Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front
Encyclopedia
The Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (AINDF) (Hangul
: 반제민족민주전선 (반제민전)) is an underground South Korea
n organization that is called a socialist
political party by North Korea
and a pro-communist
spy group by South Korea. It is the only ostensibly South Korean organization to have a mission in Pyongyang
.
It was founded as the Revolutionary Party for Reunification on August 25, 1969. Its name changed to the National Democratic Front of South Korea (Hangul
: 한국민족민주전선 (한민전)) on July 27, 1985, and to the current form on March 23, 2005.
The AINDF is guided by the Juche
doctrine of North Korea
. It aims to carry out a popular revolution in the South, achieve independence by removing United States
troops and bases, and the reunification of the country
.
The history of the AINDF goes back to 1964 with the formation of a preparatory committee to form the Revolutionary Party for Reunification. It was officially founded in 1969 by Kim Jongtae and Choi Yongdo. Both were executed by the Park Chung-hee
administration, along with other leaders of the party; other members of the party were sentenced to long prison terms. Kim Jongtae's wife and two children were never seen again.
In 1985, it merged with the Strategic Liberation Party of South Korea, and changed its name to the National Democratic Front of South Korea.
It is banned in South Korea, under the National Security Law
, but operates clandestinely. It has a mission in Pyongyang
, North Korea
and another in Japan
.
It is similar in organization to the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
, the de jure
popular front
of North Korea.
The organization is sometimes also referred to as the National Democratic Front of South Korea
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 반제민족민주전선 (반제민전)) is an underground South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n organization that is called a socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
political party by North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and a pro-communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
spy group by South Korea. It is the only ostensibly South Korean organization to have a mission in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
.
It was founded as the Revolutionary Party for Reunification on August 25, 1969. Its name changed to the National Democratic Front of South Korea (Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
: 한국민족민주전선 (한민전)) on July 27, 1985, and to the current form on March 23, 2005.
The AINDF is guided by the Juche
Juche
Juche or Chuch'e is a Korean word usually translated as "self-reliance." In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , "Juche" refers specifically to a political thesis of Kim Il-sung, the Juche Idea, that identifies the Korean masses as the masters of the country's development...
doctrine of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. It aims to carry out a popular revolution in the South, achieve independence by removing United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops and bases, and the reunification of the country
Korean reunification
Korean reunification refers to the hypothetical future reunification of North Korea and South Korea under a single government...
.
The history of the AINDF goes back to 1964 with the formation of a preparatory committee to form the Revolutionary Party for Reunification. It was officially founded in 1969 by Kim Jongtae and Choi Yongdo. Both were executed by the Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
administration, along with other leaders of the party; other members of the party were sentenced to long prison terms. Kim Jongtae's wife and two children were never seen again.
In 1985, it merged with the Strategic Liberation Party of South Korea, and changed its name to the National Democratic Front of South Korea.
It is banned in South Korea, under the National Security Law
National Security Act (South Korea)
The National Security Law is a South Korean law which has the avowed purpose "to restrict anti-state acts that endanger national security and to protect [the] nation's safety and its people's life and freedom."...
, but operates clandestinely. It has a mission in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and another in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
It is similar in organization to the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland
The Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, formed on 22 July 1946, is a North Korean united front led by the Workers' Party of Korea. It was initially called the North Korean Fatherland United Democratic Front...
, the de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
popular front
Popular front
A popular front is a broad coalition of different political groupings, often made up of leftists and centrists. Being very broad, they can sometimes include centrist and liberal forces as well as socialist and communist groups...
of North Korea.
The organization is sometimes also referred to as the National Democratic Front of South Korea
External links
- Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front (in Korean)
- News report of AINDF (in English)