Friendship with North Korea

Last week four representatives of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea flew home after a successful three week visit to New Zealand. They brought with them an exhibition of Korean pottery, embroidery, lacquer ware, photographs and literature. They were here to make contact with the people of New Zealand who hitherto knew very little of them except as the "enemies" of the "United Nations" aggression in Korea in 1950.

The Delegation came at a particularly opportune time, as the anti-democratic excesses of the Pak regime in South Korea become more and more publicised and give the lie to the myth that South Korea is the bastion of freedom and democracy in Asia. Not only did the Delegation illustrate that the DPRK is streets ahead of South Korea economically, but they also gave a glimpse of the political system, which shows it is a grass-roots democracy quite foreign to the Western aligned regimes in Asia.

The Delegation vividly showed that the primary concern of the DPRK government and leaders is the welfare of all the people of Korea, in contrast to the prime motive of the politicians and business men in South Korea, which is to feather their own nests regardless of the welfare of the people.

The Delegation also brought with them several films, one of which "The Flower Girl" won two merit awards at the 1973 Berlin Film Festival. This film was based on a true story of landlords oppression in pre-revolutionary North Korea. A story which is all too often repeated in South Korea to this day. The other film showed the re-structured society under the leadership of Kim II Sung, their respected and beloved leader.

Two officials of the South Korean Embassy in Wellington appeared at the exhibition. However they were outwitted by the North Korean Delegation and returned skulking to their lair.

While they were in Wellington the Delegation made many friends. Their warmth, sincerity and kindness impressed all who met them. The visit was also the first public occasion for the newly formed Wellington Branch of the NZ-DPRK Society, an organisation dedicated to furthering relations with the DPRK, New Zealand recognition of the Democratic Republic and the re-unification of the Korean people, so long separated by the US controlled "United Nation" troops.

The NZ-DPRK society is launching a membership drive and plans many activities to bring the people of Korea and New Zealand closer together.