North Korea’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, strategically covers South Korean politics to serve four key purposes:
Domestic propaganda: Portrays South Korea as corrupt and chaotic to reinforce North Korean citizens’ loyalty to their own system and foster anti-South Korean sentiment.
Psychological warfare: Attempts to manipulate South Korean public opinion by criticizing conservative forces while indirectly supporting progressive elements to encourage internal division.
International messaging: Depicts South Korea as politically unstable and rights-violating to legitimize North Korea’s regime and justify its nuclear program to the global community.
Regime reinforcement: Uses “external chaos” to promote “internal solidarity,” strengthening Kim Jong-un’s authority by suggesting he’s the only reliable leader.
The newspaper operates under Kim Jong Un’s direct control, with major editorials personally reviewed or ordered by him.
Dramatic coverage shift after martial law
Following South Korea’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, Rodong Sinmun’s coverage patterns changed dramatically. Despite this being an ideal period for anti-South Korean propaganda—with impeachment proceedings, presidential removal, and widespread protests—the newspaper published only nine articles about South Korean politics over six months.
This represents a stark contrast to previous patterns:
- November 2024 (pre-martial law): 21 articles in one month
- December 2024-June 2025 (post-martial law): Only nine articles total
Of these nine articles, five focused on legal proceedings against Yoon, while only three covered impeachment protests—far fewer than expected given the political turmoil.
The KCTU connection
The coverage reduction appears linked to North Korea’s infiltration of South Korea’s labor movement. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) led the “Yoon Suk-yeol Administration Resignation Movement Headquarters,” which organized the protests that Rodong Sinmun had extensively covered before martial law.
However, a major spy ring was exposed within KCTU:
- A man surnamed Seok, a former KCTU official, was revealed as North Korea’s key operative
- From 2018-2022, he exchanged 102 communications with North Korean handlers
- He created underground networks within labor unions under North Korean direction
- His mission included mobilizing nationwide organizations for anti-government protests
Strategic silence
After martial law, as the KCTU spy ring became public knowledge, continuing to promote impeachment protests would have:
- Exposed North Korea’s direct involvement in South Korean political movements
- Undermined the credibility of psychological warfare operations
- Confirmed suspicions about North Korean manipulation of domestic protests
North Korea’s media silence on the very protests it had orchestrated effectively admits guilt. By avoiding coverage of KCTU-led demonstrations, Rodong Sinmun inadvertently confirmed the connection between North Korean intelligence operations and South Korean political activism.
This case demonstrates how exposure of covert operations can force changes in overt propaganda strategies, revealing the interconnected nature of North Korea’s multi-layered approach to influencing South Korean politics.
