The North Korean authorities have distributed new badges to the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League that feature the portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
“The new badges for the youth league have portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il side-by-side,” a source in Pyongyang reported. “They just had Kim Il Sung’s portrait in the past, but now they include portraits of father and son.”
The new youth league badges are shaped like red flags, and include the words, “The Youth Frontline Guard” in gold letters under the faces of the two leaders.
“These new badges are worth more than the old ones, so young people really want them,” the source explained, adding that the “authorities likely produced them as a way to curry favor.”
It appears that the authorities are aiming to raise loyalty amongst the so-called “jangmadang (market) generation” toward the regime. This generation is considered by the regime to be a source of rearguard support for Kim Jong Un’s rule.
When new badges are distributed in North Korea, members of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), labor organizations, and high-level government officials generally receive them first, followed by those who are considered to be particularly loyal to the regime. The badges express gratitude on the part of authorities toward these individuals. In line with this tradition, the new badges were given to those members of the Youth Alliance who had shown a high-level of loyalty, the source reported.
The use of badges to increase loyalty, however, does not seem to be as effective as it once was. Some badges were immediately put on sale in local markets as soon as they were distributed. The officials within the youth league who received the badges appear to have just distributed a portion to the alliance’s membership and sold the rest in the markets, according to a source in South Pyongan Province.
“The new badges given out to the Youth Alliance reportedly go for 20,000 KPW, equal to the price of 4 kilos of rice. Those distributed to KWP members, on the other hand, go for 26,000 KPW,” she said.
“As people face increasing economic difficulties, things of value are being eyed for sale, and there are no exceptions even for items that have the faces of the country’s Supreme Dignities.”
The badges that sell for the most in the markets are shaped like flags with Kim Il Sung’s portrait. They are expensive and rare, and are generally not available for sale.
“After Kim Il Sung’s death, badges with Kim Il Sung’s and Kim Jong Il’s faces were the main ones produced. There were a few badges created with just Kim Il Sung’s portrait, and they are sold at various prices determined by individual sellers,” the source in South Pyongan Province explained.
Badges worn by the regular population with Kim Jong Un’s portrait on them have yet to be produced. High-level officials affiliated with the Ministry of State Security (MSS) and other organizations reportedly received such badges at one time.
“There’s a rumor that Chairman Kim is not allowing such a badge to be created,” a separate source in Pyongyang said, adding that he had never seen such badges being worn by ordinary people.
