Asian Regional Seminar on Juche Idea
Held in Sri Lanka

   An Asian Regional Seminar on the Juche Idea entitled “Self-reliance－Key to Independence” was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on March 17, 2017 under the auspices of the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea (ARIJI).
   The seminar was attended by foreign delegates from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Japan as Juche idea researchers including scholar, jurist, politician and journalist, along with the Sri Lankan people from the broad walks of life including members of Parliament and provincial assembly, social activists, women, youth and students.
   In the seminar, after making a welcome speech for the guests and participants, Prof. Harish Gupta, director general of the ARIJI Board delivered the keynote report to it.
   In his report, firstly explaining the subject of the seminar “Self-reliance―Key to Independence,” Prof. Harish Gupta mentioned the characteristics of the contemporary era as follows: The biggest desire of humankind is to live happily in a world, in an independent free world, the world which is free from domination and subjugation and the world which is free from aggression and war.
   Then, he commented in details on the Juche idea, the guiding idea of the era of independence founded by President Kim Il Sung in the frames of the revolutionary struggle of the Korean people in an effort to realize the era of independence.
   Further, referring to independence as the attribute of human being, nation and country clarified by the Juche philosophy, Prof. Harish Gupta pointed out some examples relevant to the importance for individual countries to be self-reliant in every field of life in order to achieve their respective national independence, and stressed: Do use raw resources of your own, rather than depending upon those in other countries. That was a message Present Kim Il Sung gave us. In other words, it is required for each country to dominate its own country first rather than depending on other countries, as each country has its own strength, things of its own. If you look for a help from others, then you will like to follow them. So, this is self-reliance in this regard. Self-reliance is independence.
   Moreover, putting an emphasis on that it is a legitimate right of the people in each country to protect and achieve their national independence, he mentioned that the DPRK in spite of being imposed upon economic sanctions by the imperialist powers for a long time has continued to adhere to its independence through being self-reliant. Then he called for solidarity with the Korean people who have been striving hard upholding aloft the principle of independence.
   Following his keynote report, delegates from India, Nepal, Japan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka made speeches respectively.
   Among them, in his speech, Prof. Suresh P. Pathak, who is director of the ARIJI Board and also president of the Indian Society for the Study of Kimilsung- Kimjongilism said as follows:
   “Self-reliance or self-dependence is the key to independence and if independence is snatched away then naturally discontent, dissatisfaction and trouble would start and the mankind as it has experienced again and again there would be blood-shed carnage and peace would be the casualty. And when peace is the casualty the entire human race would suffer and hence independence to each nation is sine quo non for world peace. In a nutshell, let us understand that independence and self reliance are interwoven and when we say that self reliance is key to independence, we can also add that it means world peace too.”
   Besides, some copies of a written contribution entitled “Wind of Independence Blowing in Asia” from Dr. Ogami Ken-ichi, secretary general of the IIJI were brought to the seminar. Some parts read as follows:
   “Given these political situations in the world, what matters most to the people in each country and to each ethnic group is whether they follow the road to independence or the road to subordination. Now is the time to make such a political decision.
   “Now, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) draws many people's attention in other countries because the DPRK devotes its attention to achieve peace and realize the ideal of independence. Why can only the DPRK safeguard and develop socialism? Why can only the DPRK follow the road to independence undauntedly in spite of insistent attacks from U.S. imperialism? The reasons are that there are revolutionary leaders and the guiding idea founded by them.
   “What matters most to the successive revolution is the inheritance of ideas and the leadership of the leader. In the DPRK, General Secretary Kim Jong Il successfully inherited the seminal works of Juche revolution from President Kim Il Sung, and now, Chairman Kim Jong Un inherits them from General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
   “The DPRK follows the road to independence by dint of single-minded unity between the leader and the people, which indicates the political goal that each country and ethnic group should direct and encourages them.
   “A society people in each country really aspire to is the society where people can occupy the position as masters and exercise their own role. Studying and disseminating Kimilsung- Kimjongilism, and practicing the essence of Kimilsung- Kimjongilism in conformity with the reality of each country make people’s aspiration come true. Hence, it is very important to enhance the study and dissemination of Kimilsung- Kimjongilism in each country for the unity of the Asian people, and for achieving independence and peace. ”
   Finally, a letter addressed to Chairman Kim Jong Un was unanimously adopted after being read aloud for a proposal.

   Preceding the Asian Regional seminar on the Juche idea, the 16th Board meeting of the ARIJI was held in Colombo on the same day.
   It was reported at the meeting the study and dissemination of the Juche idea conducted in the Asian countries till then since the last Board meeting. It was also discussed the forward plan of the ARIJI.
   Similarly, a new structure of the ARIJI Board was proposed and adopted there. In this context, Mr. W.A. Duminduwardane, president of the Sri Lanka Society for Self-Reliance Studies, who had made his possible effort to make a success in the said Asian Regional Seminar on the Juche Idea as chairman of the national preparatory committee was elected deputy director-general. So also was Mr. Subash Kaji Shresta, chairman of the Nepalese Forum of Self-reliance Studies elected director.
   The meeting proceeded and closed in an amicable atmosphere.