On December 27, Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, attended an event commemorating the 53rd anniversary of the socialist constitution. The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on December 28 that Kim encouraged participants at the event.
According to the newspaper, Kim attended the flag-raising and oath-taking ceremony for Constitution Day held the previous day at the Mansudae Assembly Hall. Key officials from the party and government, including members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, were also present.
Kim led the oath-taking ceremony commemorating Constitution Day. The newspaper reported that the flag-raising ceremony proceeded solemnly with the People’s Army Honor Guard in formation.
As Kim led the oath, he emphasized that all participants were committed to fulfilling their responsibilities to the people. They pledged to legally ensure the nation’s comprehensive revival and development by embodying Kim’s unique ideology of prioritizing the masses. The goal, as stated, is to transform the country into a socialist paradise where people’s ideals are realized, creating an impregnable fortress.
Kim has positioned prioritizing the masses as his core governing ideology. This principle was officially recognized as the basic political method of socialism during the 8th Party Congress in 2021. Some analysts speculate that the upcoming 9th Party Congress, expected early next year, may include constitutional amendments that formally enshrine Kim’s revolutionary thought, including this mass-oriented approach.
Additionally, Kim met with innovators and contributors invited to the Constitution Day celebration and New Year’s festivities, offering them encouragement.
The newspaper quoted Kim as saying that the Republic’s constitution places obligations before rights. It is the unnamed patriots who diligently contribute their efforts at their workplaces that strengthen its country and ensure the cause progresses without pause. He added that in its historic struggle for comprehensive socialist development, the party and government’s primary source of strength is the high patriotic enthusiasm of the people.
Kim also congratulated the players and coaches of the women’s soccer team, who recently won the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) U-17 World Cup.
With the 9th Party Congress approaching early next year, this Constitution Day appears to serve as a platform for Kim to promote his people-centered ideology and inspire loyalty and patriotism among North Korean citizens.