Increased Confidence of Kim Jong-un in Nuclear and Missile Technology Advancement
Showcasing Support from North Korean Residents Despite Lack of Predecessor's Halo
Possible Move to Celebrate Kim Jong-un's Birthday in the Future
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un personally supervised the first test launch of the newly developed hypersonic glide warhead equipped on the new type of medium-to-long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile 'Hwasongpho-16na' on the 2nd, according to a report by Korean Central Television on the 3rd. [Korean Central Television screen] [Image source=Yonhap News]
The government has assessed that North Korea appears to have changed the official name of its biggest holiday, the birthday of President Kim Il-sung (April 15), from 'Day of the Sun' to '4·15'. Experts analyze that Chairman Kim Jong-un intends to break away from the legacy of his predecessors, backed by confidence in his nuclear and missile capabilities.
According to the Ministry of Unification and others on the 17th, North Korea is deliberately avoiding the use of the term 'Day of the Sun' recently. North Korea established Kim Il-sung's birthday as the Day of the Sun in 1997, three years after his death, and has commemorated it as such every year since.
However, this year, the use of the term 'Day of the Sun' has noticeably decreased. Since February 17, state media have not used the term, and on the Day of the Sun itself, April 15, the term appeared in only one article throughout the Workers' Party organ newspaper Rodong Sinmun.
Under the Rodong Sinmun's front-page title, the 'Celebration' banner replaced the term 'Day of the Sun', used until last year, with '4·15'.
A Ministry of Unification official told reporters the day before, "North Korean official media are referring to Kim Il-sung's birthday as '4·15' or 'April holiday'," adding, "Compared to past cases, they are deliberately replacing or deleting the term (Day of the Sun)."
Since North Korea has not officially commented on this, it remains speculative, but analysts suggest it reflects Chairman Kim Jong-un's confidence in standing alone without the legacy of his predecessors.
Jung Sung-jang, head of the Korea Strategy Center at the Sejong Institute, explained, "Since Chairman Kim has achieved considerable results in nuclear and missile fields, it seems to reflect his confidence in his own policies and the support of the people," adding, "It is a process of breaking away from the legacies of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il and seeking recognition from North Korean citizens based solely on Kim Jong-un's achievements."
North Korea has been continuously erasing Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il by internally using the term 'Kim Jong-unism' in 2021 to establish an independent ideological system.
North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un attended the completion ceremony of 10,000 residential units in the second phase of the Hwaseong District, known as the "North Korean New Town," in the capital city of Pyongyang, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 17th. The photo shows an overview of the second phase residential units in the Hwaseong District. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Recently, Chairman Kim also dismantled the 'Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification,' symbolizing Kim Il-sung's achievements in reunification, and planted landmines on the Gyeongui and Donghae lines, roads representing inter-Korean exchanges during Kim Jong-il's era.
In fact, North Korea has not used the term 'Day of Brightness,' Kim Jong-il's birthday, since February, following his birthday.
Jung said, "In the future, Kim Jong-un's birthday might also be promoted as North Korea's biggest holiday, but currently there are too many events such as Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's birthdays, the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army, the founding anniversary of the Party, and the founding anniversary of the Republic," adding, "It could be a process of reducing the importance of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's birthdays as it might be burdensome for North Korea."
There is also a possibility that Chairman Kim has instructed to refrain from using mystifying expressions in line with the trend toward socialist normal-statehood.
Earlier, in a letter sent to the Junior Propaganda Workers Conference in March 2019, Chairman Kim pointed out, "If we emphasize greatness while mystifying the revolutionary activities and demeanor of the leader, it obscures the truth."
This can also be interpreted as an intention to highlight the leader's human side to elicit absolute loyalty through comradeship and fascination.
However, since North Korea has only not used the term 'Day of the Sun' for two months, some analysts suggest waiting until next year to observe the situation. A Ministry of Unification official explained, "Although the term 'Day of the Sun' was not used, it is difficult to find significant differences in labor union meetings, sports, celebrations, and cultural events compared to other years."
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