Propaganda refers to the country as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea”… Growing possibility of public backlash
Lecture materials produced by the state last month and obtained from sources inside the country refer to the North as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea.”
The materials were made for the anniversary last month of the death in 2011 of Kim’s father and predecessor as supreme leader, Kim Jong-il, and delivered through mass lectures at institutions, enterprises, military units, and local organizations.
The materials describe Kim Jong-il as a “great leader who endlessly loved the people,” portraying his life as one of devotion to his subjects.
Kim Jong-un is quoted praising his father as “a peerless great man who dedicated his entire life to the nation and the people.”
“Comrades, you may think I do not know that our people are suffering because rice has run out, food supplies are not properly distributed, and even soy sauce and soybean paste are lacking, making life difficult,” Kim says. “But I know it all. I know everything. Our people trust me and silently endure all these hardships.” At this point, Kim becomes overcome with emotion and is unable to continue speaking.
In contrast to this glorification of Kim Jong-il, public perception is negative due to memories of the mass famine of the 1990s under his leadership. Most people now believe that the hereditary succession, combined with Kim Jong-il’s “military-first” politics brought on the disaster.
The lecture materials themselves acknowledge that the severe economic crisis at the time made it nearly impossible to sustain the system, openly admitting the regime was on the brink of collapse.
“As you all know, during that life-or-death period when imperialists’ military aggression and economic blockade reached their peak in an attempt to annihilate our Republic’s sovereignty and right to development, no one in the world believed socialist Korea could survive,” the script says.
North Koreans generally believe that without South Korea’s “Sunshine Policy” of engagement and international aid during the crisis, the regime would not have survived.
Nevertheless, the authorities distort these historical facts, presenting Kim Jong-il’s “military-first politics” as indication of his love for the people and his success in protecting them.
Given decades of economic hardship and their daily struggle to survive, North Koreans are likely to reject such worship as disconnected from reality.
The new designation “Kim Jong-un’s Korea” is seen as political rhetoric to enforce loyalty, but in practice it may deepen dissatisfaction with the hereditary dictatorship.
In a society that has endured decades of poverty, hunger, and the denial of even minimal freedoms, the naming of the country as “Kim Jong-un’s Korea” may backfire, provoking greater discontent and distrust among the people.
Era is a North Korean defector and an experienced journalist who offers a unique perspective on one of the world's most secretive nations. Having escaped the oppressive regime, Era has leveraged her keen understanding of North Korean society to become a beacon of truth. Through her extensive network of in-country reporters, she maintains real-time communication with sources inside North Korea, providing unparalleled insights into the ground realities of the closed society.
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