The North Korean government daily Rodong Shinmun has embarked on a mission to link the three generations of the “Kim Hyung Jik-Il Sung-Jong Il line,” the so-called “Mankyungdae Family,” to the goal of a “strong and prosperous state,” which is the nation’s stated ambition leading up to 2012, the 100th anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s birth.
To this end, the paper published an article on the 26th February titled “For a resplendent future.” It therein proclaimed that, “The sublime direction and aspiration of the Mankyungdae Revolutionary Family from Kim Hyung Jik to the Great Leader (Kim Il Sung) and onwards to the Dear Leader (Kim Jong Il) was to establish an eternally flourishing strong and prosperous state.”
It has been suggested by some that this emphasis on building a strong and prosperous state is actually to further elevate the Kim family bloodline so as to justify a third-generation succession.
The Rodong Shinmun additionally waxed, “We do not know of such zealous and revolutionary patriots as the heroes of Mankyungdae, who have walked solidly the path of history for three generations for the future of a country and a nation. The tradition of the three-generations of Mankyungdae heroes penetrates blood and reaches into our future, which is wed to the prosperous military-first revolution.”
The newspaper further encouraged the people, “No matter how rough our revolutionary path may be, we must be victorious over all kinds of barriers and trials and work towards the juche revolution to the end.”
The Rodong Shinmun, by emphasizing the statement “Let us live not for today, but live for tomorrow and raise this slogan ever higher!” again came to justify the revolutionary from Kim Il Sung to Jong Il by talking of the “Mankyungdae Family” and the far-reaching ideology of Kim Hyong Jik.
Through an editorial on the 16th, it again emphasized the blood of succession, saying, “There is a bright vision in the succession of the Mt. Baekdu Blood.”
In the past, North Korea again mentioned the “Mankyungdae Family” from the perspective of idolizing the family line, claiming “Every generation be faithful to the Leader!”
And finally, Kim Jong Il is said to have evaluated the situation thus, “From early on, teacher Kim Hyung Jik laid out a far-reaching ideology, and he created a song called ‘the Green Pine-tree on Mt. Nam,’ which conveyed the idea that revolution should be undertaken by every generation in succession. The Great Leader inherited and improved the ideology, and paved the new path of our revolution. And the teaching was ultimately fulfilled by me.”
This time, however, with detailed information being released to the outside regarding the “succession system” following the outflow of rumors of Kim’s illness, this constant emphasis on the “revolutionary tradition” and the “Mankyungdae Family” in the Rodong Shinmun seems to be targeting international society.
Yoo Ho Yul a professor of North Korean Studies at Korea University agreed with this analysis and further commented, “North Korea cannot delay the succession work any longer, so it is adjusting the overall atmosphere with these moves.”
He further added, “The fact that North Korea, which aims to become a strong and prosperous state by 2012, is evoking the vision of the ‘Mankyungdae Family’ in North Korea’s future probably has to do with its goal of setting 2012, Kim Il Sung’s 100th birthday, as the year for firmly establishing the successor.”
Professor Yoo added, “After the March 8th delegates’ election to the SPA, We should closely observe the official position of Jong Woon, the third son of Kim Jong Il. If he is to be the ruler, he will follow Kim Jong Il’s past power succession course and lay the foundation for his position.”
