By Kim Young-jin
North Korea’s propaganda machine is spinning the young age of its new leader Kim Jong-un as positive for the nation amid lingering doubts in the outside world over his inexperience.
The recent slew of remarks from the North’s mouthpiece media highlighting the virtues of Kim’s youth came as Pyongyang is seen to be securing his power after the death of his father, late ruler Kim Jong-il _ a transfer that has drawn massive attention around the world.
"Foreign media may claim that (Kim Jong-un) had too little preparation as successor, but in fact, the opposite is the case," the Chosun Sinbo, a pro-North Korean newspaper in Japan, wrote Monday. In North Korea, “a leader's youth is not a source of anxiety but a source of reassurance."
Analysts are closely watching Kim’s activities as some say his power may not be completely secure until he takes additional titles. Despite appearances of stability in the aftermath of his father’s fatal heart attack in December, some still wonder if factionalism could occur among the ruling elite.
The concerns stem from past precedent: while Kim Jong-il had decades to consolidate power, his son is thought to have been groomed for the top job for only around three years.
The reports attempt to shrug off concerns, with the Rodong Sinmun pointing out the early achievements of late country founder Kim Il-sung, the current leader’s grandfather who fought against Japanese imperialism in his teenage years. It also said Kim Jong-il crafted the nation’s “military-first” policy as a young man.
"Our supreme commander is young," the paper said late last month, adding it was the "utmost luck and honor" of the nation to serve a leader of his age.
Pyongyang has made efforts to beef up Jong-un’s resume, tying him to missile and nuclear tests earlier this decade as well as, reportedly, the North’s deadly artillery shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010. Such a campaign is seen as securing his position among the country’s powerful military.
Kim’s age has long been a hot topic in the international media, especially since September 2010 when the North released his image for the first time as it elevated him to four-star general status.
Analysts say the next few months will be crucial for Jong-un as his country launches celebrations for the 100th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, by which time the regime has promised to make the North a “strong and prosperous” state.
Some defectors with lines into the North say some citizens question the back-to-back hereditary succession, suggesting the new leader has his work cut out for him as he builds support.
Analysts say Pyongyang is capitalizing on Kim’s boyish looks by painting him as a more approachable figure than his father, as it seeks to build his personality cult.
The leader has been repeatedly shown by state media holding hands and linking arms with officials and citizens during his site visits, a personal quality his father is said to have lacked.