《동지애의 노래》 Words by Ri Jong Sun / Music by Song Tong Chun
Released in Juche 69 (1980)
Translation:
No matter how arduous the way may be,
We shall climb over the hills of hardship
No matter how strong the wind of fire may be,
We shall stay together in life and death
You can’t purchase even with tons of gold,
The boundless love of comrades
Let our resolve live forever,
Looking up at the Single Star (Han Byol)
"Song of Comradeship" is one of the songs very popular among the Korean people. The song (its words by Ri Jong Sun and music by Song Tong Chun) was created as the theme song of the feature film "Star of Korea" in Juche 69 (1980). It deals with the most beautiful and noblest revolutionary comradeship President Kim Il Sung forged with young communists in the early period of his revolutionary activities. Its main idea is that one should invariably honour the oath made to the leader without vacillation and hesitation, fully confident of victory in the revolution despite any trials and difficulties. The song helps people look back with deep emotion on the whole course of the Korean revolution which started and triumphed thanks to comradeship, and highly praises the noble and transparent trust, love and obligation between the leader and his comrades who share the same destiny in the course of revolution. The whole country is resounding with the song replete with absolute trust in the leader and firm belief in victory in the revolution, a song in the era of army-based policy. The Korean people are accelerating the march to build a powerful socialist nation, loudly singing this immortal song, united close around leader Kim Jong Il.
In the latter half of the 1920s when Kim Il Sung conducted revolutionary activities in and around Jilin, the rumour of the appearance of a great leader spread extensively, and hot-headed young men came to Jilin one after the other. They had participated in the communist movement with the ambition of achieving greatness, but had been disillusioned at the foul factional strife within the early communist movement. From the moment they met Kim Il Sung he had charmed them. What a great man! They concentrated on him, as if finding an oasis in a desert. They put their trust in him as the leader of the nation whom all people should look up to. So they called him Han Byol, meaning "one star", to express their wish that he become the lodestar of the Nation. But they were not satisfied with that. So great a man should be the sun, rather than one star. Hence, his name was changed to the characters Kim Il Sung meaning "becoming the Sun".
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