Workers’ Party of Korea elects leaders
By
Deirdre Griswold
Published Oct 14, 2010 9:44 PM
Since 1948, the year of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea, there have been only three national conferences of the Workers’
Party of Korea. These events, under the party’s charter, can take place
between national party congresses in order to debate and decide the
party’s direction, policy and personnel changes.
The newly elected Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea Seated
at center is General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Photo: KCNA
|
Each of the three conferences has dealt with important junctures facing this
embattled country, which has survived more than six decades of unrelenting
aggression and hostility from 11 different U.S. administrations, headed by both
Democrats and Republicans. The Koreans call their party “the general
staff of the Korean Revolution,” underscoring their constant need to
defend the social gains won through their epic struggles against first Japanese
and then U.S. imperialism.
The first two party conferences were held in March 1958 and October 1966. The
third conference of the party was held this September 28-29. Delegates from all
over the north of Korea met in Pyongyang, the capital, to chart the course for
the future development of the Korean Revolution and elect the leaders of the
WPK.
As usual, U.S. imperialism, together with the rightwing, pro-imperialist party
ruling in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, had been trying to put the
DPRK on the defensive by blaming it for the sinking of a south Korean ship in
March. However, outside of Washington’s closest imperialist allies, the
world refused to accept that the DPRK was to blame and the frantic U.S. efforts
to line up condemnation fell flat.
Even as the conference was taking place, however, the U.S. and south Korea were
carrying out huge joint military exercises and an anti-submarine drill in the
waters around the Korean Peninsula, some of which involved a nuclear-powered
aircraft carrier.
The Pyongyang meeting exuded confidence in the Workers’ Party and its
ability to continue to modernize the economy of the DPRK while keeping the
country’s defenses strong and flexible.
The delegates elected 125 members and 105 alternates to the party’s
Central Committee. That body then met and elected a Political Bureau of 17
members and 15 alternate members, as well as a Presidium of five members. This
structure ensures that the experience and dedication of the entire party is
reflected in the choice of leaders.
The conference reelected Kim Jong Il as party general secretary and head of the
Central Military Commission of the WPK. Kim has been in charge of the party and
the nation since 1997. In that time, the DPRK has weathered many crises and
military threats from the U.S. without giving in to pressure.
It also elected Kim Jong Un to the Central Committee and made him vice-chairman
of the Central Military Commission of the WPK. The commander of the Korean
People’s Army had awarded him the rank of general before the conference
met.
Despite comprehensive economic sanctions imposed by Washington in an effort to
weaken the DPRK’s centrally planned economy, it continues to develop
according to socialist principles that put the needs of the people first. As a
result, literacy is 99 percent for both males and females and everyone is
guaranteed jobs, housing and health care.
In a letter to the National Committee of Workers World Party in the United
States, the Central Committee of the WPK wrote that their party “is now
engaged in an energetic struggle to effect great innovation and a big leap
forward in building a great, powerful and prosperous nation, relying on the
revolutionary zeal of all the party members, the KPA servicepersons and the
Korean people that has soared after the party conference.”
In an answering letter to Comrade Kim Jong Il, congratulating him on the
success of the party conference, WWP wrote that “The working class here
in the United States is suffering massive unemployment and a loss of housing,
education and health care due to the worldwide capitalist crisis. More than
ever, we need to forge anti-capitalist unity between U.S. workers and the
struggling peoples of the world.
“Solidarity with the DPRK and all the Korean people resisting U.S.
domination and war threats will continue to be a crucial part of Workers World
Party’s program as we combat racism and great power chauvinism and build
an independent, working class movement for socialism in the United
States.”
The conference was followed by a celebration of the 65th anniversary of the
founding of the Workers’ Party, in which hundreds of thousands of people
participated in mass artistic displays, dancing and calisthenics.
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