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July 27, 2005

Original Article (English)

Pyongyang: The 52nd anniversary of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War was commemorated on July 26 [Tuesday]. A meeting of loyal servicepersons from the three branches of the Korean People's Army (KPA) was held at the education ground of the Monument to Victory in the Liberation War for the Fatherland, where vows were made to glorify the Songun revolutionary leadership, for all ages, of Supreme Commander Kim Jong-il. [Songun is the political philosophy of Kim Jong-il].

Kim Yong-chun, Chief of General Staff

In a statement, Kim Yong-chun, chief of the KPA General Staff, said that the historic victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War, which amazed the world as one of the 20^th century’s "military miracles," was the fruit of the brilliant and wise leadership of Generalissimo Kim Il-sung. He referred to the fact that Kim Il-sung handed a shameful defeat to the U.S. imperialist aggressors, who boasted of being "the strongest" in the world. This was done with his matchless pluck and willpower, his outstanding strategy and tactics and his extraordinary ability to command, all of which brought about the beginning of their decline.    

The reporter continued:

The immortal feats that Kim Il-sung performed to achieve victory in the war have been brilliantly carried forward by Kim Jong-il. With his outstanding Songun revolutionary leadership, he has trained the KPA for decades to be the strong revolutionary army of Mount Paektu and to be matchless in combat.

Kim Il-sung and Son

[Editor’s Note: Mount Paektu is said to be the holy mountain of Korea and the Korean revolution, where the North Korean regime claims Kim Jong-il was born "as the lodestar" on February 16, 1942. Few outside North Korea believe the story].

All KPA servicepersons should firmly believe in and follow only the supreme commander [Kim Jong-il], become human bombs to defend the headquarters of revolution at the cost of their lives, thoroughly adopt the revolutionary military trait of acting as one under his command, and become the strongest adherents, champions and implementers of the Songun idea.

[Editor’s Note: The Songun politics of North Korea is an extremely vague concept centered around militarism, anti-Americanism and a staunch - one could say blind - devotion to Kim Jong-il. It is an extension of "Juche" which is a lot like self-reliance. Its purpose is said to be to strengthen national defense by giving priority to military affairs; to defend the homeland, the revolution and to push ahead with "socialism" "in reliance on the mettle and militant power of the People's Army"].

The KPA will resolutely smash and mete out merciless punishment to its enemies, the aggressors and provokers who seek to weaken the ideological fortitude of the revolution. Officers at the meeting expressed their firm resolve to represent the unanimous will of servicepersons from the three branches of the KPA.

Kim Il-chol, Armed Forces Minister

An evening gala for the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces was held at Jonsung Square on Tuesday.

The participants danced to "Long Live Generalissimo Kim Il-sung," "Song of National Defense," "My Song in the Trench," "Song of Remembrance" and "Our July 27," recalling the day of victory in the war, when service people and citizens beat back the aggression of the U.S. imperialists and honorably defended the freedom and independence of the country.

Filled with pride at being soldiers of the Supreme Commander, they danced to the lilting tunes, "The Distinguished Service Medal of the Soldier," "Let's Keep Pace with the Army" and "Let's Meet on the Front," and flew the flags of the KPA supreme commander, the Workers' Party of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Present at these functions were Kim Yong-chun, Chief of the KPA General Staff, Kim Il-chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, senior officials of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and service people.

Meanwhile, an art performance was given by the Korean People's Army Song and Dance Ensemble at the April 25 House of Culture, and at the at the Women's Hall, the wartime song "Eternal Song of Victory" was performed by the art squad of the Central Committee of the Korean Democratic Women's Union, along with members of the Pyongyang City Women's Union.