The Down‑with‑Imperialism Union founded on October 17, 1926

Kim Il Sung forming the Down-with-Imperialism Union (DIU), October 17, 1926.

The Down‑with‑Imperialism Union (DIU) was founded on October 17, 1926 in Huadian County, China, and is regarded in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as the origin of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

The DIU, founded by Kim Il Sung, aimed first to defeat Japanese imperialism and secure Korea’s liberation and independence. Its ultimate goal was to establish socialism and communism in Korea, and eventually to defeat imperialism globally on the path to a communist future.

The DIU programme laid the foundation for the WPK programme, with its principle of independence guiding party building and activities. The new generation of revolutionaries trained by the DIU went on to become the backbone of the party’s founding.

The formation of the DIU is celebrated every year in the DPRK with a wide range of events. The Central Bank of the DPRK issued commemorative coins in 1996 and 2016 marking the 70th and 90th anniversaries.