By Dermot Hudson, Chairman of the Korean Friendship Association UK
The great leader President KIM IL SUNG passed away on the 8th of July 1994 whilst working. Throughout his life President KIM IL SUNG worked hard for the people, not stopping for a rest and even working on holidays. The maxim of President KIM IL SUNG was the “People Are My God.” Although he was 82 years old, President KIM IL SUNG was still working for the people. He passed away whilst working on documents about people’s living standards and national reunification.
During his lifetime President KIM IL SUNG visited 20,000 different units in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) traveling more than 578,000 kilometres which is the equivalent of traveling around the globe many times . The number of days of President KIM IL SUNG’s field guidance totaled 8,650 from the period after Korea’s liberation in 1945 to the end of his life in 1994 . This works out at 176 days per year . He gave field guidance in all weathers and all seasons of the year.
From his early days, President KIM IL SUNG always worked for the people. During the days of the anti-Japanese armed struggle , the young President KIM IL SUNG chopped firewood for a farmer. After liberation he took part in the work to improve the Potong river in Pyongyang and in rice transplanting.
Some people in the West whose minds are tarnished and corrupted by the mainstream media propaganda against People’s Korea, misunderstand on the spot guidance or field guidance. President KIM IL SUNG always visited local units to learn about conditions in the localities and learn from people. In February 1960 President KIM IL SUNG stayed at the Chongsan Co-Operative farm near the west coast of Korea. Even though it was a short journey back to Pyongyang, President KIM IL SUNG stayed at the farm for 15 nights. It was here that President KIM IL SUNG created the Chongsan ri method and Chongsan spirit . This is a revolutionary work method that incorporates the mass line, the Juche idea and the people-oriented spirit. The Chongsan Ri method means that senior officials go down to the basic units to grasp the realities and learn from them. It means that the superior must help his subordinates.
It became one of the main lines for building socialism in People’s Korea. Indeed , one of the main reasons why socialism ,which had collapsed in other countries, proved durable in People’s Korea is that it is people-centred socialism centred upon the popular masses.
President KIM IL SUNG always opposed bureaucracy and fought to ensure that people enjoyed the full benefits of socialism. In People’s Korea there was not economic growth for the sake of economic growth but to benefit the people. Free health care was introduced in the DPRK in January 1953 not under ideal conditions but amidst the raging Fatherland Liberation War. Free education was also introduced. In 1974 taxation was completely abolished. President KIM IL SUNG at the time explained:
“The abolition of the tax system in our country is the brilliant victory of the great Juche idea as well as a demonstration of the incomparable advantages of our socialist system which is the embodiment of the Juche idea and the great capability of our socialist independent national economy.
Thanks to the immortal Juche idea and its brilliant victory, our people are being provided with a richer, independent and creative life in the socialist land of happiness, where there is no exploitation, oppression or taxation.”
Everything that President KIM IL SUNG did throughout his 82 year long life was for the people. That is why the Korean people and world progressive people miss him so much but he is alive in our hearts and minds.
Dr Dermot Hudson
Chairman Korean Friendship Association UK
Chairman British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea
President Assocation for the Study of Songun Politics UK
Chairman of the British Solidarity Committee for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula.
Hon Secretary General International Central Committee for Songun Study .
