North Korea calls for loyalty to its leader ahead of the anniversary of the late founder’s death

North Korea’s state media on Sunday called for loyalty to its leader Kim Jong Un amid tensions over the North’s weapons tests and defense pact with Russia ahead of the death anniversary of state founder Kim Il Sung, which is due later this week.

The North’s main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, made the appeal on the 30th anniversary of the death of Kim Il-sung, who ruled the country from 1948 to 1994 and is the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. That day falls on Monday.

“The path of following (Kim Jong-un’s) will wholeheartedly is the path to the great leader’s eternal life and the path to the most complete and outstanding realization of the great leader’s lifelong wish,” said a front-page article.

The state media calls Kim Il-sung the “great leader.”

The article listed a number of projects undertaken by the current leader, such as the construction of a new ruling party training school, and described them as wishes of the late founder.

At the beginning of his rule, Kim Jong-un’s hairstyle and fashion style resembled those of Kim Il-sung. Observers say this look was intended to secure the loyalty of the people and consolidate his power.

North Korea usually holds major commemorations on every fifth or tenth anniversary of a major national event. The country held major commemorations on the 20th and 25th anniversaries of the late founder’s death in 2014 and 2019, respectively. (Yonhap)