Not to be confused with the Japan–North Korea Pyongyang Declaration or the 2018 Pyongyang Joint Declaration.

The Pyongyang Declaration, officially titled Let Us Defend and Advance the Cause of Socialism, was a statement signed by a number of political parties on 20 April 1992 that calls for the unity of the socialist camp and a vow to safeguard socialism. Representatives of 70 communist and socialist parties from 51 countries arrived in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate Kim Il Sung's 80th birthday.[1] While there, the delegates had many bilateral and multilateral contacts with each other and decided to issue a declaration reiterating their commitment to socialism in spite of the collapse of the USSR and a number of other communist regimes in recent years. On 20 April, the declaration was signed by delegates of 69 parties, including 48 party leaders.[2]

Text

This translation of the Declaration appeared in Proletarian #18 (June 2007):[3]

The representatives of political parties from different countries of the world who are striving for the victory of socialism publish this declaration with a firm conviction to defend and advance the socialist cause.

Ours is an era of independence and the socialist cause is a sacred one aimed at realising the independence of the popular masses.

Socialism suffered a setback in some countries in recent years. As a consequence of this, the imperialists and reactionaries are claiming that socialism has ‘come to an end’. This is nothing but a sophistry to beautify and embellish capitalism and patronise the old order.

The setback of socialism and the revival of capitalism in some countries is causing a great loss to the achievement of the socialist cause, but it can never be interpreted as the denial of the superiority of socialism and of the reactionary character of capitalism.

Socialism has long been the ideal of mankind and it represents the future of mankind.

Socialist society is, in essence, a genuine society for the people where the popular masses are the masters of everything and everything serves them.

But the capitalist society is an unfair one where ‘the rich get ever richer and the poor poorer’. In this society money decides everything, exploitation of man by man predominates and a handful of exploiter classes lord it over all. It is inevitably accompanied by political non-rights, unemployment, poverty, drugs, crimes and other kinds of all social evils which trample human dignity underfoot.

Only socialism can eliminate domination, subjugation and social inequality of all kinds and ensure the people substantial freedom, equality, true democracy and human rights.

The popular masses have long carried on an arduous struggle for the victory of socialism and shed much blood in this course.

The path of socialism is an untrodden one and, therefore, the advance of socialism is inevitably accompanied by trials and difficulties. One of the reasons for the unsuccessful construction of socialism in some countries is that they failed to build a social structure conforming to the fundamental requirements of the popular masses and build socialism suited to the demand of the theory of scientific socialism.

The guarantee for the advance of a socialist society lies in that the popular masses become the genuine masters of the society.

Such a society makes a triumphant advance – this is a truth and reality proved by theory and practice.

The parties and progressive mankind aspiring after socialism have drawn a very precious lesson therefrom.

In order to defend and advance the socialist cause individual parties should firmly maintain independence and firmly build up their own forces.

The socialist movement is an independent one. Socialism is carved out and built with a country or national state as a unit. The socialist cause in each country should be fulfilled on the responsibility of the party and people of that country.

Each party should work out lines and policies which tally with the actual situation of the country where it is active and with the demands of its people and implement them by relying on the popular masses.

It should not abandon its revolutionary principles at any time and under any circumstances but uplift the banner of socialism.

The socialist cause is a national one and, at the same time, a common cause of mankind.

All parties should cement the ties of comradely unity, cooperation and solidarity on the principles of independence and equality.

Now that the imperialists and reactionaries are attacking socialism and people in an international collusion, the parties which are building socialism or aspiring after it should defend and advance socialism on an international scale and strengthen mutual support and solidarity in their efforts for social justice, democracy, the right to existence and peace against imperialist domination, subjugation by capital and neo-colonialism.

This is an international duty incumbent upon all parties and progressive forces for socialism and an undertaking for their own cause.

We will advance under the unfurled banner of socialism in firm unity with all progressive political parties, organisations, and peoples of the world who are striving to defend socialism against capitalism and imperialism.

Let us all fight it out to open up the future of mankind with a firm conviction in the cause of socialism.

Final victory is on the part of the people fighting in unity for socialism.

The socialist cause shall not perish.[3]

Signatories

The Declaration was originally signed on 20 April 1992 by 69 parties.[2] The Mongolian People's Party later withdrew from the declaration, the only party to do so.[1] According to Korean Central News Agency, "Six months later, the number of signatories reached more than 140. "They numbered over 170 one year later".[4] At the time of the ten-year anniversary in 2002 there were 258 signatories.[5] In 2012 there were 280.[5][4] The number of signatories reached 300 in 2017.[4] North Korea often cites these numbers for propaganda purposes.[6]

List of signatories
CountryPartyDate
AlbaniaCommunist Party of Albania[2]
AngolaPeople's Movement for the Liberation of Angola[2]
ArgentinaCommunist Party of Argentina[2]
Quebracho22 March 2012[7]
BangladeshWorkers Party of Bangladesh[2]
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal[2]
Socialist Party of Bangladesh15 April 1997[8]
Bangladesh Jatiya Party21 April 2016[9]
People's Solidarity Movement of Bangladesh24 April 2016[10]
Revolutionary Workers' Party of Bangladesh24 April 2016[10]
style="background-color: |Democratic Revolutionary Party of Bangladesh24 April 2016[10]
United Communist League of Bangladesh24 April 2016[10]
Communist Party of Bangladesh[11]
BarbadosWorkers Party of Barbados[2]
BelarusCommunist Party of the Workers of Belarus12 April 2012[12]
BelgiumWorkers' Party of Belgium[2]
BermudaProgressive Labour Party[2]
BeninRevolutionary Party of Benin[13]
BoliviaBolivian Communist Party[2]
BrazilBrazilian Communist Party[2][14]
Communist Party of Brazil[2][14]
BulgariaBulgarian Communist Party – Marxists[2]
Communist Party of Bulgaria10 October 1997[15]
ChileCommunist Party of Chile[2]
Socialist Party of Chile[2]
ColombiaColombian Communist Party[2]
Costa RicaCosta Rican People's Party[2]
CyprusProgressive Party of Working People[2]
DR CongoNational Movement of the Genuine Lumumbist Combantants[16]
Workers' Party of Zaire[16]
People's Rally for Socialism[17]
Convention of United Democratic Congolese28 November 2016[18]
Workers' Party of Democratic Congo2 April 2012[19]
Popular Revolutionary Party15 April 2015[20]
Unified Lumumbist Party15 April 2017[21]
Workers' Party of the Democratic Republic of the Congo2 January 2018[22]
DenmarkCommon Course[2]
Communist Forum of Denmark[2]
Communist Party in Denmark18 October 2018[23]
DominicaDominica Labour Party[2]
Dominican RepublicDominican Communist Party[2]
United Left Movement[2]
EcuadorCommunist Party of Ecuador[2]
EgyptEgyptian Arab Socialist Party[17]
FinlandCommunist Workers' Party – For Peace and Socialism[2]
League of Communists[24]
GermanyGerman Communist Party[2]
GrenadaMaurice Bishop Patriotic Movement[2]
GuatemalaUnited National Hope of Guatemala18 March 2006[13]
GuyanaCaribbean National Movement[2]
HondurasUnited Democratic Party of Honduras6 April 2006[13]
HungaryHungarian Socialist Workers' Party[2]
IndiaCommunist Party of India (Marxist)[2]
Communist Party of India[2]
All India Forward Bloc[25]
IraqArab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region[2]
IrelandCommunist Party of Ireland[2]
Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist–Leninist)15 February 1999[26]
ItalyMovement for Peace and Socialism[2]
JordanJordanian Communist Party[2]
Arab Defenders' Party5 April 1997[8]
Christian Arab Democratic Party5 April 1997[8]
KyrgyzstanMarxist–Leninist Reunification Communist Party of the Kyrgyz People30 March 2007[27]
Aalam-Party of Non-Parties15 April 2016[28]
LebanonSyrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon[2]
MaltaCommunist Party of Malta[2]
MartiniqueCommunist Party of Martinique[2]
MexicoPopular Socialist Party of Mexico[2]
Socialist Party of Mexico25 May 2003[29]
Communists' Party of Mexico28 September 2003[30]
MoldovaParty of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova7 September 2018[31]
MongoliaMongolian People's Revolutionary Party[1]
NamibiaSouth West Africa People's Organisation[2]
NepalCommunist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)[2]
Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre)[2]
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party[2]
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist)2007[32]
United Socialist Nationalist Party of Nepal3 April 2017[33]
NigeriaPeople's Progressive Party23 April 2016[34]
Better Nigeria Progressive Party10 February 2017[35]
North KoreaWorkers' Party of Korea[2]
NorwayNorwegian Communist Party[2]
ParaguayCommunist Party of Paraguay[2]
PeruRevolutionary Socialist Party[36]
PolandPolish League of Communists (Proletariat)[2]
Puerto RicoNationalist Party-Liberty22 March 2012[7]
RomaniaNew Socialist Party of Romania[2]
Romanian Communist Party[37]
RussiaAll-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks[2]
Russian Communist Workers Party[2]
Union of Communists[2]
Socialist Workers' Party[38]
Party of Peace and Unity10 April 1997[8]
Russian All-People's Union12 September 2018[39]
Communists of Russia23 December 2020[40]
Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party[2]
SerbiaNew Communist Party of Yugoslavia[13]
South AfricaSouth African Communist Party[2]
SpainCommunist Party of the Peoples of Spain[2]
Democratic Workers' Party13 April 2015[41]
Sri LankaCommunist Party of Sri Lanka[2]
People's Liberation Front2007[32]
SurinameNational Democratic Party[2]
SwedenWorkers' Party – The Communists[2]
SyriaArab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region[2]
Socialist Unionist Party[17]
TajikistanTajik Communist Party[11]
TransnistriaTransnistrian Communist Party31 March 2017[42]
Trinidad & TobagoFebruary 18th Movement[2]
TunisiaPopular Unity Party[2]
TurkeySocialist Party[2]
United KingdomCommunist Party of Britain[2]
New Communist Party of Britain[2]
Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist–Leninist)[43]
Communist Organisation of Britain[43]
Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)1 May 2007[44]
United StatesCommunist Party USA[2]
Socialist Workers Party[2]
Workers World Party[2]
VenezuelaCommunist Party of Venezuela[2]
New Alternative[2]
Tupamaro2018[45]
New Forces Party[11]
YugoslaviaLeague of Communists – Movement for Yugoslavia[2]

See also

References

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  2. ^ "Alliance 19; April 1996, The Path to a New Communist, Marxist -Leninist International Appendix 1". Archived 16 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  3. ^ CPGB-ML signs up to Pyongyang Declaration
  4. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by More than 300 Political Parties of World". KCNA. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  5. ^ Pyongyang declaration signed by 258 political parties Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ A Handbook on North Korea 1998, p. 98.
  7. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by Political Parties of Argentina, Puerto Rico". KCNA. 2 April 2012. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration signed by more parties". KCNA. 18 April 1997. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ "Bangladesh Jatiya Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 24 April 2016. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "Bangladeshi Parties Sign Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 29 April 2016. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration signed by 250 political parties". KCNA. 17 December 1999. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ 12 апреля 2012 года представителем Белорусской коммунистической партии трудящихся (БКПТ) подписана в Пхеньяне Пхеньянская декларация 1992 года «Защитим и продвинем вперед дело социализма»
  13. ^ "Newstream". KCNA Watch. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  14. ^ ""The Working Class"". A Classe Operária. 79, 6th period: 7. 25 May 1992. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
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  16. ^ "Floral baskets on President Kim Il Sung's birth anniversary". KCNA. 26 April 1997. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ^ "Over 270 Political Parties Sign Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 20 April 2007. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ^ "Political Party of DR Congo Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 3 December 2017. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by Workers' Party of Democratic Congo". KCNA. 10 April 2012. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  20. ^ Political Party of DR Congo Signs Pyongyang Declaration Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Political Party of DR Congo Signs Pyongyang Declaration". Rodong Sinmun. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Workers' Party of DR Congo Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  23. ^ "Danish Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 19 October 2018. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by More than 270 Political Parties". 23 May 2008. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ^ "Solidarity with Just Struggle of Korean People Expressed". KCNA. 28 January 2007. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  26. ^ "242 political parties sign Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 4 March 1999. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  27. ^ "Kyrgyz Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 12 April 2007. Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  28. ^ "Kyrgyz Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 17 April 2016. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  29. ^ "Pyongyang declaration signed by Mexican political party". KCNA. 11 June 2003. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  30. ^ "Solidarity with DPRK Expressed". KCNA. 6 October 2003. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  31. ^ "Party of Socialists in Republic of Moldova Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 7 September 2018. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration, Banner of Victorious Socialist Cause". KCNA. 20 April 2007. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  33. ^ "Nepali Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". Rodong Snimun. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  34. ^ "Nigerian Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 29 April 2016. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  35. ^ "Nigerian Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 17 February 2017. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  36. ^ "Lecture on Situation of Korean Peninsula Given in Peru". KCNA. 27 December 2010. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  37. ^ "Pyongyang declaration signed by 239 parties". KCNA. 20 March 1998. Archived 12 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  38. ^ Защитим и продвинем вперёд дело социализма // Библиотека НИПЦ "Мемориал"
  39. ^ "General People's Union Party of Russia Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 12 September 2018. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  40. ^ Компартия Коммунисты России подписала Пхеньянскую Декларацию 1992 года
  41. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by Spanish Political Party". KCNA. 20 April 2015. Archived 3 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  42. ^ "Pridnestrovie Communist Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 31 March 2017. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  43. ^ Communist Organisation of Britain New Year Message for 1996 p.8
  44. ^ "British Party Signs Pyongyang Declaration". KCNA. 15 May 2007.
  45. ^ "Pyongyang Declaration Signed by Venezuelan Party". KCNA. 22 February 2018. Archived 24 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine.

Works cited

  • A Handbook on North Korea. 1st revised ed. Seoul: Naewoe Press. 1998. OCLC 469900828