Down-with-Imperialism Union | |
Chosŏn'gŭl | 타도제국주의동맹 (ㅌ.ㄷ) |
---|---|
Hancha | 打倒帝國主義同盟 (ㅌ.ㄷ) |
Revised Romanization | Tado Jeguk Juui Dongmaeng (Teudeu) |
McCune–Reischauer | T'ado Cheguk Chuŭi Tongmaeng (T'ŭdŭ) |
The Down-with-Imperialism Union, or DIU, was founded on 17 October 1926, by Kim Il-sung, in Huadian city, Jilin province, China, in order to fight against Japanese imperialism and to promote Marxism–Leninism. It is considered to be the root and foundation of the Workers' Party of Korea and its creation is celebrated every year.
On 17 October 1982, Kim Jong-il honoured the DIU with a speech. In the speech he said that its formation meant that the Korean people had "embarked on a new road of development and our Party [Workers' Party of Korea] began to strike its glorious roots." He went on to explain the accomplishments of his party in defending the country from the American empire and promote the idea of Juche. He also noted that Kim Il-sung began the DIU with a programme to engage in "anti-Japanese national-liberation struggle relying on the masses", that its formation was the "fresh start for the Korean communist movement and the Korean revolution...the beginning of the struggle to found a new type of party," and added that "The Korean communist movement...pioneered the revolutionary road under the banner of the DIU."
In 2016, in particular, the DIU was repeatedly honoured by the people and state of North Korea, especially on 18–19 October. This included dramas, singing of songs in a Pyongyang plaza, "dancing parties" of students and youth, and wreaths laid at the graves of revolutionary martyrs to commemorate the founding of the revolutionary organisation, saying that it was the origin of the ideas of Juche. Additionally, commemorative stamps were released, a national meeting was held at the People's Palace of Culture attended by "senior party, state and army officials...labour innovators and bereaved families of the revolutionary martyrs," a national art exhibition opened at the Korean Art Gallery, and members (and workers within) the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) commemorated the occasion. A poster was even issued by Workers' Party of Korea to "mark the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Down-with-Imperialism Union (DIU)."