Battle of Pochonbo Adding to Confidence in National Liberation

Today marks the ８９th anniversary of the Battle of Pochonbo.

On this occasion our people look back upon the immortal exploits of President Kim Il Sung who demonstrated to the world the dignity and mettle of Korean people by leading the Battle of Pochonbo to the victory.

To our people, the latter half of the １９３０s was a really harsh period.

The Japanese imperialists further intensified fascist oppression and plunder of Korean people to turn Korea into a springboard for invading the continent and a base for war supplies.

The Japanese imperialists had made desperate efforts to stamp out the national character of Korean people by eliminating the family names, given names, and even the speech and written language of Korea, while asserting that "the Japanese and the Korean are of the same ancestry" and "Japan and Korea are one community".

At such a time when the fate of the nation was at stake, the President hardened the steel-strong will to implant hope for and confidence in national liberation in the minds of our people and arouse them to the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle.

The President, who advanced to the border area with the main force of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (KPRA) after crossing the River Amnok, rang out a gun report heralding the start of the Battle of Pochonbo at ２２:００, June ４, １９３７.

At the signal of his gun report, the members of the KPRA attacked and wiped out government organs of the Japanese imperialists in less than no time and the Battle of Pochonbo was triumphantly concluded.

The President beat pursuing enemies in Mt Kusi and Kansam Hill, with adroit and consummate tactics.

The significance of the Battle of Pochonbo was by no means in killing a number of Japs.

The significance was in the fact that it showed our people that Korea was still alive, and that it gave them faith that they could achieve national independence and liberation when they rose up and fought.

The Battle of Pochonbo was a historic occasion in powerfully demonstrating to the world that when all the people are equipped with the spirit of self-respect they can defeat any aggressors.

Rodong Sinmun