The Worker’s Party has apparently organized a campaign mobilizing the Party cell organization to send petition letters to Kim Jong Il asking for the swift nomination of his successor.
A source from Pyongyang released news on the 14th, “A secret decree, ‘on offering a loyal letter by the Party cells to the General (Kim Jong Il)’ was handed down under the name of the Central Committee of the Party on April 9th. The contents of the loyalty letter should ask Kim Jong Il to appoint a successor quickly so that the future of the fatherland can be stabilized soon.”
The Party stated what the petition letter should contain, so that Party cells could follow suit, “In the current severe international situation, we petition the General to appoint a successor who will have responsibility for the future of the fatherland and our revolution. We will be faithful to the successor forever.” According to the decree, cell secretaries who have received the title “Party Cell of Loyalty,” were designated the main body of the campaign.
A cell, generally the lowest junior organization, consists of eight to twelve members of the Party.
The source explained that, “They will not mention the name of a possible successor, but they have to write that ‘I will believe in and follow whomever the General selects.” He added, “The letter is something only the ‘Party Cells of Loyalty’ can offer, so this campaign was not announced to the general populace and is being carried out quietly.”
In October, 1990, when socialism in Eastern Europe collapsed, members of the No.2 Cell in the No.5 Department in the Chosun Central News Agency (KCNA) offered a “letter of loyalty,” causing Kim Jong Il to confer the title, “Party Cell of Loyalty” on them.
The No.5 Department of the KCNA is the international department collecting news sources from Europe. The members of the No.2 Cell had seen the collapse of Eastern European socialist economies first-hand, and were spurred to send the letter, “We will stick to our own way of socialism, following the Dear Leader.”
Kim Jong Il replied to them with his signature and an encouraging line, “Become an eternal companion, advisor and great counselor for me!” After that, the Party spread the story as being that of a role model sub-organization.
The source foresaw, “Sooner or later, successor designation work will start. The authorities intend to have this petition letter campaign first and then follow suit with the other Party cells and fringe organizations.”
Whenever North Korea faces a significant issue, after building the issue by having Party organizations or lower basic units of workers make a “suggestion” to Kim Jong Il, the authorities encourage the public to approve of it.
On the 12th, a source from Yangkang Province also commented, “A rumor was spreading that workers at the Nakwon Factory had sent letters asking the General to set in place the successor quickly. Following this, Party cells in Hyesan organized cell meetings to offer up the loyalty letter.”
A symbol of loyalty in the Kim Il Sung era, the workers of the Nakwon Machine Factory and the Party Cell of Loyalty were thus mobilized as symbols of loyalty to Kim Jong Il in order to mould the atmosphere for the third generation succession.
The Nakwon Machine Factory is a place which produces general munitions. Kim Il Sung visited and moderated a cell meeting with ten members of the factory staff on June 21, 1952 when the Korean War was at its peak.
There is a further historical anecdote regarding the factory: At that time, Kim Il Sung asked a question, “How can we restore this country even if we win this war?” A woman worker, Shin Po Hyang, replied to Kim Il Sung that “As long as we the working class exist, restoration is not a big deal.” As a result, Kim Il Sung made the woman a loyal model and “an woman unforgettable for life.”
Therefore, the succession may be less opaque after the completion of the 150-Day Battle on October 10.
