In April the North Korean authorities distributed lecture guidebooks under the title “Let us strictly preserve secrets,” urging the citizens to strictly guard secrets related to Kim Jong Il and the national leadership.
Free North Korea Broadcasting (Free NK) said on the 1st of September, “The guidebook distributed in April 2008 noted, ‘Our enemies have the ultimate goal of hurting the Leader of the Revolution (Kim Jong Il) and are eagerly trying to unearth secrets. If we do not strictly guard these secrets, the safety of our governing body will be severely affected.”
In particular, the emphasis on preserving secrets regarding to the North Korean leadership is apparent, “Even today, the imperialists and reactionary elements seek out secrets relating to the chief of the revolution and our leadership, and are very keen to damage them.”
It can be perceived from the rhetoric that possible threats to the North Korean leadership, or a sense of crisis among them, have been increasing, due to worsening domestic conditions and foreign relations.
The guidebook emphasized, “Due to the carelessness of Kim Il Sung’s anti-Japanese guerrilla fighters their location became known to the enemy during this period, and during the Korean War, secrets leaked out, endangering the high command more than once. The top secrets are ones related to the Leader.”
The guidebook also pointed out, “If secrets cannot be kept, the good policies of the Party and the state and the strong military are futile.”
Further, it laid out specific instructions, “In order to guard the key secrets of the military, the state, and the Leader, the security of enterprises, factories, and organizations must be strengthened, the management of immigration strictly observed, and the preservation of books and documents maintained as stipulated, while idleness, including binges, absolutely eradicated.”
The introduction of lecture materials can be interpreted as reflective of the increased sense of threat felt by the North Korean authorities regarding information and document leakage to the outside world due to the recent deterioration of public order in North Korean society.
