Contribution of Marta Grelak Poland

 

Dear Comrades,

We are joining today from various countries across Europe and the world to celebrate together the upcoming great holiday of our Dear Korean Friends, the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese military occupation.

Though thousands of kilometers separate our countries from the Korean Peninsula, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and its people are very close to our hearts. Like progressives all around the world, we look up to the DPRK as the greatest inspiration, the brightest beacon of hope, the strongest bulwark of justice. One of the main pillars of this great country that we all admire so deeply is self-reliance – the priceless tradition of the Korean revolution and powerful driving force for the Korean people's victory – the principle of Juche idea founded by the great leader President Kim Il Sung.

The upcoming anniversary of the day of the liberation of Koreans from the yoke of Japanese colonial rule, is associated with the great exploits of President Kim Il Sung.

In the times when he was born or when he embarked on the path of national liberation struggle, the reality faced by his nation was full of immense suffering. Koreans were treated as slaves by Japanese imperialists, subjected to brutal and harsh oppression. They were denied the right to their own land, resources, language, national identity, and other material and non-material treasures of their country, many of them were cruelly deprived of life. The occupiers wanted to break their will and hope, convince them that their homeland was lost forever, that they had no choice but to abandon any illusion that the situation could ever change.

At the time, Japan was boasting of being the “leader” of Asia having formidable military capability. To many, the idea that Korea could ever regain its sovereignty seemed impossible. Ultimately, however, the Japanese empire was compelled to return Korea’s freedom.

President Kim Il Sung liberated the country by organizing and leading a 20-year-long, arduous anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory. From an early age, he chose the difficult path of patriotic struggle that demanded constant sacrifice and complete dedication to the nation's cause. From the beginning, he knew the path of self-reliance was the one the nation should follow.

He was the brilliant commander of the guerrilla army who constantly surprised and strike fear into occupiers with his extraordinary tactics. Their effectiveness was almost unbelievable. After all, how could it be that the Japanese Kwantung Army, an “elite” force, could be repeatedly outmaneuvered and defeated by Korean guerrillas? Yet this was the reality. It must be also emphasized that President Kim Il Sung waged the anti-Japanese armed struggle relying on the Korean people, knowing well that waiting for help from global powers to save the enslaved nation would lead nowhere.

The sovereign Korean state, The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was proclaimed in 1948. It has had to face many unbelievably enormous challenges throughout its history, had to accomplish many extremely difficult tasks. However, the DPRK has always emerged victorious.

In the 1950s, after repelling U.S. aggression in an unprecedented victory that astonished the world, the country was reduced to rubble by American bombings. But, under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung, the Korean people quickly rebuilt their country and they did it by relying on their own strength. In just 14 years, the process of industrialization was completed that had taken others a century or even several centuries. A genuine people's country was build, one that ensured universal healthcare, free and compulsory education, and even privileges such as free housing for all – all this was created under the banner of self-reliance

Today, the DPRK and its people are advancing ever more vigorously along the path of self-reliance under the outstanding leadership of Respected Marshal Kim Jong Un. Though the DPRK is unfairly burdened with extremely harsh, heinous sanctions that block its international cooperation and trade and are designed to strangle the country, such tactics do not work on socialist Korea.

The country’s economy continues to develop dynamically. Modern factories are being built nationwide, producing increasingly high-quality and diverse goods. Amazing grand projects for the people are constantly being realized, citizens enjoy numerous new and wonderful cultural, recreational, educational or healthcare facilities. Beautiful and modern urban and rural residential complexes are being built on a large scale, and while admiring their charm, style, comfort and functionality, we must also remember one more thing – in the DPRK, like nowhere else, people receive these apartments for free!

Simultaneously, all these amazing achievements, as well as the safety of the Korean people and peace, are reliably protected by the powerful, self-reliant capabilities of the DPRK in the field of national defense.

Much more could be said, but to keep it brief: Socialist Korea is thriving. Its citizens are enjoying a beautiful and happy life, and their standard of living is constantly rising, and nothing can stop it. Of course, as friends of the Korean people, we all know this well, especially since many of us have had the honor of visiting the country, some many times, and we know the reality of the DPRK.

It's not without reason that we all feel such deep admiration for this great country. The DPRK is capable of achieving the unimaginable, overcoming any obstacle like no other country in the world. And this is possible thanks to the policy of self-reliance, initiated by President Kim Il Sung and continued today in the most perfect way by respected Marshal Kim Jong Un.

The history of the national liberation struggle led by President Kim Il Sung, which culminated in Korea’s liberation 80 years ago, is glorious and brilliant. The same is true of the subsequent history of the founding and development of the DPRK, a country that has consistently followed its own chosen path, genuinely taking care for own people's interests, without needing the approval or help of external forces, relying on its self-reliance principle.

We cannot predict with much certainty what the world will look like in a month, a year, or fifty years. We cannot foresee the decisions that various states or international actors will take. But I’m absolutely certain that, regardless of all this, the future of socialist Korea will be glorious and brilliant. It will only become brighter and more beautiful, because, as reality constantly shows us, the wise policy of self-reliance of respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, regardless of external circumstances, continues to turn the dreams of the Korean people into reality and the DPRK is able to achieve world-startling miracles, anything it is determined to do.

Thank you.