North Korean officials were seen wearing pins featuring a portrait of Kim Jong Un in public for the first time, as depicted in images released by state media on Sunday. This development marks a significant step in the ongoing cultivation of a cult of personality around the North Korean leader.
During a key meeting chaired by Kim Jong Un, officials were observed wearing the typical party logo pin on their right lapel, alongside a pin featuring Kim's face against a flag-shaped red background on their left chest. This symbolic display underscores the regime's efforts to reinforce loyalty and reverence towards Kim Jong Un within the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
The 10th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, which commenced on Friday, focused on reviewing the party's performance for the first half of the year, according to the state news agency KCNA.
Since its establishment after World War II, the Kim dynasty in North Korea has utilized the cult of personality as a crucial tool to consolidate and maintain its grip on power. This strategy involves elevating the leaders—Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and now Kim Jong Un—through extensive propaganda, symbols, and rituals aimed at portraying them as infallible and indispensable figures in the nation's history and governance.
Earlier this year, North Korean media released photographs showing Kim Jong Un's portrait prominently displayed alongside those of his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, national patriarch Kim Il Sung, reinforcing his status as a leader equal to his predecessors.
Moreover, in April, a propaganda music video aired on state-controlled Korean Central Television praised Kim Jong Un as a "friendly father" and a "great leader," highlighting ongoing efforts to perpetuate his image as a revered and benevolent figure among the North Korean populace.
These developments underscore North Korea's persistent efforts to maintain ideological conformity and bolster loyalty towards Kim Jong Un, emphasizing his central role in the regime's governance and national identity.
