Kim Jong Suk – a revolutionary heroine
Reactionaries in imperialist
countries, as well as a multitude of petty-bourgeois elements who like to think
of themselves as Marxists, are very derogatory about the fact that when the
great revolutionary leader Kim Il Sung died, leadership of the DPRK passed to
his son, Kim Jong Il. Never mind that Cde Kim Jong Il’s appointment was made
after careful consideration of every suitable candidate, never mind that
practice has shown Kim Jong Il to have exceptional leadership qualities – in
spite of all that, we are told that the DPRK has adopted a hereditary system
for the appointment of its leaders, a conclusion drawn from the fact that, as
it happens, on a single occasion, a son of a leader became leader after his
father died. The purpose behind these taunts is to try to alienate the people
of the world from the courageous people of the tiny DPRK, who have been
standing up, arms in hand, to the overwhelming might of various imperialist
powers for over 100 years. The DPRK is as David to the imperialist Goliath and
cannot but excite the enthusiasm of the oppressed masses of the world in
successfully defying the great oppressors against all the odds.
It would of course be completely contrary to
Marxism and socialism to countenance hereditary leadership of a modern
socialist state. This leadership can only be determined on merit and nothing
else.
That Kim Jong Il turned out to be a devoted
working-class leader, was to some considerable extent due to the influence on
Cde Kim Jong Il of his very remarkable mother, Cde Kim Jong Suk. Cde Kim Il
Sung himself pointed out:
“If there is any heritage she left with us, it
is that she brought up Comrade Kim Jong Il to be the leader of the future, and
presented him to the motherland and the Party. You say I brought him up to be
my successor, but in actual fact the foundation was laid by Kim Jong Suk. This
is the greatest service she rendered for the revolution.
“On her last day she sat Kim Jong Il by her side
and told him to support his father loyally and inherit and consummate his
cause. This was her last will. Three hours later, she breathed her last.”
Since most children spend more time with their
mother than with their father, mothers tend to have the decisive influence on
their children’s ideology – an important reason, incidentally, why it is wrong
to think that the political education and emancipation of women is of lesser
importance in any revolutionary struggle. Cde Kim Jong Suk was a truly
exceptional mother. Her family were poor peasants who saw the necessity of
liberating their country from the Japanese yoke if there was to be any hope of
prosperity for the masses of Korean people. She attended night school where
one of her teachers was a communist activist working with Cde Kim Il Sung. This
teacher introduced her to the ideas of Marxism and Cde Kim Il Sung’s
revolutionary programme. In 1931, aged 14, she was an extremely active member
of the Young Communist League, helping to organise young people and children,
imbuing them with revolutionary theory. She was fully conversant with Cde Kim
Il Sung’s policies for Korea and staunchly defended them against the errors of
opponents. She did not, however, meet Cde Kim Il Sung until 1935 when she was
18. Some 6 months later she joined the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army,
which he led.
She proceeded to become a crack shot and a
competent, courageous and resourceful soldier and officer. She took part in
many battles, including the battle to defend the Chechangzi guerrilla base, and
the battles of Fusong, Dadeshui and Shungshanzi. Cde Kim Il Sung says that on
more than one occasion she saved his life. Eventually Cde Kim Il Sung and Cde
Kim Jong Suk were married on the guerrilla base, with absolutely no celebration
for lack of the wherewithal with which to feast. In February 1942, at a time
of year when temperatures in the region are around minus 30 degrees, she gave
birth to Cde Kim Jong Il at the secret camp on Mount Paektu.
Cde Kim Jong Suk always insisted on the need for the
liberation movement to promote the rights of women who, she always pointed out,
are half the population. For women to play their full role in society they had
to be freed of the age-old oppression to which they are subjected in class
society. They had to be given all the same opportunities as men have. In
return women, appreciating that the revolution offers them liberation as women
as well as relieving them of class exploitation and oppression, are encouraged
to redouble their efforts to bring about the revolution, first of all, and
thereafter to defend it. By her personal example, Cde Kim Jong Suk encouraged
large numbers of women to join the anti-Japanese guerrillas to fight alongside
their menfolk.
Once the Japanese were defeated and Korea was liberated, Kim Jong Suk threw herself into the work of organising the working
class and peasant masses, especially women, to become the ruling class in their
newly liberated country, through participation in mass organisations. She was
closely involved in setting up, and drawing up the revolutionary programme of,
the Korean Democratic Women’s Union which was charged with mobilising women to
fight for their own liberation while at the same time defending the DPRK and
participating in all the work needed to be able to build a socialist society.
She made sure that special facilities were built – in particular a women’s
technical school in Pyongyang – to train women for even the highest positions,
in production as well as state and social administration.
She also involved herself in projects to build the
new country, including the Pothong River improvement project started in May
1946. At the same time she undertook the work of locating the families of
comrades who had fallen in the war of liberation so that the state could take
special care of them.
When she tragically died in childbirth at the age
of 32 on 22 September 1949, Comrade Kim Jong Il was only 7½ but he had already
been imbued with his mother’s revolutionary communist ardour. Her demise at
such a young age was a tragedy not only for her family but also for the whole
of the Korean people whom she had served selflessly throughout her brief life,
with boundless energy, total revolutionary devotion and exceptional
organisational skill. Thankfully, she had during the course of her life
trained thousands of others to follow in her footsteps and set them the very
highest standards by her own example. She also, as has been said, inspired her
little son and played a major part in fitting him for the heavy responsibilities
of state which he is now fulfilling with remarkable success.
Her life is a model for all to follow to the extent
that we can. She quite rightly showed that no sacrifice is too great in the
cause of the liberation of mankind.
Cde Kim Il Sung gave us a real insight into her
personality with an anecdote relating to when he tried to give his wife a
present of a glass of wine after years of receiving innumerable presents from
her and feeling that he was giving nothing in return:
“As I felt sorry about having done nothing
for her, I offered her a glass of wine when I dropped in at my old house for
lunch on the day the Republic was founded, saying, ‘All these years you have
taken so much trouble to look after me, but so far I have done nothing for you;
I have only given you trouble. Today I wish to offer you a glass of wine.’
“She said, ‘What do you mean by saying that
you have done nothing for me? You gave me wonderful presents by founding the
Party, the armed forces and the Republic! You have made my lifelong wishes come
true. I have nothing more to wish for.’”