Kim Jong-un’s emphasis on women is core part of regime survival strategy
Kim Jong-un (Image/KCNA)
For Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, women are “incomparably beautiful beings” who are indispensable to the revolution and to nation-building.
This was how he described them in an address marking International Women’s Day on March 8, according to state media.
While his speech followed the typical propaganda style of praising their role in the revolution, it has greater significance this time given the current political currents inside the country.
Kim extended “the warmest congratulations” to women nationwide, framing their sacrifice and devotion as the driving force of national development. They are “physically delicate yet possessing firmness… incomparably beautiful beings,” he said, reaffirming their role as indispensable.
He had three main messages. First, he reiterated the historical narrative that women have upheld the revolution during times of hardship, reinforcing legitimacy through loyalty to the regime.
Second, he reaffirmed the expansion of their role beyond the household to society at large, demanding greater responsibility in the future. Third, he highlighted motherhood.
“The sacred calling of ‘mother’ is a source of immense spiritual strength for everyone,” he said.
What is particularly noteworthy is that this was not just a holiday greeting. That is because the presence of women in North Korea’s political leadership at this time is unusually prominent.
Kim has not hesitated to put female leaders at the forefront. His sister, Kim Yo-jong, has already secured her place at the core of power and is regarded as the de facto “number two.” She has the authority to issue direct messages to South Korea and the United States.
Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui likewise stands as the face of North Korean diplomacy on the international stage.
Adding to this, the appearance of his daughter, Kim Ju-ae, has sent ripples of speculation both inside and outside the country. Her presence at military events alongside her father suggests more than a simple family reveal. Some analysts believe she is being groomed as a successor. While such conclusions cannot be definitive given the nature of the regime, the implicit message that a woman can also be the top leader is unmistakable.
Against this backdrop, Kim’s emphasis on women appears to be a strategic choice aimed at strengthening regime stability and legitimacy. Internal directives repeatedly mention increasing the proportion of female cadres and expanding women’s social participation, partly to address practical issues such as economic hardship and labor shortages. At the same time, it aligns with the image of a “modern state” that Kim’s regime seeks to project.
Yet how ordinary North Koreans perceive these changes is another matter. From my own experience as a defector, propaganda about women’s roles was constant, but in reality women bore double burdens at home and in society.
Women sustained the market economy, carried the responsibility of family survival, and shouldered most of the household duties. Even today, many interpret slogans like “pillar of the revolution” less as praise than as a way of shifting all responsibility onto them.
The rise of figures like Kim Yo-jong or Choe Son-hui is intriguing, but few believe it translates into improved status for women in general. Most remain focused on immediate concerns: survival, crackdowns, and raising children.
Nevertheless, this speech confirms that North Korea is treating the women’s issue not merely as a propaganda tool but as a key pillar of the regime’s maintenance strategy. Kim’s call for women to “fulfill the sacred mission entrusted to them before the motherland” ultimately signals that even greater roles and responsibilities will be demanded of them.
North Korean women are already among the strongest and most devoted people. My hope is that their strength will one day be used to transform their own lives. If today’s emphasis on women becomes more than propaganda—if it plants seeds of genuine change—it could mark the beginning of something far more meaningful.
Kim Yumi, a North Korean defector, was born and raised in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, a coastal military area. Growing up near a naval base, she was able to secretly watch South Korean news programs and TV shows, thereby uncovering the vibrant, democratic society of South Korea. Yumi and her husband made the brave decision to escape North Korea and seek a better future. Now in Seoul, she is actively involved in raising awareness about the realities of life in North Korea, especially on her YouTube channel, “@KimYumiTV.”
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