Workers’ Party of Korea celebrates 75 years of struggle

Workers rally to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea in the city of Nampo, DPRK. Photo: Uriminzokkiri

People in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Oct. 10, 1945. The WPK is the communist party that leads the building of socialism in the northern part of Korea.

Parades, dances, rallies and art shows were held in cities and towns throughout the north, as well as in factories, on collective farms, in hospitals and schools, and among soldiers of the Korean People’s Army. 

There were also fireworks displays, banquets, presentations of flowers at monuments to past WPK leaders and a torchlight parade of socialist youth.

In Pyongyang, the capital city, a mighty military parade was held to show the Trumps of the world that the DPRK is always prepared to defend its people and their socialist system from the aggression of capitalist powers.

Kim Jong Un, chairperson of the Workers’ Party, expressed his gratitude to the people for their perseverance. “The secret of how our Party, which has followed the revolutionary road, most arduous and beset with trials, has adorned this bloody road with victory and glory is that our people have sincerely trusted and supported it and defended its cause.” 

After the anniversary celebration, rallies continued around the country to begin organizing for the upcoming Eighth Congress of the WPK, planned for January 2021.

The celebrations are especially significant because the DPRK has successfully kept the COVID-19 pandemic at bay through quick preventive action and the strength of its socialist health care system. 

And in August, monsoons driven by climate change caused terrible flooding that killed more than 20 people, destroyed 16,680 homes and 630 public buildings. 

In his anniversary speech, Kim Jong Un explained, “On this planet at present, our country is faced with huge challenges and difficulties, like dealing with the anti-epidemic emergency and recovering from the catastrophic natural disasters, when everything is in short supply owing to the harsh and prolonged sanctions.”

The Korean People’s Army has played an especially important role in supporting urgent health measures and rebuilding from the flood damage, all while continuing to protect the country’s sovereignty and independence from U.S. imperialism. 

“At this very moment, many of our service personnel are courageously striving on the anti-epidemic front and at the rehabilitation project sites far away from this glorious Kim Il Sung Square, in defense of the security of the state and safety of the people,” Kim Jong Un said. “I feel pain in my heart as they are not all here at this glorious night with us.”

U.S. war and sanctions

The U.S. military continues to occupy South Korea, as it has done since 1945, and its “pivot to Asia” threatens the DPRK as well as China. Washington has imposed deadly sanctions in retaliation for the DPRK’s determined self-defense. The U.S. dominates South Korea’s capitalist economy and repressive political system, and uses the south as a base for all kinds of subversion. 

In fact, Washington’s failed, bloody war to destroy Korean socialism, from 1950 to 1953 — known as the Korean War here, or the Fatherland Liberation War in the DPRK — never really ended. Every U.S. president from Democrat Harry Truman, who launched the war, to Republican Donald Trump has refused to sign a peace treaty with the north.

In the aftermath of the U.S. bombing, not a single building over one storey was left standing in the north. Thousands of civilians were massacred by the U.S. and its allies in both the north and south in unspeakable war crimes. But motivated by the desire for independence and to build a socialist world, the people of north Korea together with volunteers from China were able to beat back the U.S. military behemoth to the 38th parallel.

Under the leadership of the Workers’ Party, including DPRK founder Kim Il Sung and his successor Kim Jong Il, the north was able to rebuild and become a strong socialist country. Korean people in the north openly advocate and organize for the peaceful, independent reunification of the country. In the capitalist south, many do the same, but at great danger because of repressive anti-communist laws.

The DPRK was able to withstand the counterrevolutionary setbacks to socialism in the USSR and Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Like revolutionary Cuba, socialist Korea has survived by mobilizing the masses and ensuring their involvement in every step of the process of socialist construction.

“All of these hardships are undoubtedly a heavy burden and pain for every family and every citizen in our country,” said Kim Jong Un. “However, our people are grateful patriots who place national affairs before their family ones, share every difficulty experienced by the state with it, and firmly support their country with their sincere sweat and efforts.

“That is why our Party braves all sorts of national hardships by believing in and relying on the people, who always turn out as one if it unburdens the difficulties of the country.

“Our people have always been grateful to our Party, but it is none other than the people themselves who surely deserve a bow of gratitude.”

The Socialist Unity Party and Struggle-La Lucha newspaper join with workers and oppressed peoples around the world in expressing our congratulations to the Workers’ Party of Korea and the Korean people on this historic occasion. Korea is one!


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