Song of General Kim Il Sung on 26th Anniversary of Demise

Playing with fire on the Korean peninsula

Democratic Korea dramatically countered recent south Korean provocations by blowing up the empty north–south liaison office in the border town of Kaesong this week. This dramatic piece of street art was clearly intended to send a message to the Seoul regime that has resorted to old Cold War tricks along the de-militarised zone that divides the Korean peninsula.

Helium balloons carrying anti-communist propaganda leaflets have regularly been launched into the DPR Korea by what the puppet regime calls “defectors”. But everyone knows that these people, more accurately called “riff-raff” and “human scum” by the north, are agents of south Korean intelligence, which itself is but an arm of the CIA.

During the height of the Cold War the Americans and their local lackeys used balloons to drop dollars and propaganda across the armistice line drawn up at the end of the Korean war in 1953. Donald Trump’s summits with Kim Jong Un raised hopes of a new page in inter-Korean relations. But despite the fine words, the Americans have done nothing apart from stepping up their blockade of the DPRK.

 The south Korean leaders are now regretting their rash actions. They’re calling for fresh talks to end the tension. But without a genuine desire for normalisation it is difficult to see how such talks can begin.

The liaison office established in 2018 had operated as a de facto south Korean embassy when the new Seoul regime posed as a supporter of peace and re-unification. It was closed in January. Now it’s just smoke and rubble.

US pressure repulsed!

Kim Jong Un opening a factory on May Day

By our Asian affairs correspondent

US imperialism stepped up its destabilising efforts in Asia last week, spreading baseless rumours about the health of Democratic Korean leader Kim Jong Un and launching new provocations against People’s China around the Xisha islands in the South China Sea. Some believe that the war lobby, the cross party ‘deep state’ that represents the most aggressive sections of the US ruling class, is using the Trump administration’s disarray over the coronavirus crisis to pursue their old Cold War plan for total US hegemony on both sides of the Pacific.

In Washington, President Trump dismissed reports that Kim Jong Un was gravely ill as “fake news”. He said he could not “tell you exactly” the status of Kim’s health, though he did have a “very good idea” about his condition. “But I can’t talk about it now,” Trump said. “I just wish him well.”

The Democratic Korean leader’s reported absence at the 15^th April birthday celebrations of the great Korean communist leader Kim Il Sung fired speculation in south Korea that Kim Jong Un had contracted COVID-19 or had suffered a crippling heart attack. But all these bogus stories clearly came from reactionary circles within south Korean intelligence who ultimately report to the US army of occupation and the CIA.

This week Kim Jong Un opened a fertiser factory on May Day and sent a message of gratitude to workers building tourist facilities in the coastal town of Wonsan. He’s also sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

South Korean intelligence has a long track-record of spreading lies and disinformation about the north. In 1986 they claimed that Kim Il Sung had been shot dead. A few hours later Kim Il Sung was publicly seen at Pyongyang airport greeting a Mongolian delegation.

Meanwhile, the Chinese navy drove a US warship out of Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha islands, telling them they’d be better off focusing on dealing with COVID-19 prevention and control at home rather than destabilising regional security and peace overseas. A similar illegal incursion in Chinese waters off the Xisha islands happened in March, which was denounced in Beijing as hegemonic behaviour.

Chinese war-planes and naval forces followed the US guided missile destroyer USS {Barry} when it trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands on Tuesday, said Colonel Li Huamin. They followed and monitored its course, identified the ship, warned and expelled it, Li said.

The USA’s provocative actions seriously violated international law and related norms, seriously violated Chinese sovereignty and security interests, and intentionally increased regional security risks, Li said.

“We urge the US side to focus on the epidemic prevention and control on its homeland, contribute more to the international fight against the pandemic and immediately stop military actions against regional security, peace and stability,” Li said.

Chinese troops will resolutely fulfil their duty, safeguard national sovereignty and security as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea, Li said.

A Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the media that the USA was eager to show that it still had the military capability even amidst multiple COVID-19 outbreaks inside its military, but this has further exposed the USA’s own fear that it is losing presence in the region.

China was ready to defend itself against US military provocations even in its prime, and expelling a destroyer is a warning to the USA, showing the Chinese military is capable of and determined in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, the expert said.

Day of the Shining Star in London

Michael Chant speaking

by New Worker correspondent

People battled their way through Storm Dennis to celebrate the Day of the Shining Star at a meeting in central London last weekend, organised by Korean Friendship Association (KFA) and the Friends of Korea (FoK) committee.

KFA Chair Dermot Hudson introduced the meeting, stressing the importance of the Day of the Shining Star and increasing solidarity with People's Korea. FoK Secretary Michael Chant, General Secretary of the RCPB-ML, spoke about the injustice of the sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), stressing the fact the UK is still maintaining the European Union (EU) sanctions against the DPRK despite leaving the EU!

A contribution from the DPRK’s London Embassy was read out. Part of it read: “February 16 is the birthday of Kim Jong Il, eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. When the day comes round every year, many people of the world recall him with deep emotion.

“Kim Jong Il devoted his whole life for the cause of global peace. He led the struggle to build a new world free from aggression and war upholding the banner of anti-imperialist independence.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

For peace in Korea!

Michael Chant speaking

By New Worker correspondent

Korean solidarity activists returned to the Marchmont Centre in central London last weekend to hear a Democratic Korean diplomat talk about the current situation on the Korean peninsula, at a joint meeting organised by the Korean Friendship Association (KFA) and the Friends of Korea committee.

     Chaired by NCP leader Andy Brooks, a panel of speakers including Michael Chant of the RCPB (ML), Dermot Hudson from the KFA and Kim Song Gi from the London embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea  (DPRK) spoke about a renewed Korean crisis following the failure of US imperialism to follow up commitments made at the 2018 summit between the US and DPRK leaders in Singapore and the follow-up summit in Vietnam earlier in the year.

Following the historic developments for peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula that took place in 2018, which showed the genuine desire of the DPRK and the Korean people to consign the hostility of the USA and the DPRK to history, the USA is still refusing to fulfil its commitments following the principle of action for action. The promise of the summits between President Trump and Democratic Korean leader Kim Jong Un is therefore not being fulfilled.

At a time when the 29 NATO partners are meeting in London to attempt to revitalise this aggressive alliance, and President Trump himself will be in Britain facing the opposition of the British people, it is vitally important to support the right of the Korean people to self-determination, independence and peace. The meeting called on all Korean solidarity campaigners to strengthen the solidarity of the people’s movements in Britain with the DPRK.

Return from the land of Juche

 

By New Worker correspondent

Comrades and friends heard Korean solidarity activists talk about their recent delegation to Democratic Korea at the Lucas Arms in central London last weekend. Dermot Hudson and James Taylor were part of a three-strong Korean Friendship Association (KFA) delegation that went to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to take part in solidarity meetings last month.

 Both men spoke highly about what they saw in Democratic Korea – the immense progress that could only have been achieved through socialism and the determination of the masses who have closed ranks behind the Workers’ Party of Korea to defend the DPRK’s independence and Korean-style socialism against the threats of US imperialism and its lackeys.

A lively question and answer session was followed by a general discussion on life in the DPRK and the Juche philosophy of great leader Kim Il Sung, who led the Korean people to victory over Japanese colonialism and US imperialism in the 20^th century.