World Politics

North Korea: Paper Lauds Military-First Politics, Urges Depending On Own Strength

Excerpt from article by Kim Ho-song, entitled: “Revolution and construction under military-first banner on our own strength”; published by North Korean newspaper Nodong Sinmun on 12 November
Today, our military-first politics is highly displaying its might as an invincible banner, vigorously advancing the independent cause of the popular masses. Our military-first politics is the embodiment of the juche idea Kim Il-sung’s ideology promoting a self-sufficient, closed society – the guiding ideology of our era – and it is precisely the vitality of this great methodology of politics that has defended the justice of humankind and socialism and has opened a new era to win the victory of the cause of independence, regardless of the situation.

Military-first politics is a methodology of unique politics that can be created only by our party, which struggles with the juche idea as a guiding principle.
The great leader, Comrade Kim Jong-il, pointed out the following:
“Military-first politics is a methodology of unique politics that enables us to carry out revolution and construction on our own strength and with our own method according to the situation of our country. This is a victorious sword that guarantees victory in revolution and construction, no matter how treacherous the situation and trials may be.” …

Military-first ideology is the embodiment of the juche idea and the ideology of national independence, and is the brilliant crystallization of the independent politics of our party, which regards the juche idea as a guiding ideology. Military-first politics of our party is publicly acknowledged in the world as a model of the independent politics of our era, because it is based on the juche idea.
The military-first politics of our party is saturated with the powerful spirit of national independence to assume responsibility for the destiny of the fatherland and the nation, and to carry out revolution to the finish.

The juche idea is the ideology of independence to assume responsibility for one’s own destiny and to shape it on one’s own strength. Only when we are firmly prepared and adopt a firm position to live as the masters of our own destiny can we possess the spirit of national independence to cherish the dignity and sovereignty of our fatherland and nation like our lives, and we can have will and courage to pioneer our future on our own strength no matter how difficult the situation may be…
The situation of our country was extremely difficult when the great general was launching military-first politics in our country. Our poignant sorrow at losing the father of the nation was followed by natural disasters the likes of which had not been seen for hundreds of years. At the same time, taking advantage of this situation, the imperialists manoeuvred even more atrociously in order to oppose our Republic and crush it.

Countering the imperialists on their own strength, our people had no one to help them. When we were standing at the crossroads of whether we would become the imperialists’ slaves or whether we would live as independent people, the great general took his first step to launch military-first politics by visiting a guard post surrounded by young pine trees. This was a decisive decision the great general made to defend the dignity of the fatherland and the nation as well as the destiny of socialism on our own strength, no matter how difficult the situation may be. “If one is prepared to die, no one in the world can defeat him.” These famous remarks the great general made are brimming over with the spirit of independence leaving in our minds a sense of conviction that we can win victory without fail, if we depend on our own strength, no matter how the world may change. Thanks to the great general’s indefatigable will to defend the fatherland and the nation, our military strength was beefed up by all means, the adverse situation was turned into a favourable one, and our people could become an honourable victor in the struggle to defend socialism, even at the time when we were resorting to the “Arduous March,” the forced march, to cope with mounting difficulties…

At the outset of our party’s military-first politics, many people thought that the politics was merely a strategic measure to cope with the prevailing situation. However, as they witnessed the splendid reality in which we were winning great victories and creating great miracles in the midst of unheard-of trials and difficulties, they came to realize that the military-first politics of our party is indeed the methodology of politics seen for the first time in history, completely unique, and invincibly powerful. Thanks to the military-first politics of our party, not only the army has been beefed up but also the main force of the revolution has been remarkably strengthened. At the same time, breakthroughs have been made on all fronts of socialist construction thanks to the invincible military strength. The military-first politics of our party is indeed the methodology of politics of our own style that has turned misfortunes into blessings and has marked a great turning point in consummating the juche revolutionary cause. This is a great methodology of politics that could be originated only by our party, which formulates lines and policies and illuminates the way to win victory in revolution according to its own view and conviction under all circumstances and conditions. Since we had the military-first politics, a victorious sword of revolution and construction, our party and people, even under the stern trials in history, could firmly defend our ideology and doctrine, socialist system of our own style, and our own lifestyle. They could also fly high the banner of socialist victory on the high peak of the 20th century and proudly enter the new century full of hope for our juche revolution…