Official events to promote the idolization of Kim Jong Eun and introduce him as the next generation leader of the military have begun within the Chosun People’s Army, according to an inside source.
The source from North Hamkyung Province revealed to The Daily NK on Wednesday, “Official events have been held by border guard brigades, the 25th Brigade in Yangkang Province and 27th Brigade in North Hamkyung Province, to give praise and celebrate having Kim Jong Il as the General Secretary of the Party and Kim Jong Eun as the successor. Events have been held separately in each brigade and battalion by each Party organ and social organization.”
According to the source, such events are being conducted simultaneously throughout the military. He cited a military official as saying, “It is natural that the military would step up to embrace the successor.”
At the events, “Worry Not About the Future of the Fatherland Because We Have the Youth General!” soldiers apparently shout slogans including, “With respect for Youth General Kim Jong Eun, we will complete our revolutionary achievements to the end.”
After the delivery of the results of the Delegates’ Conference by a cadre from the Party political department of each brigade, participants reportedly discuss the attitude of soldiers to the pleasure of linking the revolutionary lineage to the next generation and respecting the successor.
During one reporting session, a speaker reportedly justified the succession of Kim Jong Eun by saying, “The achievements of the General, Kim Jong Il, have built a strong foundation on which we, the new generation, can continue to carry out the revolution.”
Officials and soldiers also reaffirmed their resolve by holding “loyalty resolve gatherings,” in which they vowed, “With military force, we will embrace the Youth Captain.”
However, soldiers were reportedly unimpressed by the words, saying things such as, “There is nothing new here that we have not been listening to for a long time,” or “Can we at least get some pork fat to go with having a new leader?”
Although such a loyalty resolve gatherings have not yet been held outside the military, the source predicted that all the sections, departments and work places will take their turn soon.
A “loyalty resolve gathering” is a quintessential North Korean type of idolization event, one which has been regularly held under a decree handed down by Kim Jong Il in the 1970s. In such gatherings, participants have to recite the Party’s Ten Principles for the Establishment of the One-Ideology System altogether and sing songs praising Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. If one fails to attend such an event, a year or so of self-criticism will be required to make good one’s ideological and political impurities.
