North Korea has been in a euphoric mood following the success of Wednesday morning’s missile launch, with the authorities seizing the opportunity to get members of all mass organizations to pledge allegiance to Kim Jong Eun in lectures on the subject.
“Yesterday at around midday factories and enterprises were informed that they should listen to the broadcast about the success of the missile launch,” a Yangkang Province source told Daily NK today. “When it was over the unit Party secretary got up and led a loyalty pledge, telling us to ‘take pride in being the people of a state in possession of satellites and accomplish still greater feats in the construction of socialism under the leadership of Kim Jong Eun.’”
Many people willingly created a holiday atmosphere upon hearing the news, the source went on, explaining, “People are saying that it is really extraordinary to have launched a satellite made with our own technology. They are organizing discussions, lectures, meetings and loyalty gatherings in every unit.”
The authorities gave the people advance notice of the country’s failed April missile launch; however, this time around this did not occur. As a result, the success came as a pleasant shock to almost everybody, as only the few who directly or indirectly get news from abroad knew in advance.
However, there were some propaganda failures as well. A North Hamkyung Province source reported one such flunk in that region, explaining, “We couldn’t see it on TV because there wasn’t any power! I heard about it on the cable radio later on, then heard the details in my people’s unit meeting.”
The buoyant mood was also stretched considerably by the requirement to venture outside in frigid weather to celebrate on the streets. According to the Yangkang Province source, “They wanted to created a festive atmosphere so the women put on skirts and were out there in the winter weather shivering. The celebrations were a bit over the top under the circumstances.”
“A propaganda van was employed to convey news of the launch success and emphasize that it is all down to Marshal Kim Jong Eun,” the North Hamkyung Province source added. “There were even children summoned to sing in the street and march around.”
