DIU Formed by President Kim Il Sung in His Teens

Today marks the 97th anniversary of the formation of the Down-with-Imperialism Union (DIU), a genuine communist revolutionary organization, under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung.

North Korea asserts that in 1926, at age 14, Kim Il-sung formed an organization to challenge Japanese imperialism and free Korea. (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

On the occasion of this meaningful day, our people recollect with deep emotion the undying feats of the President who gave birth to the origin of new type of the revolutionary Party building by forming the DIU.

The DIU was the first revolutionary youth organization in our country as it was organized with youths of the new generation aspiring after socialism and communism to achieve the national liberation and the class emancipation with the ideal of anti-imperialism, independence and sovereignty.

The President, who embarked on the revolutionary road in his early years, made his effort to find a new way for liberating the country from Japan’s colonial rule during his revolutionary activities at Hwasong Uisuk School in the mid-1920s.

1986 North Korean stamps commemorating the 60th anniversary of the DIU's inception

First of all, He explored the genuine path of the Korean revolution, the road of independent development, provided the hard core for it and pushed ahead with the work to form a vanguard organization of the revolution.

He told the young core members sharing the intention with him:

We must open up a long and thorny path in order to liberate the country and build a society in which the working people can live happily; if we build up our ranks and fight tenaciously at the cost of our blood, we shall emerge victorious; after forming an organization we should rally the masses behind it and arouse them to liberate the country by relying on their own efforts.

Later, he discussed the name of the organization and its character, fighting programme and norms of activities with them.

Under such detailed preparations, the President formed the DIU, a vanguard organization of the revolution, with young communists of the new generation on October 17, Juche 15 (1926).

North Korea asserts that in 1926, at age 14, Kim Il-sung formed an organization to challenge Japanese imperialism and free Korea. (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

At that time, the President was in his teens.

At its inaugural meeting, the President said that the formation of the DIU is a proclamation of the decisive battle for overthrowing Japanese imperialism with arms and a declaration of showdown with all imperialism throughout the world.

In North Korea, the DIU is seen as the foundation of their national identity, often termed 'Kim Il-sung's North Korea.' (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

The immediate task of the DIU was to defeat Japanese imperialism and achieve the liberation and independence of Korea, and its final objective was to build socialism and communism in Korea and, further, destroy all imperialism and build communism throughout the world.

Indeed, the formation of the DIU was a historic declaration heralding the new start of the Korean revolution and since then, the Korean revolution has advanced along the road of independent development with definite fighting target and strategy.