North 3rd Revolution Conference Concludes... From 'Suryong' to 'Great Kim Jong Un'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea raised its voice to illuminate the "Great Kim Jong-un Era" as it concluded the "3rd Revolutionary Pioneer Conference," which began on the 18th. The honorific "Great," previously used only for former supreme leaders, was now attributed to Kim Jong-un, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party, signaling the solid establishment of his political status.

On the 22nd, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "The 5th 3rd Revolutionary Pioneer Conference was successfully concluded with participants' high political enthusiasm, achieving its objectives." The agency conveyed that in the appeal adopted after the conference, it urged, "Let tens of millions firmly unite around the great Comrade Kim Jong-un to vigorously open a new high tide of the 3rd Revolution and a comprehensive development period of our style socialist construction."

A notable point in the report and the appeal was the use of the honorific "Great" for General Secretary Kim. Previously, North Korean media only used this term for Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, while referring to the General Secretary as "Respected." This change appears related to the recent strengthening of his political status, such as the Rodong Sinmun referring to him as "Supreme Leader" for the first time. Professor Yang Moo-jin of the University of North Korean Studies said, "This shows that the General Secretary has truly risen to the highest position," adding, "Showing these signs in his tenth year in power also serves to demonstrate regime stabilization and control both domestically and internationally."