Shenyang, China — On or around November 1, North Korean broadcasters released countless news and propaganda programs: “The sight of one more great figure;” “The country filled with the luck of Generals;” “The glorious fatherland, getting younger” and more.
In addition, factories and Party organizations organized their own propaganda activities including street performances of “Footsteps” and “Chollima (swift horse) of Military-First Politics,” and organized review clubs to watch programs on topics related to Kim Jong Eun.
However, suddenly that was it. On November 9, the Central Committee of the Party handed down a decree again stopping Kim Jong Eun propaganda to local Party organizations, and it disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.
One source reported to The Daily NK on the internal atmosphere, “Even cadres are at a loss as to what to do now they have received the latest decree. The mood is troubled by various rumors.”
He added, “There are diverse suppositions about it. The loudest rumor is that the strength of the propaganda for Kim Jong Eun had exceeded that for the General (Kim Jong Il), so the General decided to stop it all of sudden. One other rumor says that the successor has still not been appointed yet.”
He went on, “Some also say that this is because during the period of the 150-Day Battle, excessive capitalistic elements and the sending of too many students to foreign countries grew controversial” and complained, “We have to keep watching the situation. For now, I don’t have any idea what will happen.”
In reality, the authorities have been inspecting factories and Party organizations of late mostly for the reason that some started pursuing capitalist production methods and elements of a market economy in order to expand production during the 150-Day Battle.
The source expressed his own point of view, “Apparently, Kim Jong Eun tends to follow global trends and pursue economic policies relentlessly. I think Kim Jong Il developed a sense of crisis over that and halted the propaganda.”
He said, furthermore, “Although the successor has been designated, Kim’s decision is still changeable, and this unstable social situation is being reflected in Kim Jong Il’s mental state.”
