building an independent national
economy means building an economy
which is free from dependence on
others and which stands on its own feet,
an economy which serves one’s own
people and develops on the strength of
the resources of one’s own country and
by the efforts of one’s people.10
Independent food production was seen as being
of particular significance because successful
farming would provide the people with stabilized
living conditions and means to independently
support themselves. Just as important to the
survival and independence of the national
economy was the establishment of reliable and
independent sources of raw materials and fuel.
Extensive modernization of the economy and
training for technically-minded cadres were
considered indispensable for the construction of
an independent national economy as well.
Kim Il Sung was careful to maintain that
building an independent national economy on
juche principles of self-reliance was not
synonymous with building an isolated economy.
Looking at the size of American aid to South
Korea, which equaled its fledgling economy’s
gross domestic product during the immediate
post-war years, Kim Il Sung recognized that North
Korea would not be able to survive without
significant aid from its communist sponsors.
Thus, he encouraged close economic and technical
cooperation between socialist countries and
newly-emerging nations as an aid in economic
development and ideological unity.11