STATEMENT IN CELEBRATION OF THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOREA’S LIBERATION FROM JAPANESE IMPERIALISM-Nikolai Aamand Chairman of the Denmark-DPRK Friendship Association

 

On August 15th 1945, the Korean people cast off the cruel yoke of Japanese imperialism. After

forty five years of colonial rule, Korea was liberated — not by chance, but through decades of

determined resistance and immense sacrifice.

We remember the countless revolutionaries who gave everything for the cause of liberation and

socialism. From the great March 1st uprising in 1919 to the network of underground People’s

Committees, their efforts formed the backbone of the liberation movement. Foremost among these

was Commander in Chief Kim Il Sung, leader of the Anti-Japanese People’s Guerrilla Army.

From the forests of northern Korea and Manchuria, his fighters dealt heavy blows to imperialist

forces and ignited a flame of resistance that could not be extinguished.

Japanese occupation was an era of forced assimilation, looting of resources, and barbaric repression.

Korean identity was suppressed; millions were sent to work as forced laborers, and countless young

women were coerced into serving the Japanese war machine in the most inhumane of ways. These

atrocities must be remembered — not in bitterness, but with resolve.

Yet through adversity, the Korean spirit never broke. Guerrilla fighters united across cities, villages,

and generations. The leadership of Comrade Kim Il Sung drew strength from the people’s will,

laying the foundations of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and its continued commitment

to national sovereignty.

The year 1945 was a triumph — but also a tragedy. Liberation came hand-in-hand with foreign-

imposed division. The Korean people, after decades of struggle, were denied the right to chart their

own path. While the DPRK emerged with independence, South Korea was brought under a foreign-

backed military regime. People's Committees and resistance networks were dismantled, silenced, or

branded enemies.

Still today, Korea remains divided, not by choice but by external pressure. The DPRK faces

sanctions, military provocations, and constant attempts to undermine its progress. Yet it stands firm,

guided by the legacy of resistance and led by General-Secretary Kim Jong Un along the path of

socialist construction.

On this 80th anniversary, the Denmark-DPRK Friendship Association reaffirms its solidarity with

the Korean people. We honour the fallen, celebrate the survivors, and support the continued anti-

imperialist efforts of the Korean people led by the Workers’ Party. The Korean peninsula must be

free of foreign interference, nuclear threats, and militarized division. The future belongs to the

people of Korea — a future built on justice, progress, and peace.

Let the legacy of the anti-Japanese guerrillas guide the path forward.

Sincerely,

Nikolai Aamand

Chairman of the Denmark-DPRK Friendship Association