{"id":39454,"date":"2019-01-30T14:57:35","date_gmt":"2019-01-30T05:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/?p=39454"},"modified":"2020-01-17T09:21:55","modified_gmt":"2020-01-17T00:21:55","slug":"authorities-attempt-to-raise-loyalty-before-kim-jong-ils-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/authorities-attempt-to-raise-loyalty-before-kim-jong-ils-birthday\/","title":{"rendered":"Authorities attempt to raise loyalty before Kim Jong Il\u2019s birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_39459\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39459\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39459\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"573\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1-696x399.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.dailynk.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/\uae40\uc77c\uc131-\uae40\uc815\uc77c-\ub3d9\uc0c1-733x420.jpg 733w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39459\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Mansudae Hill. Image: Rodong Sinmun<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The North Korean authorities are trying to raise loyalty among the population prior to one of North Korea\u2019s biggest holidays, Kim Jong Il\u2019s birthday (February 16).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cParty cell secretaries were given orders concerning Kim Jong Il\u2019s birthday (referred to as \u201cThe Day of the Shining Star\u201d) on January 15,\u201d said a North Hamgyong Province-based source on January 21. \u201cThey were ordered to read out propaganda and \u2018morality-related\u2019 materials that honor Kim Jong Il to their staff before the start of work each day.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cell party secretaries, the lowest ranking managers of the party, were ordered to hand out materials emphasizing Kim Jong Il\u2019s achievements and \u201clove of the people\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kim Jong Il is generally alleged by the North Korean authorities to have been a leader with \u201chigh-minded morality\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAn order calling for the creation of \u2018loyalty singing groups\u2019 in each work unit was also handed down,\u201d a source in North Pyongan Province added. \u201cEach work unit must conduct performances in early February and lectures around February 10. Every company must conduct workplace-wide lectures before February 16.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSongs, poems and play scripts have already been handed down to each work unit and they are in the midst of practicing for their performances,\u201d the source added. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loyalty singing groups perform a wide-range of performances that include poem recitals, dancing, comedic plays, and entertaining monologues. The groups compel North Koreans to display absolute loyalty to the Party and nation, and ask them to promise loyalty to Kim Jong Il. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many workers are feeling drained, having to work during the day and attend meetings in the evening to practice, while also having to collect state-set quotas of manure, according to a source in South Hamgyong Province.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, some are reportedly enthusiastic about preparing for their performances. \u201cEach year the state uses the performances almost like tryouts for its Propaganda Teams, and workers know that they may be chosen to join military propaganda or factory-based propaganda teams,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The performances offer an opportunity for them to escape the monotony of their daily lives.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The North Korean authorities are trying to raise loyalty among the population prior to one of North Korea\u2019s biggest holidays, Kim Jong Il\u2019s birthday (February 16). \u201cParty cell secretaries were given orders concerning Kim Jong Il\u2019s birthday (referred to as \u201cThe Day of the Shining Star\u201d) on January 15,\u201d said a North Hamgyong Province-based source [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":39459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wikipediapreview_detectlinks":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - 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