The Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1975

Abstract

THROUGHOUT 1975, the North Korean leadership has been preoccupied with two overriding objectives. The first of these was the intensification of diplomatic activities to strengthen solidarity with anti-imperialist revolutionary forces, considered one of the prerequisites for a successful revolution leading to the reunification of Korea. The second objective, pursued relentlessly by North Korean leaders, was the early fulfillment of the major production goals embodied in the sixyear plan before October 10th, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Worker's Party. The entire citizenry has lived in what could be called a state of high mobilization, and was subjected to incessant exhortations of party and government organs for harder work in the glorious task of pre-schedule completion of the six-year plan. This article is a brief review of selected aspects of North Korea's diplomacy and internal developments in 1975. Two sources of data were utilized: North Korean publications, and interviews which the author had with party and government officials during a three-week stay in Pyongyang in August. Toward achieving the first objective, a major North Korean diplomatic undertaking was a visit to Peking in April by a ten-member delegation of top leaders in North Korean political, military, and economic fields headed by President Kim Il Sung. Coming just after the fall of Phnom Penh and the rapid disintegration of the Thieu regime in South Vietnam, the visit provoked intense speculation on the significance and implication of the presence of this high-ranking delegation in China. In a speech delivered at a banquet on April 18, President Kim engendered a feeling of crisis when he said: