To Commemorate 114th Birth Anniversary of Kim Il Sung
Seminar on Juche Idea Held in Osaka

—For Realizing Independence, Equality, and Autonomy as Global Trend―

The tendency of anti-US and being independent from the US is gaining momentum globally. At the same time, the demand for independence and justice is accelerating each day in the world.

In the DPRK, the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), and then the First Session of the 15th DPRK’s Supreme People's Assembly were held this year. In his policy speech delivered at the latter, Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, articulated the path to independence more clearly than ever before.

To commemorate the 114th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, a Seminar on the Juche Idea was held in Osaka, Japan on April 18, 2026, hosted by the Kansai Liaison Council for the Study of Kimilsung-Kimjongilism, which was attended by Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI), professors from several universities in the Kansai region, and other Juche idea researchers from various parts of Japan, including Tokyo, Aichi, Shizuoka, and Okayama.

At the seminar that was moderated by Mikami Taichi, secretary general of the said Kansai Liaison Council, Hyun Wan Sik, vice-chairman of the Osaka Prefectural Headquarters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) delivered his guest greetings.

Referring to a briefing by a member of a delegation from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan on its visit to the DPRK in February this year to celebrate the 9th Congress of the WPK, Mr. Hyun Wan Sik introduced some aspects of current development in Pyongyang and other regions of the DPRK, stating the following:

“The newly-built Sinuiju Combined Greenhouse Farm has become a symbol of agricultural modernization of the DPRK. Behind this development is the Juche idea, which is based on the principles of ‘independence in politics, self-sustenance in the economy, and self-reliance in defense,’ along with the ideals of ‘the people are God,’ ‘the single-minded unity,’ and ‘self-reliance.’”

At the seminar, Ri Yong Su, president of the Association of Korean Social Scientists in Japan, gave a lecture entitled "Perspective from New Angle on 9th Congress of the WPK and 1st Session of 15th DPRK Supreme People's Assembly."

To begin with, pointing out a term such as the "turbulent world" frequently used these days, he reminded the audience of the necessity of reexamining its essence with the Juche-oriented point of view. Defining the contemporary world as a great turning point in terms that the US-centered world order is collapsing, while global independence is making significant progress, he emphasized the importance of the role Juche idea researchers have to play under these circumstances.

President Ri stated that the lines and policies presented at the 9th Congress of the WPK were not merely a plan for the next five years, but rather a future-oriented strategy looking at the times of 10 years, 20 years ahead. He explained that the next five years are a critical period in such a sense that it will determine the success or failure of the cause of Korean socialism, and that it will be an important stage for solidifying the trajectory of the comprehensive development and a leap of Korean socialism, and then for achieving rapid change and broad progress.

He continued to speak about the characteristics and important contents of the First Session of the 15th DPRK Supreme People's Assembly.

About the policy speech by Kim Jong Un, President Ri stated that it clearly outlined a policy for ensuring the implementation of the Party's strategy for national development, and thus leading the country into a period of comprehensive national prosperity. He stated that Kim Jong Un particularly had emphasized the legitimacy of the said Party strategy for national development based on self-reliance, and the correctness of the Party’s development method for promoting socialist construction while solidifying the DPRK’s status as a nuclear power. Furthermore, he mentioned Kim Jong Un’s repeated emphasis on what the most important achievement was, that is, the DPRK and its people demonstrated their adherence to the right to achieve independent development of their own and forge the future of their own.

In his lecture, he also referred to Kim Jong Un’s external policy.

In this context, President Ri referred to some statements in the report made by Kim Jong Un to the 9th Congress of the WPK as follows:

“What is clear is that the desire of the progressive mankind to oppose domination and subjugation and realize independence, equality and autonomy will grow stronger in direct proportion to the desperate efforts of the hegemonic forces.

“The independent forces will continue to grow stronger and the building of a fair and just multi-polar world will be further promoted by their progressive struggle in the future, too. Right at the centre of it stands the DPRK.”

Referring to the relevant statement made by Kim Jong Un in his policy speech, President Ri introduced Kim Jong Un’s standpoint that in light of the tensions in the international situation, strengthening self-defensive nuclear deterrence and growing national defense capabilities are the DPRK government's unchanging positions.

Following President Ri’s lecture, there was a time when some participants in the seminar made comments.

Prof. Furuta Tomitate at Tezukayama Gakuin University stated that, as the US-centered world order is collapsing, a new international framework based on the values of independence centered on the DPRK seems to be forming.

Aoji Isanbert Mami, a member of the Peace Studies Association of Japan, stated the following:

“The US-centered world order is at a turning point, and capitalism, which has continued for a long time, also seems to be entering a new phase. As a new era of coexistence based on national independence is expected, I feel that the Juche idea is an idea that is beyond one country, and can offer a new direction and hope to the broad masses of the people.”

Prof. Takasaku Masahiro at Kansai University stated the following:

“US military actions abroad under the Donald Trump administration are considered to have questionable legitimacy under international law. Japan, as an ally, should have played a role in laying restraint on the actions of the United States, but has not adequately fulfilled that role. Onwards in the future, Japan needs to break away from dependence on the United States and seek an independent diplomacy and national vision.”

Prof. Kim Sung Su, former professor at Osaka University of Economics and Law, stated the following:

“The DPRK, with the Juche idea, an ideal that emphasizes independence, as its foundation, is deciding on its future course based on a consistent principle as such. The DPRK has also strengthened its presence in diplomacy again in recent years, and I am confident that it will achieve much brighter development in the future to come, backed by the strength of its ideological foundation.”

Pianist Ikebe Yukie, who is also chairperson of the Japan-DPRK Association for the Exchanges of Music and Arts, stated the following:

“Since the end of World War II, Japan has undermined its independence under its dependence on the United States. Furthermore, it cannot be said that there is sufficient recognition and sharing of the damage Japan caused to Asia by the past war among us of the Japanese people. Compared to this situation, there is for us much to learn from the DPRK’s stance of independence and self-reliance.”

Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI, stated the following in his closing remarks:

“Amidst the current turmoil in the global situation, researchers, who are interested in the Juche idea are increasing in number. In fact, papers and messages are being received by us of the IIJI, not only from Juche idea researchers within Japan, but also from those in Latin American countries such as Ecuador and Mexico, and those in European countries such as Finland and Hungary. So, I am considering further enhancing opportunities for those Juche idea researchers to present their study of this idea.”

The Seminar on the Juche Idea held to commemorate the 114th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, became an occasion for sharing a desire to oppose domination and subjugation and to strive for a world where the movement toward independence is further accelerated.