REPORT TO THE SIXTH CONGRESS OF

THE WORKERS’ PARTY OF KOREA ON

THE WORK OF THE CENTRAL

COMMITTEE(Excerpt)

October 10, 1980

3. LET US REUNIFY THE COUNTRY

INDEPENDENTLY AND PEACEFULLY

Based on noble ideals and principles laid down in the July 4 North-South Joint Statement, and taking into consideration the actual situation in our country in which different ideologies and social systems exist in north and south, we must seek the shortest and surest way to national reunification and make positive efforts to reunify the country.

Our Party considers that the most realistic and reasonable way to reunify the country independently, peacefully and on the principle of great national unity is to draw the north and the south together into a federal state, leaving the ideas and social systems existing in the north and south as they are.

For a long time, ever since liberation, different social systems have existed and different ideas have prevailed in north and south. If, in these circumstances, the country is to be reunified through national union, neither side should regard its own ideology and social system as absolute. If the north or the south should consider its own ideology and social system absolute or try to force them on the other side, it will inevitably lead to confrontation and conflict, and this will lead to the further aggravation of the state of division. Since the entire people regard national reunification as the supreme task, the differences in ideology and system should not be an insurmountable barrier to reunification. People with different ideas can live in one country, and different social system can coexist in a unified country. We will never force our ideas and social system upon south Korea and will surbordinate everything to the interests of national union and reunification,

Our Party maintains that the country should be reunified by founding a Federal Republic through the establishment of a unified national government on the condition that the north and south recognize and tolerate each other’s ideas and social systems, a government in which the two sides are represented on an equal footing and under which they exercise regional autonomy with equal rights and duties.

It will be reasonable if, in the unified state of a federal type, a supreme national federal assembly is formed with an equal number of representatives from the nborth and south and an appropriate number of representatives of overseas nationals; this assembly should also form a federal standing committee to guide the regional governments of the north and south and to administer all the affairs of the federal state.

As the unified government of the federal state, the supreme national federal assembly and the federal standing committee, its permanent organ, should discuss and decide political affairs, matters of national defence, foreign affairs and other matters of common concern related to the interests of the country and the nation as a whole, fairly and in accordance with the desire for national unity, cooperation and reunification; they should also promote the coordinated development of the country ad the nation and realize unity and cooperation between the north and south in all spheres. The unified government of the federal state should respect the two social systems, as well as the wishes of the administrative organization, every party, every group, and every section of the people in the north and south and prevent one side from imposing its will on the other.

Under the leadership of the federal government, the regional governments in north and south should follow an independent policy within limits that are consistent with the fundamental interests and demands of the whole nation, and strive to narrow down the differences between north and south in all spheres and to achieve the coordinated development of the country and the nation.

It would be a good idea to call the federal state the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo, after a united state that once existed in our country and is well known to the world; such a name will also serve to reflect the common political aspirations of the north and south for democracy.

The DFRK should be a neutral country which does not join any political-military alliance or bloc. Since the two parts of the country, north and south, with different ideas and social systems are to be united to form a single federal state, it is necessary and most reasonable for the DFRK to be a neutral state.

The DFRK, as a united state embracing the whole territory and all the people of our country, should pursue a policy which accords with the fundamental interests and demands of the entire Korean people.

Our Party deems it appropriate that the DFRK should put forward and carry out the following policy:

First, the DFRK should adhere to independence in all state activities and pursue an independent policy.

Independence is the basic mark of an independent state; it is the lifeblood of the country and the nation. Only when a state exercises sovereignty with firm independence in its activities can it uphold the dignity and honour of the nation and ensure the development and prosperity of the country in keeping with the desires of the people.

The DFRK should be a fully independent and sovereign state and a non-aligned nation which is not a satellite of any other nation and does not depend on any foreign forces.

The DFRK should oppose all forms of foreign interference and dependence on foreign forces, exercise complete sovereignty in its internal and external activities and settle all questions arising in state politics independently in keeping with the fundamental interests of the Korean nation and the actual situation in our country.

Second, the DFRK should effect democracy throughout the country and in all areas of society and promote great national unity.

Democracy is a common political idea desirable for and acceptable to people with differing thoughts and political views, and is a noble right due to people from all walks of life as masters of the state and society.

The DFRK should develop a full democratic social and political system which opposes dictatorship and intelligence politics and firmly guarantees and defends the freedoms and rights of the people.

The federal state should guarantee freedom to form political parties and social organizations and their freedom of action, freedom of religious belief, speech, the press, assembly and demonstration, and guarantee the rights of the people in north and south to travel freely across the country and to conduct political, economic and cultural activities freely in any area.

The federal government should pursue a fair policy which will guarantee equality between the interests of the two regions, two systems, diffent parties, groups, classes and circles in the country without bias towards either side. All the policies pursued by the federal government should proceed from the principle of great national unity and contribute to the uniform development and prosperity of the country through the strengthening of national unity and cooperation.

The federal government should not question the past records of any of the organizations or individuals in the north or the south that work for the development of the unified state, but should join hands with them, and should not allow any form of political reprisal or persecution.

Third, the DFRK should effect economic cooperation and exchange between north and south and ensure the development of an independent national economy.

In the two parts of our country there is a wealth of natural resources that can still be exploited and also the economic foundations that have been built in the past. If, once the country is reunified, the north and the south develop their natural resources jointly and use their existing economic foundations effectively through cooperation and mutual assistance, our national economy will be able to develop at a very rapid pace, and our people will all be able to enjoy as good a life as any other people.

Economic cooperation and exchange between north and south should be realized on the basis of recognizing the different economic systems and diverse economic activities of enterprises in the two parts of the country. The federal government should recognize and protect state, cooperative and private property in the north and south as well as personal effects, and refrain from restricting or encroaching upon the property of capitalists and their business activities as long as they help develop the national economy and do not engage in monopolist or comprador activities.

The federal state should ensure that the north and the south jointly develop and exploit mineral, marine and other natural resources, and further the division of labour and promote trade extensively on the principles of cooperation and mutual accommodation, while coordinating the economic activities of all production units and enterprises in keeping with the interests of the various classes and circles. It would be advisable for the authorities and enterprises in the north and south to set up and operate joint companies, common markets and the like rationally.

The federal state should, through extensive cooperation and exchange between the two parts of the country,m develop the economies of the north and south to make them an organically interlinked independent national economy. 

Fourth, the DFRK should realize north-south exchange and cooperation in the spheres of science, culture and education and ensure the uniform progress of the country’s science and technology, national culture and arts, and national education.

Our people have time-honoured, glorious cultural traditions. Resourceful and talented, our nation has, since olden times, admirably developed science, technology, culture and arts. Since liberation, large numbers of able scientists and technicians, as well as talented cultural workers and artists, have grown up in the northern and southern parts of our country. If they pool their efforts and talents through exchange and cooperation, our science and technology, national culture and arts will flourish even more brilliantly.

The federal state should ensure that scientists and technicians in the north and south undertake scientific research jointly and exchange their experience and achievements on a wide scale so that science and technology in our country develop rapidly.

The federal state should actively encourage exchange and cooperation between artists and sportsmen from the north and south and ensure that the scientists in the two halves together uncover and protect the cultural heritage of our nation and that they study and develop our unique written and spoken language. If this is done, our national culture and arts will flourish to the full and the unique characteristics of our people as a homogeneous nation will be preserved.

Education is a very important undertaking which decides the fate of the nation. The federal government should train large numbers of able technical experts and steadily raise the cultural and intellectual levels of the entire people by developing a popular education system and giving active state and social support to educational work.

Fifth, the DFRK should reopen transport and communications links between the north and south and ensure the free use of the means of transport and communications all across the country.

Transport and communications represent the arteries and nervous system of the country. Because the territory has been divided in two and transport and communications have been severed, our people cannot seeor hear from their families and relatives, although they live within easy reach. This is a tragedy. Restoring transport and communicationsl links between the north and south is the only way to end the national tragedy and realize full political, economic and cultural exchange and cooperation.

The federal state should restore the railways and roads linking the north and the south and open shipping and air routes to ensure free travel by land, sea and air between the two halves of the country. In addition, steps should be taken to open telegraph and telephone services as well as an unrestricted postal service covering all areas of the north and the south.

The federal government should ensure that the north and the south jointly use the transport system and telegraph facilities and postal services and, in addition, gradually move towards running them jointly so that in the future one transport and communications system will exist across the whole country.

Sixth, the DFRK should ensure a stable livelihood for the entire people including the workers, peasants and other working masses and promote their welfare systematically.

The working masses are the masters of the state and society and the creators of all material wealth. Guaranteeing a stable life for the working people and steadily promoting their well-being should be the most important principle in the activities of a democratic state which serves the people, and this is also a duty to the nation devolving on the unified government.

In all its activities the federal state should give priority to stabilizing the lives of the people from all social strata including the workers, peasants and other sections of the working people and to promoting their welfare. It should ensure a decent life for everyone by guaranteeing adequate living conditions for the entire working people with regard to food, clothing and shelter and by raising the living standards of the poor to those of the middle class.

The federal state should provide work for all able-bodied people, ensure adequate conditions for work and rest and introduce a wage system a price policy and an equitable tax system so as to guarantee a stable livelihood for the working people. Steps should be taken for different enterprises, including small and medium-sized ones, to conduct production activities on a normal basis in order to ensure the working people’s livelihood and, in particular, the state should give active support to the poor peasants and fishermen, small merchants and handicraftsmen in their work.

The federal state should pay close attention to the education of the working people and the improvement of health services for them and adopt adequate measures to this end, so that all working people and their families can receive an education and medical treatment.

Seventh, the DFRK should remove the state of military confrontation between the north and south and form a combined national army to defend the nation against invasion.

Military confrontation between the huge armed forces of the north and south gives rise to misunderstanding, mistrust and discord and is a threat to peace.

The federal state should reduce the military strength of the two sides to 100,000-150,000 men each in order to end the state of military confrontation between north and south and bring fratricidal strife to an end once and for all. At the same time, it is essential to abolish the Military Demarcation Line between north and south, dismantle all military installations in its vicinity, dissolve militia organizations in both halves of the country and prohibit the military training of civilians.

The federal state should amalgamate the Korean People’s Army and the “National Army” of south Korea and form a single combined national army. As the national army of the unified state independent of either side, north or south, the combined national army should undertake the duty of national defense under the unified leadership of the federal government. All costs incurred in a maintaining the combined national army and in defending the country should be borne jointly by the north and the south.

Eighth, the DFRK should defend and protect the national rights and interests of all overseas Koreans.

Many of our Korean compatriots are living abroad. As their motherland, the DFRK should assume the responsibility and duty of defending and protecting their national rights and interests.

The DFRK should make vigorous efforts to enable all Korean nationals living abroad to enjoy their internationally accepted legal rights and liberties, and give them strong support and encouragement in their struggle for democratic national rights.

Ninth, the DFRK should deal properly with the foreign relations established by the north and the south prior to reunification, and should coordinate the foreign activities of the two regional governments in a unified manner.

It is only when the foreign relations built up by the north and the south prior to national reunification are conducted in the right manner that it will be possible to ensure both the interests of the nation as a whole and the interests of the two halves of the country within the framework of the unified state and to enable the federal state to develop friendly relations with the various countries of the world on an equitable footing. Furthermore, in view of the fact that even after reunification the north and the south will maintain separate foreign relations with other nations on a limited scale, the federal government will need to coordinate the foreign activities of the two regional governments properly in a unified manner.

The DFRK should repeal all the treaties and agreements with other countries that are detrimental to national unity, including military treaties concluded separately by the north and the south prior to reunifications. Of the foreign relations established by the north and the south, those relations, economic relations included, that do not run counter to the common interests of the nation should be maintained.

The federal state should permit the north and the south to cooperate economically with other countries irrespective of the social system of the country involved. It should leave intact the capital invested by other nations in south Korea prior to the reunification of the country and continue to guarantee the concessions of these countries.

The DFRK should permit the governments of the two halves of the country to establish bilateral relations with other countries. The federal state will have to coordinate the foreign relations of the north and the south properly to make sure that the two regional governments act consistently with each other in their foreign activities.

Tenth, the DFRK should, as a unified state representing the whole nation, develop friendly relations with all the countries of the world and pursue a peaceful foreign policy.

The DFRK should b ethe only representative of the entire Korean nation in its foreign relation. The federal state should represent the entire Korean nation at the United Nations and in other international organizations and must send a single delegation to all international gatherings where the whole nation is to be represented.

The DFRK should adhere to the line of neutrality, follow the policy of non-alignemnt and develop friendly relations with all nationsl on the principles of independence, noninterference in internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. In particular, it should actively develop neighbourly relations with the countries surrounding ours.

The DFRK should be a peace-loving nation and pursue a peaceful foreign policy. A unified Korea will not threaten aggression against the countires neighbouring ours or any other nations of the world and will not be a party to or cooperate in any international act of aggression. The federal state should make the Korean peninsula a permanent peace zone and nuclear-free zone. To this end, it should ban the presence of foreign troops and foreign military bases on its territory and prohibit the manufacture, introduction and use of nuclear weapons.

The ten-point policy for the DFRK accurately reflects the common aspiration and demands of the entire Korean nation and illuminates the road ahead for a unified Korea.

The plan for national reunification and the ten-point political programme for the unified state proposed by our Party on the occasion will win the active support and approval of all the Korean people and will be warmly welcomed by the people of the world.

Our Party will make every effort to put the new plan for national reunification into effect as soon as possible and so satisfy the ardent desires of our 50 million brethren to live happily in a unified homeland.

In order to ound a Federal Republic and achieve national reunification as proposed by our Party, all Korean nationals, in the north and south and abroad, should fight, rallied closely together to form a great national united front under the banner of national reunification, regardless of any differences in ideology, social system, party affiliation or political views.

The road ahead of our Party and people in their struggle for the country’s independent and peaceful reunification is still beset with many difficulties and obstacles. But we will, without fail, overcome them and ultimately accomplish the historic cause of national reunification through the united efforts of the whole nation.

When the DFRK is founded and the country is reunified through the unity of the whole nation and cooperation between the north and south, our country will be able to make its appearance in the world arena with great dignity and authority as an independent and sovereign state with a population of 50 million, brilliant national culture and a strong national economy, and an ever-prosperous people’s paradise will have been established in our land of three thousand ri.