 Image: Yonhap News Agency |
North Korean residents are turning
a cold shoulder to the state’s emphasis on the five
fields of study underscored in Kim Jong Eun’s New Year’s Address earlier this year. These five fields broached in the address were: “the greatness of the
Kim dynasty,” “Kim Jong Il and patriotism,” “conviction,” “anti-imperialism,” and “morals.”
“Everyone–from elementary school students
to members of the Chosun Democratic Women’s Union–is attending lectures and
studies centered on these five subjects,” a source within North Korea, whose location must remain anonymous for security reasons, reported to the Daily NK on February 26th. “These five
principles all emphasize the greatness of the leader’s
family, loyalty to the party and motherland, and adherence to revolutionary
faith to fight against the imperialists’ machinations.”
According to the source, Party cadres have been relentless in their fixation on these five points because of their mention in
the New Year’s Address. “Recently
schools have incorporated these five principles into the discussion portion of self-criticism sessions, in which residents of all ranks or
affiliations must participate,” she said.
“One member of the Chosun Democratic
Women’s Union was chastised for dozing off during one of the sessions. Everyone
burst into laughter when she said, ‘I already know what
the lecture is about even if I don’t listen to it,’” she said, adding that this sentiment is common among most—these
five concepts are nothing new and being bored during the lectures is almost
inevitable.
“Some of the women in the union assert that
they’ve heard so much about these subjects that it’s easy to deduce the content of a lecture just by looking at its
title,” she added. “People say no matter how much you
emphasize these five areas, they would be more inclined to understand anything else that gives them rice.“
For decades the regime has strictly
enforced education on Kim Jong Il and patriotism, social class, conviction, and
morals–a largely counter-effective practice serving only to bolster resident apathy surrounding the topics.
“Some cities are inundated with propaganda
on these five areas of study, but North Korean residents are generally
indifferent to the indoctrination, their minds instead filled with concerns over how
to make ends meet,” she explained.
“There are so many lines emphasizing the
top five principles of our country, the five great mountains, the five
revolutionary songs, the five measures for reunification, and myriad other
lists of ‘five,’” she went on, adding sarcastically that “there will probably be a ‘top five people’ list sometime in the
future.
In addition to the portraits of Kim Il Sung
and Kim Jong Il ubiquitous among residences throughout the country, Party cadres’ households must house the likeness of the “Great
three”: Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Suk [Kim Jong Il’s mother]. This does little to foster loyalty to keep people on the side of the regime though, with residents consistently joking about the obvious truth that “because we already have those three, the other two positions are
already accounted for by Kim Jong Eun and his child.”
