Executive Summary

In its entire history, North Korea has maintained an absolute authoritarian regime, with the Kim dynasty exercising power over successive generations. It is also known as the ‘Hermit Kingdom because presently it stands as the most secluded and oppressive nation globally. Freedom is curtailed by denying basic rights, free speech, movement, independent media, political pluralism, and way of living, and even access to modern technology. The regime exercises control over almost every sector such as media, education, and state agencies while portraying the leader as possessing sacred motives for the uplift of the people. Disobedience to the dictated principles includes harsh penalties such as executions, throwing into political prisons, forced starvation, and labor. The leadership often attributes economic challenges or internal failures of the state to hostile nations, thereby fostering public support itself while simultaneously cultivating a sense of animosity towards foreign powers.

This report explores how psychological manipulation, human rights violations, and narrative construction can be harnessed to bolster leaders' positions while quashing any potential uprising. In this context, loyalty to the regime becomes synonymous with survival, as even a minor deviation can result in severe punishment.

Introduction

North Korea operates as a one-party state under a dynastic totalitarian dictatorship centered around the Kim family. The Kim dynasty, also known as the Mount Paektu (considered a sacred place in North Korea) bloodline is the ideological discourse of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), spans three generations of leadership, tracing its roots back to Kim Il Sung, the country's founder and the one who assumed control in 1948 after the end of Japanese rule.[1] Following his death in 1994, leadership passed to his son, Kim Jong Il, and then to his grandson, Kim Jong Un.[2] This renders the state ‘Not Free,’ with a score of 3 out of 100 in the ‘Freedom in the World 2023 Report.’[3]

The de facto absolute monarchy allows no political liberties or pluralism, with dissent or opposition met harshly. Compulsory elections, serving as an informal census, record near 100 percent turnout, symbolizing the Parliament's symbolic nature.[4] In the 2019 elections, predetermined candidates secured all seats, with any opposition considered treasonous, emphasizing the regime's tight control over political processes.

This report explains how in the tightly controlled confines of North Korea, a regime marked by severe repression, sophisticated propaganda machinery, and egregious human rights violations orchestrates a systematic campaign to silence dissent and manipulate public perception.

Personality Cult and State Philosophy of Juche

Kim Il Sung developed a cult of personality centered on the Juche philosophy during the 1980s focusing on self-reliance in political, economic, and military spheres.[5] This ideology, further expanded by Kim Jong-un, connects individual destinies to his carefully crafted leadership, deemed indispensable for North Korea's survival and prosperity. These manipulative strategies emphasize North Korea's sovereignty among its citizens and the notion that the country can flourish independently. As per the ‘suryong system,’ Kim Jong-un has been described as the "Great Successor" after his father’s death who was referred to as the ‘Eternal President.’[6]

Through strategic indoctrination of anti-foreign sentiment into early educational content, and framing external factors as the root cause of economic struggles, the regime manipulates citizens' perceptions of their country's challenges, reinforcing its control and consolidating power. This includes primary school mathematics classes where students calculate casualties inflicted on the "American imperialist bastards" by the Korean People's Army.[7]

State Controlled Media

North Korea consistently ranks among the lowest in the Press Freedom Index, positioning it 180th in the 2023 report, just beneath China, marking the lowest ranking on the index.[8] The media landscape is tightly controlled, with government channels preset on radio and TV receivers broadcasting propaganda. State-controlled outlets positively depict the three generational leaders, omitting information about the regime’s crimes, economic challenges, and disasters.[9]

The coverage deliberately portrays Kim Jong-il's active involvement in various sectors, reinforcing an image of effective leadership. The reporting features photographs and footage of him guiding local workers or servicemen while always surrounded by women and children hugging and cheering him. This intends to portray how much he is adored.[10] Ordinary citizens face severe consequences for accessing foreign broadcasts. The regime interferes with foreign-based radio stations, and official sites, such as news agency KCNA and party newspaper Rodong Sinmun target audiences outside North Korea.[11] In response to international reports on economic challenges, the regime employs its Songun policy, showcasing military exercises, its nuclear arsenal, and missile systems through cinematic-style propaganda to project strength globally.[12]

Banning Modern Technology

The regime has intensified control over communication technology to consolidate absolute authority. While mobile phone service exists, mobile internet access is limited to higher authorities, with urban areas having a closed intranet providing state-approved information.[13]  As of July 2022, only 0.1% of the population, about 20,000 people, had internet access – the world's lowest penetration rate.[14] The government cracks down on mobile phone use to contact family abroad, suppressing insights into the outside world and preventing disclosure of human rights violations.[15] Social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are banned.[16] Pyongyang justifies these measures as essential safeguards against perceived ideological threats and warding off potential threats.

Human Rights Violation

The United Nations' 2014 inquiry determined that North Korea's leadership is engaged in widespread and horrifying human rights violations against its population, reaching an unprecedented scale in the modern era. The crimes committed are likened to those perpetrated by the Nazis and a distinctive form of Stalinist-inspired centralized dynastic rule, including acts categorized as crimes against humanity.[17] The citizens face a profound infringement on the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Free movement, or particularly emigration is banned in the Kingdom and those found guilty face harsh reparations.

Prison Camps

The widespread human rights abuses in North Korea are starkly evident in satellite imagery exposing the expansion of political prison camps, known as kwanliso which are described by the United Nations as sites for "unspeakable atrocities."[18] These facilities subject inmates to intentional starvation, forced labor, executions, torture, rape, and the denial of reproductive rights. Hundreds of thousands of political prisoners have lost their lives in these camps. The regime utilizes this extensive network of illicit prisons to control, coerce, and punish citizens, often detaining them secretly, leaving families uninformed and individuals accused of political offenses as victims of enforced disappearance. This deliberate tactic instills fear, discouraging any defiance of state rules.Top of FormTop of Form

Civil Liberties

Civil liberties in North Korea face systematic suppression, extending across all aspects of society. The regime dictates a limited choice of hairstyles, reportedly around 15, although the exact number is disputed. Kim Jong-un's distinctive haircut is strictly prohibited for both men and women.[19] Exclusive permission is required to reside and work in the capital, Pyongyang.[20] Kim Jong Un's April 2021 directive titled 'Dangerous Poison’ enables the government to control personal choices, dictating attire and entertainment, and enforces laws eradicating any form of foreign influence, imposing severe penalties for possession of foreign films, DVDs, clothing, or the use of slang.[21]

Additionally, the North Korean government exercises control over its populace by utilizing the Public Distribution System (PDS), a rationing mechanism that prohibits the buying and selling of grain, compelling citizens to depend on the state for their basic needs.[22] This system privileges individuals deemed crucial for maintaining the regime before distributing the remaining resources, even if some or many North Koreans go hungry in the process.[23]

The 'songbun system', a state-controlled discriminatory caste system categorizes citizens into "loyal," "wavering," or "hostile" based on hereditary class and socio-political rank.[24] This ultimately serves as a gauge of loyalty to the regime.  This in return significantly influences individuals' lives, determining job assignments, access to education, medical facilities, and other privileges or penalties. The pervasive surveillance associated with 'songbun' underscores the regime's governing mechanism, shaping every aspect of life for North Korean citizens.[25]

Conclusion

This report has demonstrated how North Korea, a one-party state under the Kim dynasty, employs an intricate system of propaganda and repression to maintain absolute control. The regime's personality cult, state philosophy, and state-controlled media depict a carefully crafted narrative reinforcing the indispensability of leadership. Internet bans, communication restrictions, and a discriminatory caste system further isolate citizens. Rampant human rights violations, including political prison camps and food control, exemplify coercive tactics. Civil liberties are systematically suppressed through enforced hairstyles, clothing restrictions, and laws against foreign influence. Conclusively, after careful analysis, the report underscores how the regime strategically deploys propaganda, repression, and isolation to shape public perception and silence dissent, emphasizing the pervasive influence of these tactics.

Sibra Waseem is an independent researcher in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Bibliography

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[1] Eleanor Albert, North Korea’s Power Structure, (Council on Foreign Relations, 2020), accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/north-koreas-power-structure.

[2] Ibid.

[3] "North Korea: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report," Freedom House, March 8, 2023, accessed May 11, 2022, https://freedomhouse.org/country/north-korea/freedom-world/2023#PR.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Zack Beauchamp, "Juche, the state ideology that makes North Koreans revere Kim Jong Un, explained," Vox, June 18, 2018, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.vox.com/world/2018/6/18/17441296/north-korea-propaganda-ideology-juche.

[6]  Alastair Gale, "North Korea Leader Kim Jong Il Has Died," Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2011, accessed December 5, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405297020479110457710735

[7] Tania Branigan, "Hope, pride, fear: how North Koreans feel about their homeland," The Guardian, August 10, 2017, accessed December 4, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/10/hope-pride-fear-how-north-koreans-feel-about-their-homeland.

[8] "2023 World Press Freedom Index – Journalism Threatened by Fake Content Industry," Reporters Without Borders(RSF), March 8, 2023, accessed December 3, 2023, https://rsf.org/en/2023-world-press-freedom-index-journalism-threatened-fake-content-industry.

[9] "North Korea media guide," BBC News, April 26, 2023, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15259016.

[10] "North Korea's tightly controlled media," BBC News, December 19, 2011, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-16255126.

[11] "North Korea Media Guide."

[12] Songun stands for 'Military First' and is one of the overarching policies in North Korea.

[13] Max Fisher, "Yes, North Korea Has the Internet. Here's What It Looks Like," Vox, March 19, 2015, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.vox.com/2014/12/22/7435625/north-korea-internet.

[14] "North Korea Media Guide."

[15] "North Korea: Tightened Controls on Communications with the Outside World Leave Families Devastated," Amnesty International, August 16, 2016, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/03/north-korea-connection-denied/.

[16] Eric Talmadge, "North Korea announces blocks on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube," The Guardian, April 1, 2016, accessed December 2, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/01/north-korea-announces-blocks-on-facebook-twitter-and-youtube.

[17] Peter Walker, "North Korea human rights abuses resemble those of the Nazis, says UN inquiry," The Guardian, February 18, 2014, accessed December 1, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/17/north-korea-human-rights-abuses-united-nations.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Julian Robinson, "Trim Jong-un: North Korean men and women have a choice of just 15 approved hairstyles – but none match Kim Jong-un's distinctive cut," Daily Mail, April 17, 2017, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4418628/Trim-Jong-North-Koreans-choice-15-haircuts.html.

[20] Will Ripley, "Inside Pyongyang: How North Korea is Changing," CNN, February 26, 2017, accessed December 4, 2023,https://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/26/asia/north-korea-will-ripley/index.html.

[21]  Laura Bicker, "Why Kim Jong-un is waging war on slang, jeans and foreign films," BBC News, June 7, 2021, accessed December 4, 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57225936.

[22] "A Matter of Survival: The North Korean Government’s Control of Food and the Risk of Hunger," Human Rights Watch, May 2006, accessed December 3, 2023, https://www.hrw.org/report/2006/05/03/matter-survival/north-korean-governments-control-food-and-risk-hunger#:~:text=North Korea has long used,for their

[23] Ibid.

[24] Phil Robertson, "North Korea’s Caste System The Trouble With Songbun," Foreign Affairs, June 30, 2016, accessed November 29, 2023, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/north-korea/2016-06-30/north-koreas-caste-system.

[25] Paul Eckert, "North Korea Political Caste System Behind Abuses: Study," Reuters, June 6, 2012, accessed December 4, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-korea-north-caste-idUSBRE85505T20120606/.