[imText1]I’ve recently heard that South Korean experts held conferences on the Military-First Policy of Chosun (North Korea). Although I am glad that South Korean interest in North Korea is increasing, I wonder how well they understand a Military-First Policy whose underpinnings are not as complex as scholars may believe.
Kim Jong Il’s visit to the Dabaksol guard post in 1995
It was in 1998 when the phrase “military-first” was first used in North Korea at the Dabaksol guard post located in the suburban district of Mankyungdae in Pyongyang.
The media stated that “the Great General, Kim Jong Il visited Dabaksol guard post on January 1st, 1995, while North Korean citizens gathered in front of televisions and a public stage, in expectation of seeing the General in a New Year’s performance.” At the time, the annual national ceremony and performance were held on January 1st with the announcement of a New Year’s Address by Kim Jong Il. However, Kim Jong Il did not appear and instead made a sudden visit to a small guard post in order to illustrate his priority on the military. Therefore, the Dabaksol guard post visit marks the military-first policy.
“The great general,” Kim Jong Il declared that the only hope for North Korean socialism was the strong sustenance of the People’s Workers’ Army in order to combat the evil imperialists’ economic blockade and policy of isolation.” After Kim Il Sung died, the Party’s publication arm produced “The Six Years to Defend the Red Flag” and claimed the phrase. In “Immortal Leadership,” a famous revolutionary history book, also mentions the beginning of military-first policy: “Kim Jong Il visited Dabaksol guard post with his rifle in 1995.”
The military-first policy = a single party dictatorship + a military dictatorship
It is said that Kim Jong Il raised his rifle resolutely as he outlined the alternatives: either to live independently or as slaves under the imperialists: “Our people know very well that we can survive without candies but we can’t live without bullets. Initially I did not use the phrase military-first because it reminds me of military-dictatorship. However these days, our military-first policy has spread all over the world. So I name the policy “the Military-First Policy” as the principal policy of the Party, from now on.”
After that, priority on the military and the military-first atmosphere spread out throughout the country. In 2000, authorities claimed that the superiority of the military-first policy had been proven worldwide. In 2002, they combined the military-first policy as an ideology of independence and political theory. Practically, there is no ideological background or political theory involved. The General is in complete charge of a single party, military dictatorship whose propaganda officers use revolutionary tradition and ideological-theoretical excuses to hide the failings of the military-first policy.
North Korean teachers of revolutionary history continually accented the genesis of “the military-first policy.” Prior to 2002, one could ace the revolutionary history exam by remembering that visiting the Dabaksol guard post in January 1st, 1995” was the starting point of the military-first policy. After late 2002, the correct answer was changed to indicate the starting point of the military-first policy which was April 25th 1932, when the Great Leader Kim Il Sung commanded a guerrilla unit against Japan.” It was not the end of the revisions. In 2003, universities in Pyongyang held a competition on the study of Kim Jong Il’s revolutionary history. Yet another theory appeared which claimed that “1962 was the starting time of the military-first policy.”
“February 5th, 1962” was the day Kim Jong Il first visited Mt. Daeduk guard post and gave instruction.” After that, teachers and students became confused over when the policy began and argued with each other. For a while, all evidence of the policy’s inception disappeared from documents, articles, and educational books– including the Dabaksol guard post story.
Visiting at the Ryu Kyung Soo tank division in 1960
Suddenly on August 25, 2006, Chosun Central TV said that the start of the military-first policy was August 25th, 1960 when Kim Jong Il visited in the Ryu Kyung Soo tank division, and the government designated the day, August 25th as a national holiday. Celebratory banners commemorating the 46th anniversary of the military-first policy appeared throughout Pyongyang.
A professor at my university said cynically “If the upper (authority) picks this day, then this day is correct, or if the upper picks that day, then that day is correct. I am really ashamed that I have to change the story again.”
The U.S. has the strongest military in the world and has no military-first policy. Japan’s economy is widely respected and they have no military-first policy. South Korea has become a first-world country by its resistance to military participation in government. What benefits has the military-first policy produced in North Korea over the last 50 years? Nothing. It exists solely to perpetuate a military dictatorship that completely suppresses its people.
The muzzle of the Kim Jong Il’s military policy is not exclusively aimed at American imperialists and the “puppet” regime of South Korea, but at Kim’s own starving people. True understanding of Chosun military-first policy cannot be obtained through consumption of Kim’s propaganda, but by observation of the lives of its people who can’t help but to be amused by the South Korean conference.
