Kim Jong-un, hiding or fading?

[能田]

(Opinion The KoreaTimes Thursday 10 September 2020)

Guest Column

Kim Jong-un, hiding or fading?

By Jang Sung-min

Updated : 2020-09-10 19:32

In the North Korean system, the party is the core of state power. The ruling party in North Korea is the Workers' Party of North Korea (WPNK). However, unlike other socialist countries, North Korea has another feature: a system of absolute power centered on the "Suryong" (首領, supreme leader). Thus the North Korean system is a Suryong system in which "Juche" (self-reliance) is the governing ideology.


In North Korea, the Suryong is the supreme leader, a human being who has been deemed a god. This is why North Korea's political system can be considered a theocracy: The absolute power of North Korea's supreme leader is "divine" power. In North Korea, "Suryong" means "the sun." This is why the birthday of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founder, is called the "Day of the Sun."

In a country like this, could there be two suns? Who would dare replace the Suryong, the absolute divine power? If someone does, it can only be someone from the "Baekdu bloodline" of the Kim family. Thus there is one thing that should never be overlooked.

In North Korea, the Party Center is the central commander of the Juche revolution. However, according to recent reports, it has been internally decided that Kim Jong-un's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong (part of the Baekdu bloodline), will hold the important position of the Party Center. This surprising news signals a revolutionary-level change of power happening within North Korea.

For a political takeover in North Korea, two things need to take place. One is the transfer of the Party Center, and the other is a shift in the Baekdu bloodline. Recently, a huge change has begun in both. Kim Yo-jong, who is part of the Baekdu bloodline, became the Party Center. Furthermore, this revolutionary change in power from inside North Korea began suddenly, starting April 11, when speculation about Kim Jong-un's health first emerged, and April 15, when Kim Jong-un did not appear in public to pay his respects at the Geumsusan Palace of the Sun, Kim Il-sung's mausoleum, on the Day of the Sun, which is the anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birth.

The North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the WPNK, published the first statement by Kim Yo-jong, the WPNK's first vice department director, four times, on June 4, 7, 10 and 11. Moreover, in its major editorials and articles, it identified her as the "Party Center." This title, which was originally given to Kim Jong-il when he was appointed as successor in 1974, has now been given to Kim Yo-jong as well.

This can be considered the beginning of a revolutionary change in power from inside North Korea. In particular, on June 11, in a front-page editorial titled "The Highest Dignity Is the Life and Spiritual Pillar of Our People," the Rodong Sinmun said, "A socialist powerhouse that elevates the devotion of victory needs to be vigorously constructed by uniting more firmly under the Party Center, which is the banner of all victory and glory in Juche Korea."

Who is the Party Center referred to here? It is Kim Yo-jong. In addition, an editorial titled "Our Nation First," published on June 7, states that "The nation-first principle, and the power of the great Kim Il-sung, and Kim Jong-il (North) Korea-Firstism will be further exerted when we support the leadership of the party with all our loyalty, thought, and breath along with the Party Center." It should be noted that Kim Jong-un's name is missing. Why was the name of the living Suryong missing? How is this possible in North Korea?

In North Korea, the country of the sun, neither President Kim Il-sung nor Kim Jong-il, when they were in power, had ever tolerated having two suns. Recently, I confirmed that the Rodong Sinmun deleted an article on Kim Jong-un's routine and then recently republished it. I think I know why this happened. I fully understand the political context: the director of the South Korean National Intelligence Service stated that Kim Jong-un's power is being delegated to Kim Yo-jong. Furthermore, I fully understand the meaning of the concept of "mandatory rule of Kim Yo-jong," which was developed in order to explain the phenomenon of the power transfer occurring in North Korea without triggering fallout from the current complex political dynamics and circumstances.

Even if North Korea's authorities try to end the rumors surrounding Kim Jong-un's health by releasing thousands of pictures of him, it will be difficult to deny that Kim Jong-un is politically incapacitated unless the following questions are answered.

First, why did he suddenly skip the daily on-the-spot guidance? Second, what happened to the 37-year-old leader that has created the need for a successor? Third, why hasn't Kim Jong-un met with a single foreign leader since April 11? Fourth, why did he reject the North Korea―U.S. summit that North Korea had so longed for? Fifth, why were the videos containing many scenes of on-the-spot guidance, which were broadcast every day, completely discontinued?

Sixth, why has video coverage of Kim Jong-un's routine been replaced by mere photos? Although North Korea has been airing videos of Kim Jong-un's activities for a long while, it has not done so since foreign North Korea watchers noted signs of manipulation. In addition, many people still believe that almost all of the recently released photos were actually taken last year or even earlier.

Seventh, why did North Korea lock its doors? Eighth, why hasn't North Korea aired a video of Kim Jong-un's recent activity, especially one taken outdoors that features him talking?

Ninth, how is it that Kim Yo-jong has suddenly been called the Party Center? There are more than a few questions about Kim Jong-un. Such questions will be resolved only when we confirm‎ that Kim Jong-un walked out of the North Korea ― U.S. summit and the North Korea ― China summit. However, as a preemptive measure to conceal this, didn't North Korea say that it has already delegated full authority to Kim Yo-jong over U.S. ― North Korea relations and inter-Korean relations?

Finally, I want to ask President Moon Jae-in: Why isn't an inter-Korean summit with Kim Jong-un being pursued? The South Korean people should not forget that North Korea's political power is a form of "theater state" maintained by disseminating various works of propaganda, such as songs, plays, movies, rallies, and large-scale events, in the name of popular social mobilization and political education. In this "theater state," all national actions are for show and are choreographed from above.

The goal of the Republic of Korea should be to develop a powerful nation, and the way to achieve this is to unify the Korean Peninsula. The most important variables leading to that historical path are the leadership of the North Korean supreme ruler and the North Korean nuclear program. This is why we must keep our eyes on Kim Jong-un's leadership status.


The writer is former director of government information and policy monitoring and the first secretary of political affairs for the Kim Dae-jung administration. He served as a member of the National Assembly's Committee of Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Trade. He is currently chairman of the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum.