North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un’s recent visit to the country’s first “computer arcade” (Internet café) with his daughter Kim Ju Ae is seen as an attempt to appeal to the younger generation. However, this move appears to contradict the regime’s official stance against reactionary ideology and culture rejection, suggesting it may be a desperate measure to connect with the younger generation.
The South Korea’s Ministry of Unification official commented on Monday that Kim’s visit to the construction site of a major service facility in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district on April 3, accompanied by his daughter after a three-month hiatus, was likely aimed at garnering support from young people by showcasing this new facility.
The official noted that while internet cafés are a unique cultural phenomenon in South Korea, their introduction in North Korea clearly conflicts with the authorities’ emphasis on rejecting reactionary ideology and culture among youth.
North Korea has long focused on monitoring and controlling foreign cultural influences to prevent ideological relaxation among young people, which could potentially destabilize the regime. Laws such as the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law (2021), the Youth Education Guarantee Law (2021), and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law (2023) aim to tighten ideological control over youth and block external influences.
The regime’s dilemma stems from the growing need to introduce new cultural elements to appeal to younger generations, which inevitably requires incorporating aspects of foreign culture into its policies.
The fact that North Korea needs to regulate foreign cultural influences indicates significant public interest in these elements. This explains why the regime sometimes selectively adopts foreign cultural aspects to align with its policy goals while maintaining overall control.
Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, signaled a potential shift in the regime’s stance toward foreign cultural influences in May 2020. It stated, “Our people have endured various hardships amid the malicious schemes of hostile forces and have witnessed and heard everything happening in the world around us.”
Kim’s substantial investment in nationwide housing construction projects and his frequent visits to these sites are interpreted as efforts to provide citizens with access to modern amenities and cultural elements.
The Ministry of Unification official cautioned that North Korea showcases modern features like underground parking, luxurious interiors, and large digital billboards in new residential areas. However, the regime’s push for rapid construction may compromise building quality.