KFA UK at the south Korean embassy in London on 26th March 2015

DEFEND PEOPLES KOREA!

 By New Worker correspondent

‘NO OTHER country is attacked and abused like the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ said Dermot Hudson of the Korea Friendship Association at a public meeting in Liverpool. He described the relentless propaganda against the DPRK as being at an intensity and ferocity that outstrips the worst days of the cold war.

The meeting was held on the 17th March at the Quakers Meeting House in Central Liverpool. Peter Hendy, who chaired the meeting, opened it by identifying the United States as the major imperialist power provoking war and conflict around the world.

For over 60 years the US has promoted international hatred towards the DPRK through disinformation, fabrication and counterfeit arguments – the objective being to isolate, provoke confrontation and to subjugate the DPRK.

The lack of validity in the propaganda directed against the DPRK was emphasised by Dermot Hudson, a longstanding Korean solidarity activist, in his speech. He found the extreme hostility, demonization and lies hard to understand.

“Peoples Korea was not responsible for 9/11 or beheading hostages. In contrast the US has 700 military bases outside its borders, 255,065 military personnel based worldwide and has invaded over 60 countries since the end of the second world war.”

Dermot warned of the actual physical threats posed by US imperialists and south Korean lackeys carried out in the Foal Eagle and Key Resolve annual exercises in south Korea. These involve a total of 12,000 US troops and 200,000 south Korean troops.

These are nuclear war exercises and a test run for invading the DPRK. Dismissing claims that they were “defensive” in nature he posed several questions: “Why do they continue to hold exercises practicing an invasion of the DPRK? Why does the US keep 1000’s of troops in South Korea? What would be the response if the DPRK or China or Russia were to conduct military exercises in Mexico or Canada? Would they been seen as ‘defensive’ exercises?”

Dermot attacked attempts by US imperialists to escalate so called human rights issues. This was a blatant strategy to undermine the DPRK politically and ideologically by distorting the reality of life in Peoples Korea. The Commission of Enquiry formed by the United Nations was one-sided with the DPRK allowed no representation to defend itself.

No visits to the DPRK were even proposed with evidence being provided from so called “defectors”. The credibility of those involved in the Commission was suspect when it was revealed individuals had links with human rights violations and CIA-fronted organisations.

He refuted the testimony of “defectors” as unreliable and inaccurate pointing out that some had masqueraded as coming from the DPRK but had in fact South Korea accents! Others had been found to have committed serious crimes such as murder, rape, theft and corruption underlying the dubious and deviant characters making the claims.

Dermot cited the celebrity Pak Eun or Yeonmi Park, whose stories were found to be inconsistent and lies. All defectors are under the control of the South Korean National Intelligence Service and live on funds provided by the south Korean regime which further undermines their testimony.

Dermot examined the contradictory figures and speculative figures provided by the anti-DPRK lobby about those allegedly held in prisons. A forensic examination of some of the ludicrous claims made was provided before Dermot posed the question: “So who are the real human rights abusers in the world?”

He recounted the catalogue of abuses that the US has perpetrated around the world including the use of germ warfare during the Korean War when it carried out 800 germ warfare sorties. 

It was evident that the diverse audience enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the DPRK countering the lies and myths peddled in the western media. Concluding the meeting Dermot Hudson urged everyone to take an active role in the Korean Friendship Association to defend People’s Korea, its socialist development and independence.

Expose US war-crimes!

 The UK Korean Friendship Association hosted a meeting via Skype at 1400 hours on 26^th February. KFA members from different parts of the country took part in the seminar including KFA Official Delegate Dermot Hudson, Andy Brooks, the general secretary of the New Communist Party and other KFA members in London and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

All the participants strongly denounced the hypocrisy of the  US imperialists for their "human rights " campaign saying that, in fact,  the Americans were the greatest human rights abusers since the Second World War.

It was pointed out that during the Korean war delegations from the British peace movement visited Korea and saw for themselves the evidence of germ warfare committed by the US imperialists in Korea. Books published at the time fully exposed this war-crime. The   KFA members pointed out that the germ warfare of the US was in violation of international conventions and protocols such as the Geneva convention.

During the seminar attention was also drawn to US war-crimes during the Vietnam war and also in during the invasion and occupation of Iraq. US imperialism was also responsible for the Bhopal disaster in India and for massive exploitation in the Third World.

While the CIA carried out torture against people held in secret prisons that were not on US soil the US government hypocritically talks about non-existent "labour camps" which were allegedly located inside the DPRK. Dermot Hudson said that on the nine visits to the DPRK he had never seen a labour camp while the US had carried out illegal imprisonment and torture at their Guantanamo Bay concentration camp on the territory of Cuba and other places throughout the world.

The meeting concluded by adopting the following resolution:

This meeting has been called to expose the phony human rights campaign of US imperialism against the Democratic People’s Republic (DPRK) and to expose the real “human rights violator “the US itself so it may be indicted before the court of history for its crimes against humanity. The “human rights “campaign against the DPRK it is not just hypocritical but it also serves as a smokescreen to divert attention away from real human rights  abuses  in the USA.

         These are far numerous to list as the USA is known for invading  many countries and also for racial discrimination and for phone tapping and electronic eavesdropping . It is rightly known as a “land barren of human rights “. However the most serious human rights abuses  committed by the US were the use of germ warfare during the Korean war against the DPRK and the torture carried out by the CIA in the years  2001-2006 .

The US imperialists waged biological warfare in Korea in the 1950-1953 war in violation of the Geneva Protocol. The use of biological weapons was confirmed by an International Scientific Commission which included the respected British scientist Professor Joseph Needham and also by confessions of captured US personnel. In carrying out biological warfare against the Korean people the US imperialists utilised the services of Japanese war criminal Shiro Ishii of the notorious Unit 731.

During the  Korean war the US carried out over 800 germ warfare sorties . The death toll from the US germ warfare ran into thousands . This was a barbaric crime that was much worse than those committed by Hitler in the second world war. We believe it is high time for the US to stop covering this crime and  come clean finally about it.

Recently, the US Senate issued a report opening to the world torture committed by the CIA over a long period. Of course the CIA had long been infamous for assassination, terrorism, dirty tricks and  interference . It earned notoriety as the shock brigade of US imperialism, Its role was exposed in the 1970s by a defector from the CIA, Philip Agee. However under  the guise of the so-called “war on terror “  the CIA became a major human rights violator committing torture and detaining suspects without  trial.

            The CIA operated a network of secret prisons around the world  and indulging kidnapping and  “rendition “ as part of its Detention and Interrogation Programme and carried out torture of detainees. The programme authorized CIA officers to use extreme interrogation techniques, including sleep deprivation, water boarding , painful stress positions, dietary manipulation, walling, 'rectal rehydration' or rectal feeding, etc. These techniques were most barbaric.

Thus the US stands condemned and guilty for crimes against humanity. We demand that the UN Committee on Human Rights and other international bodies organise a full and proper investigation into these crimes committed by the US. The UN must act in a fair and impartial way and must not be afraid of the United States.

Adopted unanimously by the meeting at 14.50 hrs on 26^th Februqry 2015.

Snow White Korean-style!

Dermot Hudson of the KFA with some of the cast

 By New Worker correspondent

COMRADES and friends of Korea joined music lovers to see the Democratic Korean Youth Para Ensemble that is touring England for the first time with the support of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled.

. Twelve disabled children and young adults along with five other helpers demonstrated their immense artistic skills at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre and the Royal College of Music in London this week.

The DPR Korea performers were assisted by London-based Korean resident Prof Kim So Ock of the Royal Academy of Music and the 90-minute performance included not only traditional Korean music but also some popular western pieces such as the Phantom of the Opera.

Particularly impressive was the performance by Kim Myong Suk, who is blind, on the kayagum, a traditional Korean instrument. It was also delightful to watch a group of deaf children perform Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with songs from the Disney classic including Heigh Ho! in Korean and Snow White dressed as a Korean fairy!

There was also a lovely rendition, in Korean and English of You Raise Me Up by Jang Mi Yon and the performance concluded with a spirited Kayagum version of the famous Korean song Arirang.

The performances showed that disabled people are treated well in the DPRK and are provided with all rights. The disabled in the DPRK live independent and creative lives with full living conditions provided by the socialist system.

One could see not only skill and creativity but dignity shining through. All in all a great night out and if you did not make the Oxford and London concerts plus try to make it to Cambridge for their last performance on 2^nd March.

Korea’s Shining Star

Andy Brooks at the embassy

By New Worker Correspondent

IN DEMOCRATIC Korea Kim Jong Il’s birthday has long been known as the Day of the Shining Star and throughout the world overseas Koreans, progressives and communists held their own events in honour of Kim Jong Il, who was born on 16^th February 1942 and died at his post on 17^th December 2011. In London a number of events were held over the past two weeks to commemorate the life and times of Kim Jong Il, culminating at a reception at the DPRK embassy last week.

New Communist Party leader Andy Brooks joined others in laying floral tributes in front of the portraits of the great leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at the opening of the reception, which brought together communists, diplomats and many of those actively involved in solidarity with Democratic Korea in London and across the country.

Kim Jong Il’s entire life was devoted to serving the Korean people. Following Kim Il Sung’s footsteps, Kim Jong Il led the Workers Party of Korea into the 21^st century to build a strong and prosperous socialist republic. Kim Jong Il was a leading Marxist thinker who made an important contribution to the modern communist theory as well as an astute statesman who led the Korean people through thick and thin to overcome natural disasters, imperialist blockade and diplomatic isolation.

While ensuring the DPRK’s defence against the threats and provocations of US imperialism and its lackeys, Kim Jong Il worked tirelessly to ease tension on the Korean peninsula to pave the way towards the peaceful reunification of Korea.

Now the Korean people are racing ahead at a new fast speed of socialist construction, upholding the slogan put forward by the young leader, Kim Jong Un:  "Let us raise a fierce wind of making a fresh leap forward on all fronts of building a thriving country filled with confidence in victory!"

Down with oppression in south Korea!

Andy Brooks with other comrades at the picket

by New Worker correspondent

DESPITE sub-zero temperatures and a bit of snow Korean solidarity activists picketed the south Korean puppet embassy in London last week to denounce the suppression of a leading opposition party and the arrest of pro-reunification activists.

New Communist Party leader Andy Brooks joined comrades and friends from the Korean Friendship Association to protest at the banning of the Unified Progressive Party and demand the release of Ro Su Hui, the jailed veteran peace campaigner, and other south Korean political prisoners.

Dermot Hudson of the KFA opened the picket by condemning the repression of fascist puppet Park Geun Hye regime, which is dragging south Korea back to the era of the Yushin fascist dictatorship of her father Park Chung Hee. General Park came to power in a military coup in 1961 and ruled with an iron fist until he was assassinated by the head of his own intelligence service during a power struggle in 1979.

Dermot took the microphone to denounce the dissolution of the Unified Progressive Party in south Korea, which is the third largest party in south Korea with elected representatives and a 100,000 members.

Picketers took turns in reading statements supporting the campaign while others gave out a new KFA info leaflet during the two-hour picket. One passer-by joined the KFA on the spot – showing activism and campaigning works.

 The picketers, fortified by hot soup, coffee and a little drop of Scotch, ended their protest at 5.30, vowing to return in the near future if the prisoners are not released.

The UK Korean Friendship Association (KFA) regularly organises solidarity meetings and protest pickets in London throughout the year. The KFA also works side by side with the Friends of Korea committee which also holds regular events in London.

The Shining Star of Korea

 by New Worker correspondent

Michael Chant speaking

FRIENDS of the Korean revolution marked the 73^rd anniversary of dear leader Kim Jong Il at the John Buckle Centre in London on Monday.

  Andy Brooks, the chair of the Friends of Korea committee that organised the meeting, welcomed everyone to the event to honour the memory of the Korean communist leader who died at his post in December 2011.

In his opening the New Communist Party leader said Kim Jong Il had made an immense contribution to the arts as well as the theory and practice of the world communist movement. This was followed by other tributes from Michael Chant of the RCPB (ML), Dermot Hudson of the Korean Friendship Association and  DPRK Ambassador Hyong Hak Bong

Kim Jong Il steered the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea through the difficult times that followed the death of great leader Kim Il Sung in 1994.  He devoted his entire life to serving the Korean people in the cause of building a human-centred society, a cause that is espoused by the democratic and anti-imperialist forces the world over.

Following Kim Il Sung’s footsteps, Kim Jong Il led the Workers Party of Korea into the 21^st century to build a strong and prosperous democratic republic. Kim Jong Il was a leading Marxist thinker who made an important contribution to the modern communist theory as well as an astute statesman who led the Korean people through thick and thin to overcome natural disasters, the imperialist blockade and diplomatic isolation.

This was followed by a full-length DPRK film about the achievements of the Korean people under its new young leader, Kim Jong Un.

In Democratic Korea Kim Jong Il’s birthday has long been known as the Day of the Shining Star. This year it is being celebrated at a time when the Korean people are racing ahead at a new fast speed of socialist construction led by Kim Jong Un who is faithfully following the footsteps of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at the helm of the Workers Party of Korea.

The Co-ordinating Committee of the Friends of Korea brings together all the major movements active in Korean friendship and solidarity work in Britain today. It is chaired by Andy Brooks and the secretary is Michael Chant. The committee organises meetings throughout the year, which are publicised by the supporting movements and on the Friends of Korea blog.