For the first time, North Korean officials have been seen wearing pins adorned with a portrait of Kim Jong Un, as shown in state media photographs released on Sunday. This marks a significant development in the ongoing creation of a cult of personality around the North Korean leader.
During a key meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea chaired by Kim, officials were pictured wearing the traditional party logo pin on their right lapel and a new pin with Kim’s face on a red, flag-shaped background on their left chest.
The 10th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which reviews the party’s performance for the first half of the year, commenced on Friday, according to state news agency KCNA.
Since the founding of North Korea after World War Two, the ruling Kim dynasty has sought to maintain its stronghold on power through the establishment of personality cults around its leaders. In a move to elevate Kim Jong Un’s status to that of his father and grandfather, North Korean media has recently showcased his portrait prominently alongside those of Kim Jong Il and national patriarch Kim Il Sung.
In April, a propaganda song music video praising Kim Jong Un as a “friendly father” and a “great leader” aired on the state-controlled Korean Central Television, which is banned in South Korea. This push to reinforce Kim Jong Un’s leadership position demonstrates the regime’s continued effort to solidify his authority.
