How was the lamp lit and how is it shining?

In 1929 Indian poet Tagore, in his poem “Korea”, wrote: “The Golden Age of Asia, Korea was a country raising its lamps. Again the lamp will be lit, We are waiting for it to illumine the East.”

Korea was a cradle of human civilization and shone with her 5,000-year long history and brilliant culture. When it was groaning under the barbaric rule of the Japanese imperialists, Tagore pictured to himself the future of Korea which would illumine the East, with deep sympathy. His dream did not remain a daydream.

Korea defeated Japanese imperialism and greeted a new history of resurrection. The founding of the Democratic People´s Republic of Korea was declared on September 9, Juche 37 or 1948.

S. J. Umalatova, Chairwoman of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, said:

With the founding of the DPRK, the political situation in east Asia fundamentally changed. Under the guidance of the great leader President Kim Il Sung the protracted struggle of the Korean people to liberate the country from the Japanese occupationists ended in victory and a genuine people´s country built on the land of Korea and thus the road of socialist development opened in the region.

The founding of the people´s state, the first of its kind in 5,000-year long history, was a great event which brought about a historic turn in the destiny of the Korean people; it was a light which gave a hope to the oppressed working people fighting for independence in the East. After its founding the DPRK took a new road of historic march for the freedom and happiness of the people, the building of a rich and powerful independent, sovereign state and the building of a country to demonstrate its dignity and honour on the world arena.

In the early 1950s the Korean people neutralized the invasion of the “world´s would-be strongest” US imperialists and honourably defended the freedom and independence of the country under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung. As an “indomitable heroic Korea” and “defender of world peace” Korea laid a foundation for the everlasting prosperity of the nation, a cradle of freedom and happiness, on the debris of the war. Korea was built into a powerful socialist country independent in politics, self-supporting in the economy and self-reliant in national defence under the banner of the Juche idea created by the great President Kim Il Sung.

Under the leadership of the great Songun Commander Kim Jong Il Korea could rise up as a symbol of justice and dignity, a symbol of victory and glory.

Preserved with care in the International Friendship Exhibition House imposingly standing in Mt. Myohyang of Korea are the gifts presented to the great Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il by heads of state, political and public personages and people from all walks of life in many countries of the world. The gifts intensively show the warm reverence for the great men as well as the greatest sincerity and talents of humanity.

“Here in the exhibition house I have seen all the wealth created by humanity since the ancient times.”

“Korea does not belong to the world, but the world belongs to Korea.”

“Korea is shining in the centre of the world.”

These are what foreigners said in unison. Korea, once a small colonial country, has turned into a state of the working people standing in the centre of the world. Such dramatic change of her destiny is neither a gift nor an accident.

Yehia Zakaria Khairullah, Secretary General of the Egypt-Korea Friendship Association, said:

“The gifts presented to the great President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il by many leaders of the world are an expression of their trust and reverence for them. Such a thing is not an accident. President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il devoted their all to the building of the country.

They also performed great feats for the whole humanity and world progressives. That is why the progressive humanity continue to present gifts to His Excellency great President

Kim Il Sung and the great Kim Jong Il even after their demise.”

In the past Korea was eclipsed on the world map. It was the great Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il who liberated Korea and put it on the world arena. Korea today shining thanks to the guidance of the great men shows the truth that when the leader is great, the country and nation led by him are great.

A foreign personage said;

Korea is not a lamp of Asia but a country of the sun lighting the world. If Tagore had survived until today, he would have written another poem “Korea, a Country of the Sun”.

Today the Korean people are accomplishing the cause of building a prosperous socialist nation under the guidance of another great man Kim Jong Un. Though the territory is not large, Korea is shedding brilliant rays all over the world under the banner of the Juche idea and Songun idea. With the pride of living in such a country the Korean people sing.

Is my country so great for its large territory?
It is great as it is shining under the sun of Juche
Though this land has bounds as land of three thousand-ri,
My country cannot be measured with square kilometres.
So great is my country under the Paektu commander.