Peculiar mode of development of Korea

The international community is showing special interest in the mode of development peculiar to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), which has followed the road of its choice without a single mistake and failure for over 70 years.
When a nation takes its destiny in its own hands and carves it out by its own effort, it can become strong, and when it pursues the spirit of self-reliance and self-development as its lifeline, it can defend its dignity and sovereignty and achieve its prosperity–this is the one and only mode of development of the DPRK.
There is something worthy of note before considering the spirit of self-reliance of this country.
With the end of the Second World War the world political landscape underwent a fundamental change, and numerous independent countries emerged. Renowned politicians advocated maintaining self-reliance as the most powerful means for safeguarding and consolidating their independence and sovereignty. However, it was abandoned midway and became an empty talk. Self-reliance is not something anyone can maintain.
Grasping self-reliance as an almighty sword in the 15-year-long armed struggle for national liberation from Japanese colonial rule, three-year Fatherland Liberation War against the aggression of the US-led allied imperialist forces, postwar rehabilitation and its unique socialist construction, President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994) turned what were impossible to possibilities, thus turning the country into a socialist industrial state in a short period of time.

Agriculture in North Korea

In the closing years of the 1990s, rumours were in the air that the Korean people were on the verge of starvation owing to the desperate moves by the West to isolate and stifle it and consecutive worst-ever natural disasters, that North Korea would soon collapse, and that North Korea was compelled to adopt the policy of “reform” and “openness” and of dependence on foreign forces; at this time Chairman Kim Jong Il solemnly declared that his country would maintain the line of independent national economic construction to the last, and led the struggle to overcome all kinds of trials and difficulties, thus providing a strong springboard for the building of a powerful socialist country.
Now, the Korean people are showing the appearance of the powerful country they are building by creating numerous miraculous events and world-class structures under leadership of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
They are convinced of the future of the powerful country as they see the modern houses, cultural and welfare facilities, factories and enterprises, and trolley buses and tram cars, underground trains, tractors and automobiles they have built by their own efforts.

DPRK has firmly grasped self-reliance, science and technology

What is noteworthy in this country in building a powerful country on the strength of self-reliance is the fact that the strength is supported by cutting-edge science and technology. It is necessary to mention that there is no “brain introduction” in pioneering the frontiers of science and technology. The miraculous events made in the fields of cutting-edge science wrought in this country have no relationship with foreign experts or counselors; the absolute majority of the masters are the “sons” of self-sustenance who grew up and studied in their country.
This country has a large contingent of competent talents who have cherished self-confidence that theirs cannot be inferior to other countries and a strong desire to build theirs more excellently than others and ambition to do so. It is said that the country has 1 800 000 intellectuals, one-tenth of its total population.
It is a social climate that every field and every unit of the national economy set a clear strategy for the development of science and technology and invest unsparingly to this end, resolving the arising problems by dint of science.
The country regards the talents for science and technology as part of its strategic resources, giving them preferential treatment, putting them forward, and providing them with excellent working and living conditions. In recent years it has built Mirae Scientists Street and Ryomyong Street in Pyongyang and Wisong Scientists Residential Area in Phyongsong, a gateway to the capital city, and many other apartment houses and provided these to them free of charge.
In the sci-tech learning spaces built-in every field and every sector and operated on a regular basis, the working people train themselves to be intellectual-type working people and masters of the development of science and technology.
DPRK has firmly grasped self-reliance, science and technology as the motive force in carrying out the strategic line of building a powerful socialist country.

By Prof. Alhassan Mamman Muhammad, Professor of the University of Abuja.
Email: doragofi@yahoo.com