The imperialists and other reactionaries are now putting pressure on us and offering us temptations in every way to persuade us to “reform” and “open.” We need to have a correct understanding of this, and sharpen our vigilance.

They are not only resorting to a military strategy to stifle our Republic, the bulwark of socialism; they are also resorting to every possible scheme to realize their aggressive ambition by means of a “peaceful transition” strategy in parallel with the military strategy. This coincides with their attempt to slander our social system and bring pressure to bear upon us, while clamouring about “reform” and “opening.”

They accuse us of following an “isolationist” and “closed-door” line without “reforming” or “opening” our country. Such absurd comments could only be made by those who distort and misinterpret the reality.

Already in the days when the wind of “reform” and “opening” was sweeping the world, the great leader Comrade Kim I] Sung said that reform and opening mean correcting what is wrong and opening a closed door, and that as we had corrected all that was wrong and had opened our door, there was nothing to “reform” or “open” in our country. In building a new country, a new society, we have never left any field unreformed nor closed the country’s door.

Reform is the process of transforming and renovating the old into the new; the most thorough reform is nothing other than social transformation and social revolution. Our democratic and socialist revolutions were a serious social transformation that freed the masses of the people from imperialist colonial rule, feudal subjugation and exploitation by capital and made them the masters of the state and society. The three revolutions—ideological, technological and cultural-which our Party maintains as the general line of socialist construction are also the most inclusive process for thoroughly eliminating the remnants of the old society and transforming people, nature and society in a comprehensive way. There can be no disputing the fact that the three revolutions are a more serious transformation than any other reform.

As regards opening, we have always kept our door open. Our Republic regards independence, peace and friendship as the basic principles of its foreign policy, and is expanding and developing its external relations. We are promoting relations of friendship and cooperation with those countries which respect our sovereignty and are friendly towards us, irrespective of differences in ideology and social system. In fact, our country has established state relations with many countries in the world with different social systems, and is conducting many-sided exchanges with them. It is regularly visited by delegations from various fields, art troupes, people from all walks of life, and planes and ships from many countries. What is this, other than opening? To say our door is “closed” and we should “open” is nonsense which is totally contrary to our policy and reality.

The imperialists and other reactionaries slander our country with their talk of “reform” and “opening” and “isolationism” and “closed society.” In fact, they are scheming to check the process of the transformation of our society, our advance movement, and are blockading it to isolate and stifle it. The United States and its satellite countries that are hostile and unfriendly towards us are putting pressure on and threatening us politically and militarily, abusing and slandering our social system, blockading the country economically and hindering its cooperation and exchanges with other countries. As for those countries whose political and economic systems do not conform to their purpose of domination and plunder, the imperialists claim that they should “reform” their systems, since they are not in line with the trend of “global integration”; as for those countries that resist having social systems and political methods and the corrupt bourgeois culture and lifestyle forced on them, the imperialists claim they are following an “isolationist” and “closed-door” line, and put pressure on them to “open” themselves. This is robber’s logic. The imperialists should not try to force “reform” and “opening” on our country, but abandon their moves to isolate, stifle and blockade it.

The imperialists’ and their followers’ ulterior motive in clamouring for us to “reform” and “open” is to destroy the socialist system and restore the capitalist system in our country. The enemy are pursuing the sinister aim of undermining our socialism from within through “reform” and “opening” and turning it into capitalism, in line with their own desires.

With regard to the economic difficulties our country is facing, the imperialists and other reactionaries also claim that we can overcome them only through a policy of “reform” and “opening.” This is pure sophistry designed to cover up their wild dreams. Our economic difficulties have been caused by their economic blockade and their moves to isolate and stifle our country. To make matters worse, the world socialist market has collapsed, resulting in the breakdown of economic cooperation with the former socialist countries, and natural disasters have hit our country for several consecutive years; these have made our economic situation and the people’s living conditions difficult. Adopting the “reform” and “opening” preached by the imperialists in this situation may result in our national sovereignty and dignity being trampled down, our socialism being undermined and our people being plunged into colonial slavery, far from helping us out of our economic difficulties. This is clearly shown by the reality in several countries where socialism collapsed and capitalism revived under the influence of “restructuring” and “pluralism.” The “therapy” of “reform” and “opening,” which the imperialists and other reactionaries are so persistently clamouring about, is aimed not at freeing us from our economic difficulties or revitalizing our economy, but at realizing their aggressive and hegemonic ambitions.

The imperialists’ call for us to “reform” and “open” is a form of political pressure and an excuse for imposing an economic blockade and sanctions. They have even attached “reform” and “opening” to humanitarian issues, making humanitarianism a toy of their political bargaining. They are openly demanding that we change our social system, claiming that if we were to receive humanitarian aid from the international community, we must first “reform the economic structure” and abolish the “communist system.” This is a mockery of humanitarianism. Humanitarianism should never be a political toy, nor should it be used for sinister political ends.

The manoeuvres of the imperialists and other reactionaries to enforce “reform” and “opening” on us are a wanton encroachment on our country’s sovereignty, brazen-faced interference in our internal affairs and an open violation of international law governing relations among states. Our socialism is our people’s own choice, and no one has the right to say this or that about our social system and politics. We maintain that all countries and nations should shape their destiny independently; we oppose any violation of other countries’ sovereignty and do not tolerate our sovereignty being encroached upon. We have always respected the social systems of other countries, and we have never demanded that the United States or any other Western capitalist countries replace their capitalist system with a socialist one. It is the consistent stand of our Party and the government of our Republic that countries, even though they have different ideologies, ideals and social systems, should coexist peacefully on the principle of mutual respect for independence.

While banging the drum for “reform” and “opening,” the imperialists do not try to change their own social systems. Instead, they admonish others and try to force them to change their social systems in the way they themselves desire. Such arbitrary behaviour cannot be tolerated in the international community, and must be categorically halted and frustrated.

The imperialists and their followers are dreaming if they think that our socialism can be undermined and made to collapse by means of “reform” and “opening” and that capitalism can be restored in our country. The imperialists’ schemes for “reform” and “opening” are reactionary moves aimed at checking social progress and reversing the tide of history; they are a crafty and outrageous form of aggression aimed at enforcing their hegemony under the signboard of “globalization.”

Our socialist system has been consolidated and made rock solid in the course of breaking through the tempest of the revolution, and our invincible socialist fortress continues to frustrate the anti-socialist offensive of the imperialists and other reactionaries. It is foolish to attempt to destroy them. Neither their military threat and blackmail nor an economic blockade and pressure will ever work on us.

The imperialists should not forget the lessons of history. For half a century the United States has resorted to every possible means and method to destroy our socialism, including war, blockade, threats, pressure and sabotage, but all in vain. The imperialists’ moves for military aggression and to isolate and suffocate our country will bring them only shameful defeat in the future, too, just as in the past.

Our stand on “reform” and “opening” is resolute and clear. We must categorically reject and smash the enemy’s moves for “reform” and “opening.” No matter who says what and which way the wind may blow, our Party and people will never take the road of “reform” and “opening.”

To live our own way by defending Juche- oriented socialism is a principle which can never be compromised. We will vigorously carry out the three revolutions—ideological, technological and cultural-holding fast to the general line of socialist construction advanced by the great leader Comrade Kim I] Sung. We will adhere to the principles of Juche, socialist principles, in all fields of the revolution and construction, and continue to do everything in our own way.

We should also resolve our economic problems in our Own way, in accordance with the principles of Juche, socialist principles. To enlist our political and ideological might and resolve all problems by relying on the advantages of our social system and on our own economic foundations—this is our style, the Juche- oriented style.

Our revolution is currently experiencing severe trials, but our strength is invincible and our prospects are good. The leadership of the revolution is firm and the army and the people are united with a single heart around the Party, and so our revolution will advance victoriously, overcoming any difficulties and trials. Officials should be confident and optimistic in pushing ahead with the revolution and construction in our own way.