North Korean or sympathetic sources claim that the organization was founded and led by Kim Il-sung, who would have been fourteen years old at the time. In 2016, in particular, the DIU received special attention, especially on 18–19 October. This included dramas, singing of songs in a Pyongyang plaza, "dancing parties" of students and youth, and wreaths laid at the graves of revolutionarymartyrs to commemorate the founding of the revolutionary organisation, saying that it was the origin of the ideas of Juche. Additionally, commemorative stamps were released, a national meeting was held at the People's Palace of Culture attended by "senior party, state and army officials...labour innovators and bereaved families of the revolutionary martyrs," a national art exhibition opened at the Korean Art Gallery, and members the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea commemorated the occasion. A poster was even issued by Workers' Party of Korea to "mark the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Down-with-Imperialism Union." According to the North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, in 2016, many people such as the chairperson of People Unity-"Kyrgyz El" Republican Political Party in Kyrgyzstan, the secretary general of Bangladesh Jatiya Party, the chairperson of the Juche Idea Study Society in India, the chairperson for the Juche Philosophy Study Committee in India, high-ranking individuals in the Pakistan-Korea Friendship Association, the National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea of the Democratic Republic of the Congo all praised the developments of the Workers' Party of Korea and celebrated the DIU's anniversary according to North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun.
Claimed ''Juche'' connection
On 17 October 1982, Kim Jong-il honoured the DIU with a speech. In the speech he said that its formation meant that the Korean people had "embarked on a new road of development and our Party began to strike its glorious roots." He went on to explain the accomplishments of his party in defending the country from the American imperialism and claimed that it had promoted the idea of Juche, which, in reality, was first expressed in 1955 at the earliest. He also said that Kim Il-sung began the DIU with a programme to engage in "anti-Japanese national-liberation struggle relying on the masses", that its formation was the "fresh start for the Korean communist movement and the Korean revolution...the beginning of the struggle to found a new type of party," and added that "The Korean communist movement...pioneered the revolutionary road under the banner of the DIU."
Commemorative Coins
In 1996,the Central Bank of DPRK issued a commemorative coin celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Formation of the DIU. In 2016,the Central Bank of DPRK issued a commemorative coin celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the Formation of the DIU.
