On January 1, the 21st Century Che Guevara (Defense Brigade) and the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) held the “Overthrow Imperialism!” New Year’s Resolution Rally at Moran Park in Maseok.
Before the rally began, participants observed a moment of silence to honor the martyrs who dedicated their lives to the struggle against imperialism for the sake of independence and peace, followed by a chorus of “March for the Beloved.”
The moderator noted, “Last year, the PDP scientifically analyzed the current situation of World War 3 ignited by imperialist warmongers, fought on the anti-imperialist, anti-US front, and stood at the forefront of revolutionary and strategic practice.” The moderator further emphasized, “In particular, as war crises escalated on the Korean Peninsula and in Venezuela due to US imperialism, we formed the Defense Brigade to protect our people and have been strengthening international solidarity.”
The moderator continued, “Our party, which has struggled as the ‘locomotive of uprising,’ will continue to perform its leading role in 2026 without yielding to any suppression. By inheriting the spirit of the revolutionary fighters who came before us, we will overthrow imperialism and accelerate the coming of a world of independence and liberation.”
Participants vigorously chanted: “Overthrow the aggressor, the plunderer, imperialism!” “Overthrow the robber, the pirate, imperialism!” “Overthrow imperialism provocing World War 3!” “Withdraw US forces, the army of occupation and invasion!” “We support the anti-imperialist government, the Maduro government!” “¡No pasarán! (They shall not pass!)” “¡Viva Venezuela! (Victory to Venezuela!)” “¡Viva Maduro! (Victory to Maduro!)” “¡Victoria Siempre! ¡Venceremos! (Until victory, always! We shall overcome!)” “Overthrow imperialism by following the spirit of Chairman Kang Hee-nam!” “Overthrow imperialism by following the spirit of Park Chang-gyun and Lee Hee-young!” “Overthrow imperialism by following the spirit of Monk Jung-won and Martyr Han Seong-yeol!”
Lee Jeok, standing representative of the Anti-US Struggle Headquarters noted, “President Lee Jae-myung’s first remark in his New Year’s address was that we must develop our existence based on the foundation of a firm ‘ROK’-US alliance.” The representative pointed out, “Whether it is Lee Jae-myung, Moon Jae-in, or Kim Dae-jung who becomes president, the one thing that never changes is that stereotypical rhetoric. Because these are regimes built on the foundation of riding the back of US imperialism, they cannot change.”
The Standing Chairperson continued, “Even when we hold Candlelight Resistances and people’s struggles in Gwanghwamun, this hereditary system of power persists. We must always inherit the spirit of Ahn Hak-sop—the spirit of an unconverted long-term prisoner who led the vanguard struggle—and turn the Gwanghwamun struggle into an anti-US struggle.” The Chairperson added with emphasis, “No matter what suppression comes our way, let us stand tall without yielding and fight together.”
Han Myung-hee, Representative of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP), stated, “We have broken through the trials and difficulties of the past year with the united strength of our comrades and the people, and today we welcome the new year of 2026 at Maseok Moran Park, where Chairman Kang Hee-nam rests.” She continued, “We must return Ahn Hak-sop, the world’s longest-serving unconverted long-term prisoner, to the DPRK as soon as possible. The place where he wishes to live is not a land of colonization, but a land of liberation, a fatherland of conviction.”
The Standing Chairperson continued, “The ROK government must acknowledge that 100% of the responsibility for the impenetrable inter-Korean relations lies with the US and the Southern government. If they wish to begin a dialogue with the North, they must unconditionally abolish the National Security Act. There is no future for the Lee Jae-myung government, which can neither abolish the National Security Act nor nullify the pro-US sycophantic agreements. Not a fascist or a sycophantic regime, but only a people’s government built by the power of the people is the way for our people to survive.”
The Chairperson emphasized, “Let us stand at the forefront of the anti-imperialist struggle, led by the Defense Brigade ’21st Century Che Guevara.’ The year 2026 will be the year when the flames of ‘overthrowing imperialism’ blaze in every corner of the world.”
She continued, “The ROK government must acknowledge that 100% of the responsibility for the impenetrable inter-Korean relations lies with the US and the ‘ROK’ government. If they wish to begin a dialogue with the DPRK, they must unconditionally abolish the National Security Act. There is no future for the Lee Jae-myung government, which can neither abolish the National Security Act nor nullify the pro-US sycophantic agreements. Not a fascist or a sycophantic regime, but only a people’s government built by the power of the people is the way for our people to survive.”
She emphasized, “Let us stand at the forefront of the anti-imperialist struggle, led by the ’21st Century Che Guevara (Defense Brigade).’ The year 2026 will be the year when the flames of ‘overthrowing imperialism’ blaze in every corner of the world.”
A member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Chapter of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) declared, “I will awaken the people of this land for the struggle to withdraw US forces and abolish the National Security Act, serving as the spark and the anvil that sets the vast fields ablaze. Trusting in the countless people and the Party, I will fight fiercely to create a breach in the army of invasion. I am certain that this will be a year of victory to create a people’s democratic world where humanity is happy.”
A member of the 21st Century Che Guevara (Defense Brigade) stated his resolution, saying, “Last year, our Party organized the ’21st Century Che Guevara (Defense Brigade),’ standing on a single front—the anti-imperialist front—alongside Venezuela. Based on the revolutionary awareness that sees the ‘ROK’ in Venezuela and understands that the ‘ROK’ is indeed Venezuela, we will pour even greater strength into the anti-imperialist struggle in the new year. Practicing the truth that only the people are the masters of the world and the pioneers of history, we will achieve final victory alongside the anti-imperialist people of the world.”
A worker-member of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) raised his voice, stating, “In 2026, the national debt of the ‘ROK’ is set to exceed 1,700 trillion won, foreboding the worst economic crisis. With ‘time bombs’ everywhere, the crisis of the ‘ROK’ is a certainty. The only breakthrough is a people’s government built by the power of the workers and the people, which we reaffirmed in 2025.” He continued, “The common enemy of the world is imperialism. Under the banner of internationalism—that Venezuela is the ‘ROK’ and is the world—let us overthrow imperialism and open a new era that realizes the true lives of the workers and the people.”
A student-member of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) pledged, “On the path to overthrowing imperialism and liquidating pro-imperialist forces, students have always advanced with vigorous spirit. In 2025, our united people achieved the great victory of dismissing Yoon Suk-yeol, yet the rapidly changing domestic and international situation is escalating day by day. The fact remains that imperialism is the root of all wars and the culprit behind the ruin of the people’s livelihoods. Welcoming the new year of 2026, we will walk the single path of struggle for ‘Overthrowing Imperialism’ and the people’s victory with the firm spirit and conviction of students.”
After reading the resolution “Let Us Overthrow Imperialism!”, the participants concluded by singing “The International.”
Following the New Year’s Resolution Rally, participants paid their respects at the gravesites of Kang Hee-nam, former chairperson of the Pan-National Alliance for the Reunification of Korea (Pomminryon), and Han Seong-yeol, a martyr for irregular workers.
Following is the full text of the resolution.
[Resolution] Let Us Overthrow Imperialism!
On a global scale, imperialist aggression and plunder are occurring in a state of frenzy. US imperialism, while “approving” the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by the ‘ROK’ and inciting the rearmament of militaristic Japan, is advocating for the strengthening of the US-Japan-‘ROK’ “triangular military alliance.” It is plotting the militarization of pro-US nations in East Asia by forcing the ‘ROK,’ Japan, and Taiwan to increase their military spending to 3.5% of their GDP. In particular, US imperialism—the occupying force and the plunderer—is scheming to extort at least 35 billion dollars from the ‘ROK’ (USFK) government in the coming years. At the same time, it is expanding the operational scope of US forces in the ‘ROK’ to encompass all of East Asia, reducing the ‘ROK’ to an aggressive forward base. The remarks made by Xavier Brunson (the commander of USFK), describing the ‘ROK’ as a “floating aircraft carrier” and the “hub of Northeast Asia,” as well as the statement by former US Army Colonel David Maxwell regarding the establishment of a “Northeast Asia Combat Command” in the ‘ROK,’ are warmongering provocations that intend to transform the Korean Peninsula into the ultimate flashpoint of an East Asian war.
US imperialism is frantic in its acts of aggression and piracy. While framing Venezuela—a drug-free nation—as a “narcotics criminal state” and the head of the Maduro anti-imperialist people’s government as a “leader of a drug cartel,” it has concentrated its aggressive military forces in the Caribbean. Up until December of last year, it has attacked civilian vessels about 90 times, brutally massacring more than 100 people. The US, which deployed the aircraft carrier strike group “Gerald R. Ford” near Venezuela in November, has been hijacking oil tankers since December, extorting approximately 4 million barrels of crude oil. While announcing imminent ground operations against Venezuela and viciously threatening the safety of President Maduro and his circle, the US is simultaneously hell-bent on overthrowing the regimes of anti-imperialist nations such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil. The “electoral coup” that took place in Honduras in the latter half of last year demonstrates that US imperialist neo-colonialist maneuvers in Latin America are being carried out in various and cunning ways.
The imperialist warmongers’ maneuvers to full-scale World War 3 are continuing. When their plots to trigger World War 3 through a war in the ‘ROK’ and East Asia in the second half of 2024 were crushed by the DPRK’s war deterrence and “strategic patience,” as well as the heroic resistance of the people of the ‘ROK,’ the imperialist warmongers spent the past year provoking localized wars between India-Pakistan, Thailand-Cambodia, Iran-Israel, and Armenia-Azerbaijan. By pushing for the “militarization” and “rearmament” of Europe through the decision to increase military spending to 5% of GDP at the NATO Hague Summit, they announced missile attacks on Russian territory and became hell-bent on fueling the escalation toward World War 3. The awarding of the “Nobel War Prize” to Machado, the pro-US far-right ringleader in Venezuela, reflects the sinister plot of the imperialist warmongers for a war against Venezuela and a war in Latin America.
Where there is imperialism, there are colonies. US imperialism—the occupying force, the aggressor, and the plunderer—is intensifying its military and political dominance and economic extortion over the ‘ROK’ and Venezuela. Simultaneously, imperialist aggressive forces are plotting for wars in East Asia and Latin America, attempting to trigger World War 3 in earnest. Just as the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) was the “final rehearsal” for World War 2, the wars in the ‘ROK’ and Venezuela demonstrate that World War 3 is imminent. The struggle slogan from the Spanish Civil War 90 years ago, “¡No pasarán! (They shall not pass!)”, embodies the noble will to struggle and the spirit of anti-imperialist, anti-fascist resistance of the International Brigade fighters who stood against the fascist army. Meanwhile, throughout the 36 years of Japanese occupation and 81 years of US occupation, our nation and people have developed resistance and struggle, shouting “Overthrow Imperialism!” “Overthrow Imperialism!” and “¡No pasarán!” are the anti-imperialist banners of the ‘ROK’ people and all of humanity against the challenges of imperialism. Through the righteous struggle to overthrow imperialism, we will hasten the arrival of a world of independence and true liberation—the world our predecessor fighters sought to achieve with their very lives.
January 1, 2026 Maseok Moran Park
21st Century Che Guevara (Defense Brigade), People’s Democracy Party (PDP)
