Challenge towards genuine reunification:
Intensifying anti-imperialist struggle in Korea

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

In 1945, after the Second World War, the Korean Peninsula was divided by US imperialism along the 38th parallel into the north (Soviet occupation zone) and south (US occupation zone) to facilitate the surrender of colonialist Japan's troops. The US failed to influence North Korea which immediately prepared for the establishment of a democratic people's government. The anti-imperialist North and the pro-capitalist South Korea eventually declared two separate and unique states in 1948.

Determined to dominate the entire Korean Peninsula and make it the center of anti-communist strategy, the US armed the ROK Army of South Korea with modern military equipment, intensified its training and instigated more than 2,000 provocations against North Korea in 1949. On June 25, 1950, the US launched a surprise attack against the DPRK, sparking a war between North and South Korea that led to an armistice in 1953.

The whole world awaits the triumph of the process of the historic reunification of Korea after almost 52 years of forced division by US imperialism. In June came the momentous summit between Kim Jong Il, head of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) or North Korea and Kim Dae Jung, president of the Republic of Korea (ROK) or South Korea. The summit saw the signing of a joint declaration that stipulated the two countries' intentions to end the war between them and to remove the division separating the people of the once united Korea.

The Korean people's determination for reunification is indeed praiseworthy. It is a great challenge to unify the broadest number of the people of Korea to face and overcome all the obstacles in shaping a country that is truly free from imperialist intervention.

The all-out intervention of U.S. imperialism through its puppet government in South Korea is a great impediment to the gruelling reunification process. The US persistently attempts to play a major role in the reunification talks to ensure that the rebuilding of one Korea will serve imperialism.

The US is aggressively taking diplomatic steps through US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. US demands include its bid for North Korea to arrest its independent missile development program allegedly in the name of "peace" and "concern for the safety of humanity". Because of North Korea's militant anti-imperialist stand, the US views it as a serious threat to preserving US hegemony in northeastern Asia. Thus, the US has occupied South Korea since 1945 where it maintains 40,000 troops (out of 100,000 in the whole of Asia) to date.

While North Korea firmly upholds its right to missile development, US imperialism utilizes the issue to push North Korea against the wall, hoping that it would abandon its anti-imperialist and socialist principles.

Despite imperialist maneuvers, the people of Korea have so far successfully advanced the initial steps for rebuilding the Peninsula. These are steps towards the unification of a nation broken up by imperialism and towards shattering the imperialist US' economic blockade against North Korea.

One concrete result of the two Koreas' leaders' summit was the reunion in June and November of two batches comprised of 100 families each, who were among the thousands separated by the US-instigated Korean War in 1950-53.

Likewise, the current efforts to reconnect the Kwongui Railway Line through an agreement between North and South Korea, is another step that will certainly accelerate and develop economic and cultural exchanges not only between the two Koreas but also with other countries in Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, the clamor of the South Korean people intensifies against the continued stay of tens of thousands of US military forces in their country. In May of this year, successive demonstrations by the people of South Korea demanded the scrapping of the military agreement between the government and the US, an apology from the US for its soldiers' crimes against the people and the banishment of American troops. Likewise, workers, farmers, women, youth and other oppressed sectors in South Korea are intensifying their struggle to end the dominance of the US and local reactionary puppets.

The initial implementation of reunification talks between the two Korean leaders is a victory in the people's all-out struggle against imperialist domination. The anti-imperialist movement both in North and South Korea serves as the powerful binding force uniting the people of the Korean Peninsula.

November 2000
English Edition

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