North Korea is using a series of military provocations — including threatening aircraft flights, ballistic missile launches and late-night artillery fire — to underscore the leadership capabilities of Kim Jong Un. But this is continuing to irritate North Koreans who are suffering from financial difficulties and food shortages.
“Pairs of officials from the propaganda department of the Wonsan branch of the Workers’ Party have recently been going around inminban [people’s units] to deliver lectures titled ‘Holding to Our-style Socialist System Without Wavering Despite the Warmongering Provocative Behavior of Our Enemies,’” a source in Gangwon Province told Daily NK on Monday.
According to the source, North Korea has been using the lectures to proclaim Kim’s leadership and greatness.
“Our enemies’ provocative and dangerous military exercises have continued recently, leading us to what amounts to a state of semi-war. But whatever our enemies may try to do to our country, we won’t falter as long as we have the Marshal [Kim Jong Un],” officials said in the lectures.
But these lectures have reportedly met a cynical reception from the general public.
Only a few years ago, the source said, North Koreans took pride in news about missile launches and other shows of force, which gave them satisfaction that helped them forget their hungry bellies. But since the outbreak of COVID-19, North Koreans have been suffering even more than they did during the “Arduous March” of the 1990s, leading to a quite different response.
“It’s not like the US and South Korea’s joint military exercises are anything new, but this year the government is loudly presenting them as some big deal,” a North Korean who attended one of the recent lectures told the source.
“I have no idea why they’re wearing us innocent people out when there’s not even going to be a war,” another individual reportedly said.
“How long are they going to keep boasting about military strength when people are on the verge of collapsing for lack of food? Rather than all that boasting, the first thing they should do is improve people’s livelihood. I don’t know how long they’re going to keep blaming the current difficulties on the US and South Korea,” a resident of the Kalma neighborhood of Wonsan reportedly said.
Another resident of Wonsan offered a pessimistic viewpoint: “People used to believe the propaganda about how we needed to strengthen our national defense to protect our country while also becoming more prosperous, but in the end, they were just pulling the wool over our eyes. The country’s leader has changed and the years have passed, but our lives have gotten worse and aren’t likely to get better in the future, either.”
According to the source, the authorities have been indoctrinating the public in the same propaganda for several decades, but people who are struggling to make ends meet are not likely to be interested in propaganda about crushing the enemies with missiles or artillery fire.
“But the authorities insist on continuing ideological programs for the public on the grounds that ideology is the strongest thing in the world,” he explained.
“If your kid is crying from hunger, you ought to give him something to eat. You can try giving him toys, but that won’t stop the crying,” the source continued, adding, “Giving the wrong propaganda to people who don’t have enough food will only exacerbate their grievances.”
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