Amid Kim Jong Un’s series of rancorous
threats at the outside world, the North Korean authorities have called on
families in the loyal “core” group of the country’s hereditary-based class
system to serve as models for the masses in these times of “besiegement.”
Recently, the Propaganda and Agitation
Department in conjunction with the Organization and Guidance Department
convened meetings in every province of North Korea, targeting thousands of
“core class” attendees genetically linked to “patriotic martyrs”, “fallen
soldiers in battle”, and “murder victims” [casualties of the Korean
War]. The participants were urged to give their all to the “70-day battle” and
then blasted with a steady stream of anti-American rhetoric.
“You must resolve to struggle desperately
on the backs of your ancestors in the imminent battle against America. In the
event that the Americans and South Koreans occupy our land, they will
exterminate the core class families first,” a source in South Pyongan Province reported
on March 21 to Daily NK, citing snippets of speech delivered by one Party
secretary during the meeting.
Sources in North and South Hamgyong
Provinces, Ryanggang Province, and North Pyongan Province reported lectures of
the same nature in their respective regions.
“They drove home the point that a solid
performance by the core class will pull those members of the suspect wavering
class, who are less than enthusiastic about the ‘total mobilization’ efforts
leading up to the Party Congress in May, into the proper frame of mind.”
The frenetic push to shore up domestic
unity is said to have stemmed from domestic rumblings asserting that the
regime’s rocket launch and nuclear test and weapons development brought on the harsh sanctions
levied against North Korea by the international community.
“More and more people are of the attitude,
“My livelihood is up to me and me alone [rather than dependent on the state],” the source said, “and
that is worrisome for the regime.” And, certainly, these fears are founded,
with expressions like, “You can just earn money outside of politics,” becoming commonplace, especially among the young generation of North Koreans.
While it
is true that the majority do not dare to air these views in the presence
of Party cadres, the atmosphere behind closed doors lends itself to more candid
discussions, often centered on exhaustion with the Party’s propaganda–it is
frequently called “rubbish”, according to the source.
In the face of its diminishing ability to
sway the population, desperate attempts by the regime like these “core” class
gatherings cannot stop the juggernaut of disillusionment rolling along just
under the surface. The fact that some within the very group recently gathered for their
loyalty told our source, “they don’t see actual benefits for their loyalty,
only empty words when the Party needs political tools,” lends significant
weight to that theory.
