Jakarta, IO – The late Rachmawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of Indonesian President Sukarno, wrote in her memoirs: My father Sukarno respected President Kim Il Sung of the DPRK; if you want to know about my father, please know first about President Kim Il Sung, his best friend; this is my answer and my “discovery.”
While searching for a path for his country to take after it won its independence from colonialists, Sukarno came to hear about Kim Il Sung (1912-1994). Having created the Juche idea, the guiding ideology of the era of independence, and defeated two formidable imperialist forces, Kim Il Sung established the first socialist state in the East and was building his country with small territory and population into a fully independent and sovereign state free from any political and economic subjugation to others.
The first GANEFO (Games of the New Emerging Forces) held in Indonesia in November 1963 at the proposal of Sukarno marked an occasion in which he and Kim Il Sung forged their friendship and their countries deepened their mutual friendly relations. Deeply aware of the position and importance of the games in cementing friendship and unity among the people in Asian, African and Latin American countries and in their common struggle against imperialism, Kim Il Sung paid close attention to their preparations and sent a kind message to Sukarno in the run-up to their start.
Sukarno visited the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in November 1964. Kim Il Sung personally came to the airport to welcome him.
At the talks that followed he clarified the way ahead of the anti-imperialist, anti-colonial and non-aligned movement and called upon his guest to join efforts for the strengthening of the anti-imperialist independent force.
Witnessing, during his stay in the DPRK, the development and economic successes it had achieved in the spirit of self-reliance under the leadership of Kim Il Sung, he was deeply impressed and realized that his country, too, should move towards building a self-supporting economy.