The political philosophy he applied in carrying on the revolution and construction was the Juche idea which holds independence as the lifeline of the country and nation.
As he was steadfast in pursuing the line of independence, the DPRK could maintain its social system, even by the end of last century when the world socialist system collapsed.
Despite the drastic political developments on a worldwide scale, he held fast to the principles of socialism and wrote a number of works as Socialism Is a Science.
These works represented his conviction about the truthfulness and scientific accuracy of socialism and the certainty of its victory, as well as the Korean people's determination to invariably follow the road chosen by themselves.
Songun was Kim Jong Il's mode of politics which enabled the country to maintain independence in the face of world wide political upheavals.
In the wake of the collapse of socialism that led to a radical change in the balance of forces on the planet, the allied imperialist forces grew more high-handed and arbitrary on the international arena. They openly committed acts of aggression and intervention against those countries that were not subservient to them. It was the DPRK that bore the brunt of their full-scale offensive in political, economic and military fields.
To cope with this, Kim Jong Il held higher the banner of Songun. Accordingly, the country developed into a military power, strong enough to repulse any aggressive force at a stroke.
To the admiration of the international community, it frustrated the outrageous challenges by hostile forces one after another, while at the same time building a spring board for turning itself into a powerful socialist nation.
Kim Jong Il paid due concern to realizing the cause of global independence.
By adhering to the principle of independence, he conducted positive external activities to promote friendship with neighbouring countries.
In the new century alone he visitied China several times, giving a strong impetus to the common struggle of the two countries aimed at consolidating the traditional bilateral friendship and defending the socialist cause. And through his several visits to Russia, he elevated the DPRK-Russia friendship to a new, higher level, which was in effect a tangible contribution to the international struggle for building an independent world.
He also directed close attention to the diplomatic activities with the personages of the Westerm countries, so as to demonstrate the vitality and viability of the country's foreign policy principles-independence, peace and friendship.
As a result, the number increased of the countries which became sympathetic towards the DPRK's policy and were desirous of global independence.
Entering the new century, 20 or so countries established or resumed diplomatic relations with the DPRK, for example almost all the west European countries-Italy, Britain, The Netherlands, Germany and Spain-the European Union, Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Kim Jong Il saw to it that independence was maintained in implementing the cause of achieving Korea's reunification. The June 15 Joint Declaration and the October 4 Declaration, adopted at the inter-Korean summits, were based on the principle of By Our Nation Itself.
For his outstanding contribution to the cause of human independence Kim Jong Il will be remembered forever.
Nowadays, all the Korean people are conducting the vigorous struggle for the accomplishment of 5-year strategy of the national economic development presented at the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea uniting around Kim Jong Un, general secretary of our Party as one in mind and purpose.
Hoping that you will share joy of celebration of the Day of the Shining Star with our people as in the past, we are sure that you will send the continuous support and solidarity to the just struggle of our Korean people.
