The Essence of Ideological Emphasis
Background of Ideological Emphasis
Political Objectives
Conclusion
Recently from September 2024 to March 2025, Rodong Sinmun has been frequently publishing articles emphasizing the importance of ideology. 23 articles from Rodong Sinmun emphasizing ideology have been analyzed. Key articles include “Let Us Arm Ourselves with Great Comrade Kim Jong Un’s Revolutionary Ideology! The Essence of the Party’s Founding Ideology and Spirit” from March 24, 2025, “Korea Is a Great Ideological Stronghold and Its Powers Are Limitless” from March 6, 2025, and “The People of a Great Nation, There Is No Better Honor and Dignity” from February 22, 2025.
Analyzing these articles can shed some light on how the Kim Jong Un regime uses ideology to respond to internal and external crises, as North Korea is an ideologically absolutist state where ideology is monopolized by the Supreme Leader and the Party. The North Korean Socialist Constitution specifies Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism as the sole guiding ideology, and the Ten Principles for the Establishment of the Party’s Unitary Leadership System rules that one must always quote the Supreme Leader’s instructions and Party publications with respect and never contradict them whether in speech or writing. As such, the Rodong Sinmun articles emphasizing ideology are important sources in understanding the regime’s perspective and its use of ideology. What then are the content, background and political objectives of the ideological propaganda circulated through Rodong Sinmun?
