Party’s
                                Songun politics both materially and
                                technologically, and radically improve
                                the people’s living standards in a short
                                period of time.
All
                                the officials and working people must
                                cherish the validity and invincibility
                                of the Party’s Songun idea, Songun
                                politics, as their unshakable faith,
                                work and live as required by it at all
                                times and strive to make the whole
                                society overflow with such revolutionary
                                mettle and militant spirit as can be
                                found only in the People’s Army.
Our People’s Army
                                and people have burnished the new era of
                                the Juche revolution as a great Songun
                                era under the leadership of the Party.
                                We will victoriously advance the
                                revolutionary cause of Juche and bring
                                it to completion under the banner of
                                Songun.
All the
                                officials, Party members and other
                                working people must become ardent
                                followers of the Songun idea and staunch
                                defenders and implementers of Songun
                                politics, and loyally uphold our Party’s
                                Songun-based revolutionary leadership.