North Korea's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper added the country's late leader Kim Jong-il in its propaganda slogan in what could be a move to strengthen his cult of personality.
The previous slogan in the newspaper's front page had called for readers to arm themselves with the country's founder Kim Il-sung's "juche," an ideology of self-reliance that is deeply ingrained in the isolated communist country.
The slogan had been used for more than 30 years, but the newspaper has recently added the founder's son, Kim Jong-il, in its new slogan following his death in December. Kim's youngest son, Kim Jong-un, appears to be tightening his grip on the power he inherited from his father, Kim Jong-il.
The new slogan called on North Koreans to thoroughly arm themselves with the "revolutionary ideology of the great comrade Kim Il-sung and comrade Kim Jong-il."
The change in the newspaper slogan appears to be an attempt to idolize Kim Jong-il and elevate his standing equal to his late father, Kim Il-sung, according to Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University. (Yonhap)