North Korea celebrated Youth Day on Thursday with nationwide festivities, highlighting General Secretary Kim Jong Un’s Youth-Centric Ideology.
The Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on its front page on Friday that top officials, including Premier Pak Thae-sŏng and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly Choe Ryong-hae, visited various factories and enterprises—such as the Sangwon Cement Complex—to congratulate young workers.
The officials lauded the dedication of the youth, stating that it commends the passion and spirit of the young people who devote the most rewarding years of their lives to realizing the party’s vision. They also participated in cultural events, including performances and sports activities with the youth.
The newspaper emphasized the gratitude felt by young North Koreans toward Kim, describing him as a leader who nurtures the nation’s youth as reliable successors of the Juche revolution and as builders of a strong socialist country.
Page 3 of Rodong Sinmun detailed Youth Day events held nationwide. The Central Committee of the Youth League visited the Museum of the Youth Movement History, while celebratory dances took place at Pyongyang Arch of Triumph Square and the Pyongyang Gymnasium. A student sports competition was also held at the Taekwondo Hall in Pyongyang.
The paper reported on youth meetings organized by the Youth Speed Battle Brigade Management Bureau across various regions. Speakers at these events commended Kim for emphasizing youth issues as crucial to the party, the revolution, and the nation’s future. They also noted his support for the annual Youth Model Worker Meetings to promote positive actions among young people.
North Korea established Youth Day to commemorate Kim Il Sung’s founding of the Korean Communist Youth League on August 28, 1927. The holiday is intended to reinforce the youth’s commitment to the Juche ideology and their loyalty to the regime. This year’s celebrations, while underscoring Kim’s Youth-Centric Ideology, appeared particularly focused on motivating young people involved in the ongoing Five-Year Economic Plan.