The Proposal for Founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo

 Essence of DFRK overture

 Kim Il Sung said:

 “Our Party maintains that the country should be reunified by founding a Federal Republic through the establishment of a unified national government on the condition that the north and the south recognize and tolerate each other’s ideas and social systems, a government in which the two sides are represented on an equal footing and under which they exercise regional autonomy with equal rights and duties.”
　
 The essence of the DFRK overture is to reunify the country by founding a Federal Republic through the establishment of a unified national government on the condition that the north and the south recognize and tolerate each other’s ideas and social systems, a government in which the two sides are represented on an equal footing and under which they exercise regional autonomy with equal rights and duties.

 One of the important aspects in the essence of the DFRK overture is that the country should be reunified through the establishment of a Federal Republic on the condition that the north and the south recognize and tolerate each other’s ideas and social systems.
This means that the north and the south do not impose their ideas and systems upon each other but form a federal state through federacy, leaving the ideas and systems in the north and the south as they are.
To reunify the country through the establishment of a Federal Republic is the most ideal and reasonable way to realize the peaceful reunification, leaving the different ideas and social systems existing in the two parts as they are.

 Another important aspect in the essence of the DFRK overture is that the country should be reunified by founding a Federal Republic through the establishment of a unified national government in which the two sides are represented on an equal footing and under which they exercise regional autonomy with equal rights and duties.
This means that a unified government is formed with an equal number of representatives from the north and the south and, under the guidance of the unified government, the north and the south exercise regional autonomy with equal rights and duties.
This tells that the DFRK is a unified state of a peculiar type in which a unified national government is formed to represent the entire nation and the two regional governments exercise regional autonomy and act independently with equal rights and duties under the guidance of the unified government.

 Generally, there is not the principle in other federal states that the central government is formed with an equal number of representatives from member states (provinces). Also, there is not the principle that the member states and provinces exercise autonomy without exception.
In many cases the central government is formed in proportion to the population of member states (provinces) and the member states (provinces) do not exercise autonomy but are put under strict control and guidance of the central government.

 In case of our country, however, the federal republic is established with differing ideas and social systems. Therefore, if the central government is formed in proportion to the population, it may enforce biased and unequal policies to victimize the interests of the party with lesser population and secure the interests of the party with more population. Then, the existence of the federal republic itself will be questionable.

 If the state power is concentrated on the central government, paralyzing the autonomy of the regional governments, the national interests can be secured on a nationwide scale but the ideological and systematical interests of both regions will be victimized. Therefore, it will be meaningless to form a federacy with the ideologies and systems as they are.

 In order for the federal republic to be a unified state and secure the interests of both sides as well as the prosperity of the whole nation, the central government should be formed with an equal number of representatives from the north and the south and an appropriate number of representatives of overseas nationals and the regional governments should exercise regional autonomy under the guidance of the central government.

 Generally, there is not the principle in other federal states that the central government is formed with an equal number of representatives from member states (provinces). Also, there is not the principle that the member states and provinces exercise autonomy without exception.
In many cases the central government is formed in proportion to the population of member states (provinces) and the member states (provinces) do not exercise autonomy but are put under strict control and guidance of the central government.

 In case of our country, however, the federal republic is established with differing ideas and social systems. Therefore, if the central government is formed in proportion to the population, it may enforce biased and unequal policies to victimize the interests of the party with lesser population and secure the interests of the party with more population. Then, the existence of the federal republic itself will be questionable.

 If the state power is concentrated on the central government, paralyzing the autonomy of the regional governments, the national interests can be secured on a nationwide scale but the ideological and systematical interests of both regions will be victimized. Therefore, it will be meaningless to form a federacy with the ideologies and systems as they are.

 In order for the federal republic to be a unified state and secure the interests of both sides as well as the prosperity of the whole nation, the central government should be formed with an equal number of representatives from the north and the south and an appropriate number of representatives of overseas nationals and the regional governments should exercise regional autonomy under the guidance of the central government.

 State machinery and rights in the DFRK overture

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “It will be reasonable if, in the unified state of a federal type, a supreme national federal assembly is formed with an equal number of representatives from the north and south and an appropriate number of representatives of overseas nationals; this assembly should also form a federal standing committee to guide the regional governments of the north and south and to administer all the affairs of the federal state.”

 The machinery of the unified government of the federal republic consists of the supreme national federal assembly and the federal standing committee.
The supreme national federal assembly is the supreme power organ, whereas the federal standing committee is the permanent organ of the assembly.

 The supreme national federal assembly is formed with an equal number of representatives from the north and south and an appropriate number of representatives of overseas nationals and the federal standing committee is formed by the assembly.
In establishing a federal republic the distribution of rights among the central and regional governments arises as a principled matter.

 Generally, among the federal states are centralized federal ones in which the rights are mainly concentrated on the central government and some rights are granted to the regional governments and decentralized federal ones in which the rights are concentrated on the regional governments and the central government exists as a symbolic being.

 The DFRK overture elucidates this problem in accordance with the requirements for national reunification.
If the federal republic becomes a centralized one, it can be positive in realizing reunification on a high level but will assume a negative aspect as well because the systematical interests of both regions will be victimized.
On the contrary, if the federal republic becomes a decentralized one, the central government will be a mere symbolic one, though it will be positive in defending the regional interests of both parts.
Therefore, the distribution of power between the federal and regional governments must be settled on the principle of subordinating it to realizing national reunification while fully considering the interests of both regions.

 Rights and duties of the unified government

 According to the proposal for founding the DFRK, the unified government of the federal republic has the rights and duties to guide the regional governments in the north and south and administer the overall affairs of the republic.

 First of all, the unified government consults and settles common issues of the nation related with the interests of the whole nation, such as the political, national defence and foreign affairs.
Politics is the fundamental. The economic, national defence and foreign affairs are determined by politics.
Therefore, if the political power is transferred to the regional governments instead of the central government, the central government will be deprived of the authority as a unified state and the federal republic established for national reunification will be meaningless.
In order for the federal republic to be a unified state for reunification, it should be provided with the political authority.
So is the right to national defence.

 The federal republic is established on the basis of national reconciliation, trust and unity between the north and south.
There is no reason for the south and the north to confront and war with each other in a unified state.
Therefore, the right to national defence should belong to the central government, not the regional governments.
 If the two regional governments have the right to national defence as ever in a federal state, the factors of confrontation between the north and south will continue to exist. Then, though a federal republic is established, the factors of antagonism and confrontation within the nation cannot be removed.

 With the right to nation defence, the federal government will exercise the function of defending the sovereignty of the nation against the outsiders’ aggression.

 If the federal government has the right to diplomacy and represents the nation at international organizations such as the United Nations, the federal republic can be a federacy for reunification both nominally and virtually. If the north and the south are represented respectively at international organizations, the federal state will be a means for legalizing national division.
Therefore, the right to diplomacy should belong to the central government in order for the federacy serve for reunification.

 Like this, the central government should be provided with the functions related to the common interests of the nation such as the political, national defence and foreign affairs and serving for national reunification.

 Besides, the unified government actively promotes the work to realize collaboration and exchange between the north and south and unified development of the country and the nation.
Though the nation is reunited with the founding of a unified state, the national community cannot be recovered at once.
The unified government therefore should realize collaboration and exchange between the north and south in all fields such as politics, economy and culture to rejoin the severed ties of the nation and recover its community for the coordinated development of the nation.

 Besides, it should respect the two social systems, as well as the wishes of the administrative organizations, every party, every group, and every section of the people in the north and south and prevent one side from imposing its will on the other.

 As the federal state is formed with different social systems and various political parties and public organizations with different political views exist in it, the federal government should do fair politics in consideration of the systematical interests of both sides and respect the intention and interests of all political organizations to the maximum.
If one side imposes its intention and demand on the other or holds a privileged position, victimizing the interests of the other side, the unified state cannot maintain its existence.

 The unified government therefore should be fair toward both the north and the south, respect the intention of all political parties and public organizations to the maximum and prevent one side from exercising a privilege toward the other.

 Rights and duties of regional governments

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “Under the leadership of the federal government, the regional governments in north and south should follow an independent policy within limits that are consistent with the fundamental interests and demands of the whole nation, and strive to narrow down the differences between north and south in all spheres and to achieve the coordinated development of the country and the nation.”
　
 The regional governments conduct independent activities under the leadership of the federal government.
Under the leadership of the federal government, they exercise control over relevant parts of the whole nation under the jurisdiction of the federal republic.

 Under the leadership of the federal government, they follow an independent policy within limits that are consistent with the fundamental interests and demands of the whole nation and perform independent rights and duties as regards the affairs related to the systematical interests in their regions.
The regional governments should strive to narrow the difference between the north and the south and achieve the coordinated development of the country and the nation.

 In the DFRK the central government shoulders the heavy rights and duties of consulting and deciding common issues of the nation related to the interests of the whole nation, whereas the regional governments are charged with the rights and duties to settle the issues related to the interests of their regions while enforcing regional autonomy under the leadership of the central government.

 Principle of action of the unified state

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “It is envisaged that the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo to be established by the coalition of the north and the south in accordance with our Party’s new national reunification proposal will be a unified state representing the whole of the Korean nation and as such pursue an independent, democratic, neutral, non-aligned and peace-loving policy.”
　
 The action principle to be maintained by the DFRK is independence, democracy, neutrality and peace.

 First of all, the DFRK should be an independent state, unified and sovereign.
Independence is the basic mark of an independent state; it is the lifeblood of the country and the nation. Only when a state exercises sovereignty with firm independence in its activities can it uphold the dignity and honor of the nation, ensure the development and prosperity of the country in keeping with the desires of the people and firmly adhere to independence in international relations.

 The DFRK should also embody the democratic principle in all spheres of the state activities.
Democracy is a common political idea desirable for and acceptable to people with differing thoughts and political views, and is a noble right due to people from all walks of life as masters of the state and society.

 The DFRK should guarantee political freedom and democratic rights for those with different ideas, religious beliefs and political views and those belonging to different political parties and public organizations and provide all people with the conditions to take part in state affairs as masters.

 The DFRK should maintain the line of neutrality in state activities.

 There are two reasons for the Federal Republic to maintain neutrality.

 One of them is that the Federal Republic is established through the coalition of the two regions with different ideas and systems.

 As the Federal Republic is established through the coalition of the two regions with different ideas and systems, if it follows a policy of placing too much emphasis on a specific country externally or joins a certain political-military alliance or bloc, contradictions and disputes will happen in the unified state and the federal state will be unable to maintain its existence.
It is therefore inevitable that the Federal Republic maintains the line of neutrality in international relations.
The neutrality of the DFRK is attributable to an external factor as well as such an internal one.
In the international arena the interests of different countries get tangled and the imperialists are intensifying the maneuvers for aggression and intervention.

 Furthermore, the Korean nation has undergone outsiders’ invasion historically.
In order to maintain its existence and realize national prosperity under these circumstances, the unified state should adhere to the neutral line externally and forge ties of friendship and cooperation with all the countries that treat it with friendship and goodwill.

 The DFRK should be a peace-loving country.
Historically, the Koreans have neither threatened nor invaded other nations.
The Korean nation achieved independence after suffering from the Japanese imperialist colonial rule for nearly half a century but has been divided owing to the US imperialist aggressors who illegally occupied South Korea in place of the defeated Japanese imperialists.
The unified state will oppose an aggressive war imposed by outsiders, reject an aggressive war against other countries and nations and follow a thoroughgoing peace-loving policy.

 Name of the unified state

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “It would be a good idea to call the federal state the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo, after a united state that once existed in our country and is well known to the world; such a name will also serve to reflect the common political aspirations of the north and south for democracy.”
　
 Koryo is the name of the first unified state of Korea that had long existed. “Korea”, which is widely known in the world, originates in “Koryo”.
Koryo is universal in the north and the south and is congenial to the sentiments of the Korean nation.
Democracy does not mean the character of a socio-economic system but the political mode.
Democracy is a common political aspiration which all those with different ideas and political views in the north and south can sympathize with and accept.
Republic, a conception opposed to absolute monarchism, means a representative state system.

 It is reasonable therefore to call the federal state the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo, in consideration of the common political aspirations of the north and south for democracy and representative politics.

 DFRK policies

 i) Political programme of the DFRK

 What is important in the ten-point policy of the DFRK is the political programme which reflects the common aspiration of the nation to realize independence of the country and the nation.

 The political programme of the DFRK is, firstly, to realize independence of the country.

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “The DFRK should adhere to independence in all state activities and pursue an independent policy.”

 The ten-point policy of the DFRK clearly indicates the way for the federal state to realize national independence.
 It stipulates that the DFRK should be a fully independent and sovereign state and a non-aligned nation which is not a satellite of any other nation and does not depend on any foreign forces.

 The political programme of the DFRK is, secondly, to realize the political idea of democracy and great national unity.
The ten-point policy notes that the DFRK should develop a full democratic social and political system which opposes dictatorship and intelligence politics and firmly guarantees and defends the freedoms and rights of the people.

 The federal state should guarantee freedom to form political parties and social organizations and their freedom of action, freedom of religious belief, speech, the press, assembly and demonstration, and guarantee the rights of the people in north and south to travel freely across the country and to conduct political, economic and cultural activities freely in any area.

 As the federal state is established on different ideas and systems, it should not pursue class ideas and institutional interests but conduct its activities according to the principle of great national unity and national ideal.

 The political programme of the DFRK is, thirdly, to defend the national rights and interests of all overseas compatriots and open the way for them to participate in the domestic socio-political activities with equal rights with those at home.

 It notes that the DFRK should make vigorous efforts to enable all Korean nationals living abroad to enjoy their internationally accepted legal rights and liberties, and give them strong support and encouragement in their struggle for democratic national rights.

 It also stipulates that the federal government should guarantee the rights of all the overseas compatriots to travel freely to their motherland and to return home and live and act freely at a place of residence of their choice and provide them with the right to participate in the political affairs of the country.

 ii) Economic programme of the DFRK

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “The DFRK should effect economic cooperation and exchange between north and south and ensure the development of an independent national economy.”
　
 Firstly, the federal state should build an independent national economy on a nationwide scale.
An independent national economy means an economy with a comprehensive economic structure and an all-embracing economic system in which every branch of the economy is organically interrelated, with the national state as a unit. It means an economy relying on one’s own solid bases of raw materials, fuel and power and technical cadres and equipped with up-to-date technology.

 Secondly, the federal state should realize diversified economic cooperation and exchange between the north and the south.
The federal state should ensure that the north and the south jointly develop and exploit natural resources to realize inter-Korean economic cooperation and secure the coordinated development and independence of the nation economy, while coordinating the economic activities of all production units and enterprises in keeping with the interests of the various classes and circles.
It should further the division of labour and promote trade extensively between the north and south on the principles of cooperation and mutual accommodation and set up and operate joint companies, common markets and the like rationally. Only then, it can realize substantial economic cooperation and develop the economies of the north and south to make them an organically interlinked independent national economy.

 The economic programme also notes that the federal government should recognize and protect state, cooperative and private property in the north and south as well as personal effects, and refrain from restricting or encroaching upon the property of capitalists and their business activities as long as they help develop the national economy and do not engage in monopolist or comprador activities.

 Thirdly, the federal state should ensure a stable livelihood for the people.
The federal state should give priority to stabilizing the lives of the people from all social strata including the workers, peasants and other sections of the working people and to promoting their welfare.
It should ensure a decent life for everyone by guaranteeing adequate living conditions for the entire working people with regard to food, clothing and shelter and raise the living standards of all people at an early date.

 Fourthly, the federal state should reopen transport and communications links between the north and south and ensure the free use of them all across the country.
 

 iii) Cultural programme of the DFRK

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “The DFRK should realize north-south exchange and cooperation in the spheres of science, culture and education and ensure the uniform progress of the country’s science and technology, national culture and arts, and national education.”

 This programme is based on the situation of our country and possibilities.

 The Korean nation has time-honored, glorious cultural traditions.
If the scientists and technicians, as well as talented cultural workers and artists, in the north and the south pool their efforts and talents through exchange and cooperation, the nation’s science and technology, national culture and arts will flourish even more brilliantly.

 The programme points out that scientists and technicians in the north and south should establish Juche in the scientific domain, undertake scientific research jointly and exchange their experience and achievements on a wide scale so that science and technology can develop in a unified way in the country.

 It also notes that the federal state should establish Juche in the national culture and arts, actively encourage exchange and cooperation between artists and sportsmen from the north and south and ensure that the scientists in the two halves together uncover and protect the cultural heritage of our nation and that they study and develop our unique written and spoken language. If this is done, our national culture and arts will flourish to the full.

 Besides, the federal government should train large numbers of able technical experts and steadily raise the cultural and intellectual levels of the entire people by developing a popular education system and giving active state and social support to educational work.

 iv) Military programme of the DFRK
 

 President Kim Il Sung said:

 “The DFRK should remove the state of military confrontation between the north and south and form a combined national army to defend the nation against invasion.”

 Firstly, the federal state should remove the state of military confrontation between the north and south and eliminate the factors threatening peace before organizing joint defense of the nation.
The federal state should reduce the military strength of the two sides to 100,000-150,000 men each in order to end the state of military confrontation between north and south and eliminate the factors threatening peace in the state.

 Secondly, the federal state should form a single national army by amalgamating the armies of both sides.
Only then, can the federal state realize a joint defense of the nation and guarantee the security and independence of the country militarily.

 v) Diplomatic programme of the DFRK

 Firstly, the DFRK should deal properly with the foreign relations established by the north and the south prior to reunification and coordinate the foreign activities of the two regional governments in a unified manner.
　President Kim Il Sung said:

 “The DFRK should deal properly with the foreign relations established by the north and the south prior to reunification, and should coordinate the foreign activities of the two regional governments in a unified manner.”

 Firstly, the federal state should deal properly with the foreign relations established by the north and the south prior to reunification.
Among the foreign relations built up by the north and south prior to reunification will be those beneficial and those detrimental to the nation.
Therefore, this issue should be settled properly.

 The DFRK should repeal all the treaties and agreements with other countries that are detrimental to national unity, including military treaties concluded separately by the north and the south prior to reunification. Of the foreign relations established by the north and the south, those relations, economic relations included, that do not run counter to the common interests of the nation should be maintained.

 While permitting the two regional to establish bilateral relations with other countries, it should coordinate the foreign relations of the north and the south properly in accordance with the common interests of the nation.

 It should leave intact the capital invested by other nations in south Korea prior to the reunification of the country and continue to guarantee the concessions of these countries.

 Secondly, the DFRK should, as a unified state representing the whole nation, develop friendly relations with all the countries of the world and pursue a peaceful foreign policy.
The DFRK should be the only representative of the entire Korean nation in its foreign relations.
It should defend the interests of the nation and world peace and adhere to the line of neutrality and peace.
 It also should develop friendly relations with all nations on the principles of independence, noninterference in internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.

 Besides, the federal state should ban the presence of foreign troops and foreign military bases on its territory and prohibit the manufacture, introduction and use of nuclear weapons to make the Korean peninsula a permanent peace zone and nuclear-free zone.