DPRK's Source of Power: Kim Jong Il's Courage

Yahuya Hair Allah, general secretary of the Association for Arabian Art, Culture and Information, published an article titled DPRK's Source of Power:Kim Jong Il's Courage. The article is published in series:

There are nearly 200 countries around the world at present. Some have a colossal area of territory while others have a great population. Some are military powers while others are economic powers. Strange to speak, the present reality is that those with a great territory or population are not precisely powerful nations and that those with tremendous military and economic potentialities are not directly prestigious powers. Even if it is a nation with neither a large territory nor a big population, it is recognized and highly spoken of as a strong, formidable nation when it maintains a secure sovereignty and dignity and successfully attains its targets in the efforts to achieve national prosperity, without being affected by any foreign restriction or pressure. We are now living in the world of inequality where the US makes sport of sovereign nations and slices them at will. In this situation I dare say that the only country that keeps its high profile and acts as a dependable champion of justice of humanity while marching forward vigorously along the road it chose is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Then what is the source of the country's great strength? While making a number of tours to the country and witnessing its vigorous forward movement, I have become convinced that it just comes from the pluck and courage of the nation's top leader Kim Jong Il. Thanks to him, a man of unparalleled guts, the country has been firmly standing as a prestigious nation, making no step back from the advance of justice and developing itself into a powerful nation that does what it decides to without fail.

The DPRK-USA confrontation concerning the scheduled launch of Korea's artificial earth satellite Kwangmyongsong 2 in 2009 created another round of great stir around the planet. When Korea announced its plan to launch the man-made satellite through internationally-acknowledged legal proceedings, the US and other hostile forces labeled it as a missile firing, compelling the oriental nation to suspend the plan. Washington and Tokyo declared that they would intercept the "missile" once Korea fired it without caring for their dissuasion. They actually amassed tremendous forces and top-notch interceptor vehicles around the Korean peninsula. The international community watched the DPRK with breathless attention. How would the country cope with the situation? Would the relentless nation that had dealt with the Americans' hard-line policy with a harder-line policy launch the artificial satellite or shrink back this time?

At the time when the world was apprehensively focusing on the Korean peninsula, the DPRK issued a serious and solemn warning to the US and its subordinates:

Should the US or Japan or any other country dare to carry out an interception of our artificial earth satellite, we will blow off the commanding headquarters as well as the position used.

The international community was gladly shocked at the nation's tough stand and expressed heart-felt support and encouragement. On the contrary, the US and other hostile elements were so scared that they receded. The US withdrew its policy, announcing there would be no interception on its part, while Japan talked ambiguously that it would do something if a certain thing fell on its territory, separated from the satellite. Their acts reminded us of the phrase "complaint rather than silence when beaten." When the infuriated enemy was at a loss what to do, Korea's Kwangmyongsong 2 soared into the space proudly with a thunder. The satellite-carrying rocket was bearing the two Korean letters of "Jo Son" (DPRK).

Eying the magnificent scene on TV, I was overwhelmed with emotions. There are a lot of countries in the world, but few of them have succeeded in making all of the artificial earth satellite, delivery vehicle, control system and other related things with their own efforts and technology and launch it into the space at one try. Let alone the area of the territory, the DPRK has been denied access to the cutting-edge technology and related materials worldwide because of COCOM and its offspring of Wassenaar Arrangement, which have been in operation for scores of years to put pressure on the DPRK. Nevertheless, breaking off the barriers, the DPRK successfully manufactured an artificial earth satellite and developed means of its delivery—this is more than a miracle, indeed.

South Korea worked in cooperation with Russia to launch an artificial earth satellite, but ended up in failure two times consecutively. This story brings more light to the DPRK's success.

What's more important about the fact lies underneath, I dare say. Something greater than the successful launch of a satellite made an impression on the international community. That's just the spirit and power with which the country makes a decision and carries it out without any vacillation despite the harsh pressure and challenges on the part of America and other powers. Perhaps other countries would have given up such a launch programme once they were intimidated by the US and its lackeys.

History has a lot of records on putting up a white flag frightened in confrontation with the enemy. The Zanzibari war, which is the shortest ever war in history, started on the morning of August 23, 1896 before it came to an end in no more than 38 minutes as the Zanzibari head got weak-kneed in face of the gunpower of a British fleet and submitted himself without any resistance. In 1962 when there occurred a crisis in the Caribbean the former Soviet Union, yielding to the nuclear blackmail by the US, lowered the flag influenced by the then coward Soviet leader Khrushchev, although its armaments were no inferior to the American forces'. Then, what kind of power is Korea's that wins victory after victory in the fighting against the US which styles itself as the world's only superpower? The prestige and fortune of a country is determined by its national power. You need to have powerful resources if you are to defend national dignity and hew out national fortune with success. This argument is of greater weight at present as those with weak power will fall prey to the imperialists who ratchet up political, economic and military pressures on other nations in order to put them under their control.

National power is often interpreted as military and economic potentials. But there are examples whereby colossal military and economic potentials turned out to be of little help in face of confrontation with the imperialist camp. Fundamentally, essential to the nation is the pluck borne by the leader. Only when he has got strong nerves in leading the revolution and construction, will the popular masses be able to make infinite spiritual exertions, and the nation will get tremendous power that is based on modern military hardware and economic potentialities. The leader's courage is simply the source of the inexhaustible national might and the greatest weapon that is more powerful than the atomic bomb.

The DPRK is winning victory after victory in the showdown with the US because it is led by Kim Jong Il, who is a man of will, courage and pluck.

One day during my stay in Korea, I heard a story, which is always alive in my memory. One February day in the late 1990s Kim Jong Il received Sadge Umalatova, a Russian stateswoman. On the occasion Umalatova told about the political situation of her country and activities of her Party for Peace and Unity of Russia and other political parties. After listening to her carefully, the Korean leader said that he likes the people best who are ready to go ahead daringly to challenge any formidable enemy. He continued to say to the following effect: I don't forgive anyone who slights or dishonours our country... Do you think the [Korean] guerrillas of Mt. Paektu defeated the one million-strong forces of the Japanese imperialists because the guerrillas were strong in terms of military potentials? They won the war by fighting in the indomitable revolutionary spirit. I believe we will be able to cope with any formidable enemy as long as we keep the revolutionary spirit of Mt. Paektu.

This is a succinct demonstration of the nerves of Kim Jong Il who is endowed with the spirit of Mt. Paektu that is symbolic of the victorious chronicle of the Korean revolution.

Admiring Kim Jong Il's wisdom, resources and courage befitting a brilliant commander, President

Kim Il Sung said many years ago, "I am proud of General Kim Jong Il, another great commander of our country."

If I am asked to talk about the personality and temperament of Kim Jong Il, who is the best of all generals in the world, I would first mention his peerless courage and guts. The leader is the symbol of the prestige and sovereignty of a given nation. The national dignity can be safe against invasions from any strong enemy or any contingency only when it is ruled by a leader who is as fearless and undaunted as to deal with such cases in a self-confident and challenging spirit.

The victory of Korea in the nuclear showdown with the US is also unthinkable apart from Kim Jong Il's pluck. I introduce one of the many stories about it.

The US's ultimatum of the "Red Line" was rejected time and again, instigated by the Korean leader. The "Red Line" means the limit not to be crossed in any case. Once Korea was faced with the second nuclear crisis. When the White House, which had been obsessively engaging itself in applying political, military and economic pressure on the DPRK for decades, went so far as to denounce the DPRK-USA Agreed Framework, Pyongyang declared on January 10, 2003 that it withdrew from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty—that had been in stand-by for the time being—and that it was also quit of the obligations of the safeguards accord with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Finding itself in an awkward situation, the US fixed the plutonium reprocessing as the "Red Line" and threatened it would take a stronger measure if Korea went across the line. Nevertheless, the line turned out to be nothing restrictive owing to Kim Jong Il's unperturbed pluck and courage. Korea was the last nation to be intimidated to yield to any hardline policy of the US.

The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK announced on October 2, 2003 that the country had finished the reprocessing of over 8 000 waste nuclear fuel rods and that it would immediately carry out the reprocessing of the waste nuclear fuel to come from the 5MW atomic reactor in case of necessity. The following day the Korean Central News Agency reported shocking news that the reprocessing of the 8 000 waste nuclear fuel rods had already been finished earlier in June and that the scientists and technicians who participated in the job had been given State citations. This meant a total disregard of the "Red Line" fixed by the Americans. Nevertheless, the White House had no alternative but to withdraw its absurd claim, overpowered by Kim Jong Il, a man of relentless temperament.

Now the US made it the second "Red Line" for the DPRK to possess a nuclear deterrent. It was at the end of 2004. This time, too, Kim Jong Il made sure that his country took a resolute action without any slightest hesitation and vacillation, and thus it proudly announced its successful nuclear possession in 2005, the following year.

When the situation went over to such a pass, the US made another fuss about Korea's nuclear proliferation in an attempt to isolate and stifle the country. As for the nuclear problem, Pyongyang clarified its principled stand fair and square many times through February 10, 2005 Foreign Ministry statement and in other ways that it had made and possessed nuclear weapons to defend itself from the American policy of isolation and stifling, that it would never transfer its nuclear weapons to other countries or use it preemptively, that its nuclear weapons would remain for the purpose of self-defence in all cases. The DPRK has been consistently faithful to its commitment under the banner of peace.

During my visits to Pyongyang I was convinced that no other nations on earth are working for peace so sincerely as the DPRK. Korea's possession of nuclear weapons as a war deterrent comes totally from the constant nuclear threat posed by the US. In other words it is a just self-defence policy to keep its supreme interest against the unceasing nuclear blackmail from the US.

Despite the fact the US instigated the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution on applying sanctions to the DPRK in an attempt to neutralize the self-defensive nuclear deterrent of Korea, and employed south Korea in the PSI and did all that it could. Still, the DPRK was the last country to be scared with such moves. At that time we published a statement in the name of the Egyptian committee for study of Juche idea, denouncing the UN resolution on sanctions. In the statement we bitterly criticized the UN Security Council for having adopted an unjust resolution led by the US, and expressed full support for Kim Jong Il's administration of Songun politics that defends the prestige and sovereignty of progressive nations that struggle for global independence. Kim Jong Il, champion of peace, fully deserves the highest appraisal for his courage and determination.

It is unjustifiable in any case to assert that powers have the right to possess nukes while small nations have no such right, and that those nations recognized by the US can get nukes while those disallowed by the US cannot.

Although I am an outsider, I have some knowledge of what a difficult task it is to get the capability of nuclear development. The DPRK has been in such a difficulty due to the brutal sanctions enforced by the US and its followers, yet it has become a proud member of the global nuclear club by dint of its own efforts and technology. This is more than startling to the international community. This is a great achievement that can be regarded as nothing but a miracle.

According to Greek mythology, the god of the sea, Poseidon, brother of Zeus, had a mysterious and fearful trident in his hand. Whenever he wielded it, mountain-high waves soared along with fierce storms, and when he put it under the sea, the waves calmed down in a moment. Such a mysterious trident is no match for
Kim Jong Il's pluck.

He has led the showdown with the US imperialists to brilliant victory by displaying iron-willed resolution and courage which are peerless throughout history, and defended the prestige of the Korean people with credit and exalted it to be admired across the world.

In the early 20^th century the then American president, Theodore Roosevelt, derided that the Koreans were too weak-minded to raise even a finger to defend their country. Korea today is not what it was a century ago. Its position has radically changed. Korea, led by Kim Jong Il, a man of peerless courage and guts, has risen to the top position in defending national dignity. This is what all the people around the world admit readily, including me. Kim Jong Il's resolution and courage are just the source of Korea's power, and the source of the national dignity.

To be continued …

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DPRK's Source of Power: Kim Jong Il's Courage - I