The Idea of Aim High Will Live For Ever

The idea of Aim High was authored by Kim Hyong Jik (1894-1926), an outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea.

Kim Hyong Jik was born in a patriotic and revolutionary family and keenly experienced national suffering and sorrow caused by the Japanese military occupation of Korea. With a strong resolve to bring the spring of national liberation, the spring of a civilized nation, to his ruined country even though he might be torn to pieces, he conducted revolutionary activities to open up a new way of the struggle for the country’s liberation. In the course of this, he authored the idea of Aim High reflecting his determination that if he fell in the struggle, his son would pick up his cause and that if his son failed to accomplish the cause in his generation, his grandson would fight until their country’s independence and prosperity was achieved.

On March 23, 1917, he formed the Korean National Association at Haktanggol, Pyongyang, as an embodiment of the idea of Aim High.

As the largest anti-Japanese underground revolutionary organization of Korean compatriots at home and abroad at that time, this organization was fundamentally different from those formed in the preceding periods. With its roots struck deep among the masses of the people, it was well-knit and thoroughgoing in its stand of anti-imperialist independence. With the formation of the KNA, the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea could rally the broad sections of the masses with clear fighting objectives, and a new phase was opened in achieving the unity of the anti-Japanese revolutionary forces. Under the guidance of Kim Hyong Jik, the KNA performed immortal exploits in developing the anti-Japanese national liberation movement from the nationalist movement to a proletarian one and achieving unity in the anti-Japanese independence movement.

The idea of Aim High is the idea that the revolution must be carried on through generations with firm anti-imperialist stand until a new society is built, in which the people enjoy genuine happiness.

His son, Kim Il Sung, the eternal President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with the idea of Aim High and two pistols bequeathed by his father as invaluable revolutionary heritage, authored the Juche idea and Songun idea, and on this basis illuminated the path of the Korean revolution. The line of fighting an anti-Japanese armed struggle, which Kim Il Sung advanced, brought about a new phase for the Korean national liberation struggle. He thus achieved the historic cause of national liberation and built a socialist system, a new country in which the people became its master.

The idea of Aim High was succeeded by Kim Jong Il, the eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Il held the banner of Songun higher with unshakable faith that the destiny of the masses and the future of the cause of independence are decided by arms and that precedence should be given to military affairs in order to resolutely thwart the anti-socialist onslaught by the imperialist forces and reliably defend and add lustre to socialism. Thanks to his Songun politics, the DPRK registered one victory after another in the acute confrontations with the US, which was styling itself as the sole superpower in the world, and demonstrated its prestige as a world-class political and military power which no imperialist aggressors would dare to invade.

The idea of Aim High implies a noble view of life of living not merely for today but for tomorrow, a revolutionary outlook on life that genuine happiness is sought in the struggle for one’s country and nation. And it requires that one should brave trials and difficulties, thinking about the interests of his country before his own and about his nation before his family.

The idea of Aim High pulsates with the ideal of national independence.

Kim Hyong Jik said that the Korean people, wherever they were, must not forfeit the soul of the Korean nation, that no one would or could bring them their independence, and that history taught that depending on foreign forces was the way to national ruin.

National liberation and independence should be achieved not by depending on foreign forces but only through the concerted efforts of the whole nation－this idea is now dynamically encouraging all the Korean people in the north, in the south and abroad to the national reunification movement. To put an end to the intervention and domination by outside forces and build a thriving independent and reunified state as early as possible true to the July 4 Joint Statement in 1972, June 15 Joint Declaration in 2000 and October 4 Declaration in 2007 that embody the ideal of national independence is the unanimous will of the Korean nation.

The Korean people are adding lustre to the idea of Aim High under the leadership of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim Jong Un put forward a new strategic line of simultaneously conducting economic construction and building up the nuclear forces, and is wisely leading the struggle to build a powerful socialist country and achieve the independent national reunification. Under his leadership, the DPRK has emerged as a nuclear and military power in the East, and is achieving miraculous victories and successes in building a socialist economic giant.