Kim Jong-un cements leadership by mimicking grandfather

By Yi Whan-woo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is mimicking his late grandfather, Kim Il-sung, to appeal to the older generation with nostalgia for the country’s founder, analysts here said Tuesday.

Through the Seventh Workers’ Party Congress, which ended Monday, the young leader seemed to be trying to underscore the resemblance between him and his grandfather.

According to the North Korean media, the 1960s during Kim Il-sung’s reign were a “golden age” for the country’s economy.

Experts said the leader also wants to legitimize the third generation of the Kim family’s leadership after his father Kim Jong-il died in December 2011 and he abruptly rose to power in his early 30s.

“The Kim Jong-un age will be all about the revival of Kim Il-sung’s reign and that’s what he tried to show throughout the congress,” said An Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who heads the World Institute for North Korea Studies in Seoul.

Park Young-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, agreed.

“North Korea built its unique political system under Kim Il-sung while Kim Jong-il laid the groundwork for nuclear development. Now it’s time to turn attention to the economy and Kim Jong-un is on track.”

Kim Jong-un has sought to imitate his grandfather in appearance since he became the country’s leader.

In photographs taken between Friday and Saturday, he was seen wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a black suit just like his grandfather did in the past six congresses, which were held under the rule of Kim Il-sung from 1948 to 1994. Kim Jong-il never convened one.

The congress opened Friday to consolidate Kim Jong-un’s grip on power. “He evidently wants to build an image as a stable and reliable leader to solidify his rule,” said Kim Young-hyun, a professor of North Korean Studies at Dongguk University.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, said “Kim Jong-un wants to further capitalize on Kim Il-sung’s image and achievements.”

Kim Jong-un also underscored “nonalignment,” a Cold-War era movement that Kim Il-sung joined in 1975. Involving many socialist and dictatorial states, it was aimed at forming an alliance against the world’s major powers.

On Monday, North Korea named Kim Jong-un as the chairman of the Workers’ Party, a position held by Kim Il-sung from 1949 to 1966, but never by his father, Kim Jong-il.

Kim Jong-un, who has been called the party’s first secretary, also set up a new political affairs bureau to replace a secretariat, which was the most powerful body of the North Korea’s sole-governing party.

“It can be said North Korea is returning to the party-first policy pursued by Kim Il-sung,” An said.

He cited that Kim Jong-il put priority on the military over the party and the government to stabilize the military state amid collapse of other socialist states.

Pessimism prevails

The analysts remained pessimistic that Kim Jong-un’s strategy to mimic his grandfather will help revitalize the country’s economy hit by international sanctions.

“He may have succeeded in elevating his status to the highest degree, but it will be only meaningful symbolically,” Kim Yong-hyun said.

He claimed Kim Jong-un’s “five-year economic strategy” lacked details.

The North Korean leader urged him to implement the strategy starting next year, saying it will be critical for the country’s “byungjin” (parallel development) policy of pursuing a nuclear weapons program and economic development at the same time. But he did not suggest relevant data, such as a targeted economic growth rate.

“Sales of natural resources are key for the country to revitalize its economy, but U.N sanctions will not make it possible,” Park Young-ho said. “He obviously is aware of this and that’s why he did not mention numbers or details.”