{"id":3717,"date":"2023-06-07T11:42:19","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T16:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=3717"},"modified":"2023-06-07T11:42:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T16:42:19","slug":"how-kim-yo-jong-became-north-koreas-propaganda-princess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=3717","title":{"rendered":"How Kim Yo-jong became North Korea\u2019s propaganda princess"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With a tongue sharper than her brother, she has demonstrated a predilection for making known her contempt for the US<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20370%20247'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/thespectator.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1128333739-e1686060791719.jpeg?w=720\" alt=\"Kim Yo-jong\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thespectator.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/GettyImages-1128333739-e1686060791719.jpeg?w=720\" alt=\"Kim Yo-jong\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If at first you don\u2019t succeed, try, try again. Such is the axiom underpinning North Korea\u2019s (DPRK) approach towards its nuclear and missile development. The hermit kingdom\u2019s acceleration in its nuclear and missile capabilities demonstrates how Kim Jong-un is working down his wish list of expanding his country\u2019s conventional and unconventional weapons, which he declared in January 2021. Since then, the world has witnessed launches of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), combat drones and, most recently, military reconnaissance satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last Wednesday\u2019s launch of a&nbsp;<em>Chollima-1&nbsp;<\/em>rocket was nothing to celebrate. It failed to ignite before hurtling into the Yellow Sea, which separates the Korean Peninsula from mainland China. For North Korea, so-called satellite launches have been poorly-disguised euphemisms for testing nuclear technology. This rocket aimed to launch a satellite into space. It likely comprised an engine similar to a previous ICBM, the&nbsp;<em>Hwasong-15<\/em>, further representing the DPRK\u2019s voracious desire to modernise and expand its weapons arsenal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p style=\"font-size:18px\">Who would take over the reins of this badly-behaved nuclear state were the corpulent Supreme Leader incapacitated?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>More notable than the unsuccessful launch, however, was North Korea\u2019s reaction. Though the regime has previously been more willing to mask technological failures, it now seems to admit that its launches can fail, albeit begrudgingly. But for a regime whose rule has been premised on dishonesty, North Korea\u2019s candidness is anything but admirable. Rather, it emphasizes a worrying reality, namely that it now takes its nuclear weapons for granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was, however, not Kim Jong-un who responded to this failure. Instead, it was Kim Yo-jong, his infamous younger sister, whose penchant for vitriolic rhetoric is becoming more well-known. Partially educated in Switzerland, like her brothers, she has risen through the ranks of North Korea\u2019s elite to her current roles as a member of the State Affairs Commission, the highest-ranked body of policy leadership, and as deputy director of the publicity and information department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also known as the \u201cpropaganda and agitation\u201d department, it is here that Kim Yo-jong has become the puppeteer behind the creation and nationwide promulgation of North Korea\u2019s propaganda. Over the past year, it has experienced a noticeable resurgence. At the end of last year, posters and artwork denouncing the United States reappeared in Pyongyang. North Korean state television also broadcast anti-US rallies threatening to \u201cbeat [the US] to a pulp\u201d and \u201crip them apart to death.\u201d Any signals, even if superficial, of rapprochement with the United States or South Korea, as was witnessed between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, have since evaporated<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That Kim Yo-jong was the likely agitator behind these words is no surprise. With a tongue arguably even sharper than her brother, she has demonstrated a predilection for making known her contempt for the United States and its allies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After last week\u2019s rocket crashed into the Yellow Sea, Ms. Kim was quick to react. In a proliferation of statements, she scathingly retorted how the DPRK did \u201cnot feel the necessity of dialogue with the US and its stooges.\u201d Instead, it would continue pursuing \u201ca more offensive attitude\u201d towards its enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Staying true to North Korea\u2019s past rhetoric, Kim lambasted a recent meeting of the United Nations Security Council that attempted to condemn Pyongyang\u2019s latest foray. She dismissed the organization as a \u201cpolitical appendage\u201d of the United States, violating the North\u2019s \u201cright to satellite launching.\u201d Stymied by the veto power wielded by Russia and China, however, the Security Council remains impotent, unable agree on statements of condemnation let alone impose further sanctions on North Korea. Such discord is in no small part a product of Russia\u2019s war with Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we approach the five-year anniversary of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thespectator.com\/tag\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump\u2019s infamous meeting<\/a>&nbsp;with Kim Jong-un in Singapore \u2014 which Kim Yo-jong herself attended \u2014 North Korea is not even pretending to show willingness to talk to its adversaries. Irrespective of Trump\u2019s recent felicitation to Kim Jong-un following the North\u2019s admission to the World Health Organization\u2019s Executive Board, the DPRK\u2019s economic forecast looks bleak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a moment of&nbsp;<em>d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu<\/em>&nbsp;from 2021, however, speculation of Kim Jong-un\u2019s health is resurfacing. Although these rumors should be taken with a large soup-spoonful of salt, Kim is hardly in fine fettle. Who would take over the reins of this badly-behaved nuclear state were the corpulent Supreme Leader incapacitated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Longer-term, the question remains as to whether his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spectator.co.uk\/article\/is-kim-jong-uns-daughter-being-lined-up-to-lead\/\">daughter<\/a>, Kim Ju-ae \u2014 who, for now, remains too young to lead \u2014 will succeed him. Is Ju-ae\u2019s aunt the best alternative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though historically a patriarchal society, Kim Yo-jong brings benefits to the regime. Young, caustic, and loyal to her brother, she represents a continuation of his policies. She has allegedly become a useful bridge between the party (the Workers\u2019 Party of Korea) and military, the Korean People\u2019s Army. Most importantly, however, she is a Kim. The Baekdu bloodline of hereditary succession, treasured by the ruling regime since North Korea became a state in 1948, will be maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the past week, Kim Yo-jong has promised much. While she will not be proclaimed leader any time soon, we should not be surprised if a second satellite launch turns out to be successful. In the meantime, Ms. Kim will keep sharpening her tongue; any barrage of future missile launches will no doubt be accompanied with a bombardment of bombastic bile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Original Article: <a href=\"https:\/\/thespectator.com\/topic\/kim-yo-jong-north-korea-propaganda-princess\/\">https:\/\/thespectator.com\/topic\/kim-yo-jong-north-korea-propaganda-princess\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With a tongue sharper than her brother, she has demonstrated a predilection for making known her contempt for the US If at first you don\u2019t succeed, try, try again. Such is the axiom underpinning North Korea\u2019s (DPRK) approach towards its nuclear and missile development. The hermit kingdom\u2019s acceleration in its nuclear and missile capabilities demonstrates how Kim Jong-un is working down his wish list of expanding his country\u2019s conventional and unconventional weapons, which he declared in January 2021. Since then, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-north-korea"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3717"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3719,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3717\/revisions\/3719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}