To Commemorate 83rd Birth Anniversary of Kim Jong Il
Seminars Held in India and Japan

To celebrate the 83rd birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il, national seminars were held in India and Japan.
The followings are overviews of the events.

Indian National Seminar with the theme “Self-reliance Is an Absolute
Necessity to Safeguard National Sovereignty and to Build Socialism”

To commemorate the 83rd birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il, a national seminar was held in New Delhi on February 13, 2025 with the theme “Self-reliance Is an Absolute Necessity to Safeguard National Sovereignty and to Build Socialism.”

The seminar was attended by chief guest H.E. Mr. Choe Hui Chol, DPRK Ambassador to India; Prof. Harish Gupta, who is both deputy director-general of the IIJI Board and director general, Board of Directors of the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea (ARIJI); Dr. Mukesh Sharma, secretary general of the ARIJI; Dr. Sadhna Harish, chairperson of the Indian Society for the Study of Songun Politics; Justice Vijender Jain, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Haryana and Punjab States; Jasminder Kasturia, former Indian Ambassador to the DPRK; and lawyer Rekha Khanna, as well as doctors, journalists, and many other prominent figures from the academic, social and political walks of life.

A congratulatory message was sent to the seminar by Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI.

Many important achievements made by Kim Jong Il were highlighted at the seminar in the followings:

Comrade Kim Jong Il made immense contribution to the revolution, independence and development of the DPRK. He enriched the Juche idea, authored by President Kim Il Sung, which provided the popular masses, a powerful ideological weapon for shaping their destiny, and illuminated the road ahead of their struggle for independence.

Comrade Kim Jong Il was a great thinker, a visionary leader and a champion of self- reliance in every field especially in defence. He introduced the concept of Songun politics (Army first) or giving priority to military affairs to build a strong military power on the basis of its own resources.

Following the policy of Songun politics, the DPRK has become a mighty military power with nuclear facilities capable of successfully defending its independence and sovereignty.

A letter to Kim Jong Un was adopted at the seminar.

After the seminar, a reception was held and the participants deepened exchanges in a friendly atmosphere.

Seminar on Juche Idea for Japan-DPRK Friendship Held
in Kochi, Japan

A Seminar on the Juche Idea for Japan-DPRK Friendship was held in Kochi City, Japan on February 15, 2025, organized by the Kochi Juche Idea Study Group and supported by the Japanese National Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism and the Kochi Prefectural Association for the Promotion of Japan-DPRK Friendship and the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the DPRK.

The seminar was attended by Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, and other Juche idea researchers from all over Japan, the people living in Kochi City from various walks of life, including Mr. Kimura Wataru, city council member, Ms. Okazaki Kuniko, city council member, and Prof. Furuta Tomitate at Tezukayama Gakuin University.

The seminar was presided over by Mr. Murakami Yusuke, secretary general of the Kochi Prefectural Liaison Council of the Buraku (a settlement of the discriminated people, called 'buraku') Liberation League.

Mr. Omine Masaru, representative member of the Kochi Prefectural Council for the Promotion of Japan-DPRK Friendship and the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the DPRK, gave the opening address.

Mr. Omine expressed his concern over the lack of progress in recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that occurred in January 2024, and referred to the response to the flood damage in the DPRK in July 2024 and said: “General Secretary Kim Jong Un is taking the lead in lifesaving and livelihood support, from which I have learnt a lot from the DPRK's leader and his way of national leadership that puts the people's happiness and security first. I believe that our learning from the truth in the history of Japan and the DPRK, as well as our correct understanding of the promotion in Japan-DPRK friendship movement and the Juche idea would be the key to the opening of the way for the future.

It was followed by the addresses of the guests of honor, of Mr. Ri Tae Song, chairman of the Kochi Prefectural Headquarters of the General Association of the Korean Residents in Japan, and of Ms. Takeuchi Chikako, chairperson of the Kochi City Liaison Council of the Buraku Liberation League.

Mr. Ri Tae Song referred to the current situation of Japan as a commodity-consuming society with the recent high prices of commodities, and mentioned the limit of capitalism in such a way that poverty and disparity could not be eliminated in spite of the height and affluence of commodities. He put an emphasis that it is important for Japan not to be subordinated to the US, but to establish the Juche-oriented stand, and thus each country should stand a position of independence, and strengthen its solidarity with the rest of the world.

Ms. Takeuchi mentioned the importance to provide the people with an opportunity to learn from the DPRK under the circumstances that correct information about the DPRK is limited. Talking about how she started her work with the Buraku Liberation Movement, she said that through her involvement in the movement, she came to know about the outrages of the Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean people, and that some of the Korean residents in Japan are still suffering the double discrimination in the discriminated Buraku settlement. While affirming the universal values of freedom, equality, democracy, human rights, peace and environmental preservation, she expressed her determination to continue working toward the realization of a society where human rights are safeguarded.

At the seminar, lectures were given by Prof. Murasawa Mahoro at Ryukoku University entitled “The Ideological Issue of Environmental Problems: In Relation to the Local Policies of the DPRK” and by Prof. Cho U Ho at Korea University in Japan entitled “The DPRK in the Period of Full Socialist Development: From Leap to Further Leap.”

Noting that the natural environment is in a critical situation for the survival of humanity, Prof. Murasawa pointed out the lack of interest and action by the government, the industrial world, and citizens. Explaining how neoliberalism and urbanization have slowed down the action on environmental issues, he stressed the need to reevaluate the importance of regional communities and traditional culture, and to emphasize the need for policies that emphasize people's initiative.

Prof. Cho U Ho explained the five-year plan at the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in 2021 and the 15-year vision described at the 10th Congress of the Korean Youth League, emphasizing the role and significance of the youth in the future.

Then he mentioned that the year 2025 is the last year of the Five-Year Plan and an important year in which a great leap forward is expected, and touched on the summary of the year 2024 and policy issues for the year 2025.

In his assessment of the Party work of the year 2024, Prof. Cho gave a specific description of the DPRK that has developed, showing photos taken by students from Korea University in Japan who had visited the country last year. He then stated that the results in the economy of people's livelihood and cultural fields and, above all, human growth was emphasized as achievements.

He also explained the progress of the regional development policy and disaster recovery in the DPRK, and explained that the most important achievement of the 20 x 10 policy for regional development is that Kim Jong Un has also stated that the people working in the regional areas have faith that they can change the rural areas by themselves.

Prof. Cho emphasized the completion of the Five-Year Plan and preparation for the next stage of development policy tasks for 2025. In the external sector, he mentioned the deepening of DPRK-Russia relations and the progress of multipolarization.

He finally emphasized that the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea is an important milestone and that the year 2025 is a key year to future progress.

Mr. Narita Tokuhei, born to the Ainu, gave the closing address, sharing his experience of visiting the DPRK last October and stating that the Juche idea gives hope to the Ainu, while showing the greatness of the Korean Revolution.

The seminar was followed by cultural performances.

Ms. Sakano Shima played the accordion.

While enjoying the sound of the accordion with the audience, Sakano Shima performed a theme song for a video program called “Jounetsu Tairiku (A Continent Full of Passion)” and “Arirang,” a Korean folk song, in the hope of promoting friendship between Japan and the DPRK. The audience sang to the tune of the accordion.

Then, “Shalala,” a dancing group performed Yosakoi dance pieces.

They danced a traditional Yosakoi dance piece and their own original Yosakoi dance piece entitled “Seika Kosui (Tra: dancers playing together with a drunken tiger dancing in the middle of summer),” cheerfully and energetically, which fascinated the audience with their dynamic movements and energy.