The “words” of Kim Jong Il were emphasized in early July people’s unit lectures in Kangdong, Pyongyang, according to a source. Kim was cited in the lecture as saying that if South Korea does not remove the loudspeakers from the DMZ area, Seoul will be turned into a sea of fire.
Alluding to “the General’s words” represents the highest form of instruction in North Korea.
The source from Pyongyang reported in a telephone interview with The Daily NK on the 19th, “In a lecture held by the Propaganda and Agitation Department of our municipal committee early this month regarding loudspeakers set up along the DMZ, one official offered a speech about how, ‘We will trample over anyone who insults the dignity of the Republic (North Korea).’”
“During the lecture the official emphasized the ‘words’ of the General that he would personally turn Seoul into a sea of fire,” the source explained.
The North Korean General Staff of the People’s Army also mentioned “a sea of fire in Seoul” on the 12th of last month, and the threatening phrase has been in use for many years. However, the fact that the comment was conveyed as being in the form of “the General’s words” has not yet spread.
Releasing its opposition to the South’s psychological warfare in the form of “the General’s words” implies that North Korea is exceptionally unhappy about the South Korean threat. The authorities are speaking rhetorically about the South’s plan for psychological warfare as if a war will break out the very moment the broadcasts begin.
Additionally, the source said that Pyongyang’s assertions on the Cheonan have yet to change in official lectures.
The source said, “Although members of the Party say that South Chosun started the provocations first, most people believe that the Cheonan incident was done by the North.” He explained that such lectures are generally about how, ”American imperialists provoked it,” or, “South Chosun puppet factions are crazy for war,” so some people are worried about the possibility of war.
After lectures, according to the source, close friends pass comment on the contents, saying things like, “When a war breaks out, I will take care of the People’s Security Ministry agents who took away my goods first.”
Accordingly, regulations governing residents have been made stricter, so the duration of the regular evaluation meetings has been expanded from around an hour up to two or three hours, while the contents of those evaluations are more strictly reviewed than before. “We used to be able to miss the evaluation with bribes, but now the atmosphere is not favorable. The authorities are squeezing us,” the source explained.
