At first glance, it's something out of a Sasha Baron Cohen film, but this is real life. North Korean's Kim Jong-un, also known as The Great Successor, has a theme song, so brush off your North Korean and sing along to "Onwards Toward the Final Victory!"
"The song hardens the will of the Korean army and people to devote their all to the prosperity of the country with high national pride," said state news agency KCNA.
Unlike the songs associated with his father and grandfather, it does not specifically mention Kim. Instead, it takes its title from the closing words of his address marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather, the country's founder Kim Il-song.
"It's almost like remixing his speech; it's not really a paean to him," said John Delury, an expert on North Korea at Yonsei University in Seoul.
Hong Kwang Sun, vice-minister of culture, told KCNA: "The song is just a powerful trumpet call of the revolution encouraging the army and people in the drive to build a thriving nation as well as a stirring drumbeat of victory."
Unfortunately, no direct translation of the words, but essentially, the North Korean propaganda machine is working to build up the "Great Successor's" public image. Given his secretive upbringing, he's not yet achieved the mythical, god-like status afforded to his father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-song, so this is one of the many tools the government will employ to hype the young leader. The psychology of a totalitarian state, folks. Stranger than fiction, indeed.
I'd characterize this as a "Friday Fun" post, but considering the millions of oppressed people suffering in cold and hunger while the deranged, Soviet-style communist government wastes time and money on failed military build-ups...well, fun just isn't the right sentiment.
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