On Wednesday, analysts revealed that North Korea implemented policies throughout the previous year aimed at thoroughly blocking any potential for regime change.
Lee Ho-ryeong, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, highlighted this in a report titled, Analysis of North Korea’s Security Threats, published by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. He examined key trends influencing shifts in North Korea’s political and social landscape.
Lee stated that the North Korean authorities have identified elements of regime instability and have developed policies, organizations, systems, and laws to block and suppress them. He added that ultimately, the main characteristics and changes in political and social trends represent the unstable elements as assessed by the North Korean regime. Failures in managing and controlling these factors could directly or indirectly evolve into threats to the national security.
He emphasized that following North Korea’s official acknowledgment of Russian troop deployments last April, the regime has focused on promoting patriotism and veterans’ support to alleviate public discontent stemming from the deployment. Simultaneously, they’ve been clarifying the succession system to strengthen regime unity and accelerating preparations for the 9th Party Congress.
Additionally, the senior researcher pointed out that the Workers’ Party plenary meeting held in June last year emphasized restructuring internal party organizations.
He noted that the aim to reorganize party organizations ahead of the 9th Party Congress is similar to the decisions made during the plenary meeting before the 8th Congress five years ago. However, he argued that unlike the previous reorganization and strengthening of functions concerning the consolidation and establishment of specialized departments, the focus now is on enhancing the combat effectiveness and activity of the party’s grassroots organizations.
This suggests that the regime intends to build a power-concentrating system that ensures quicker communication and implementation of the party’s directives and policies at all organizational levels, thereby securing loyalty.
Lee also pointed out that last year, the policy direction against anti-socialist activities placed greater emphasis on education rather than punishment. He analyzed that the North Korean authorities are strengthening investments and policy development in education to produce socialist humans loyal to Kim Jong Un as a fundamental solution.
He further mentioned that Secretary-General Kim showcased his daughter Ju-ae during last year’s 80th anniversary of China’s victory celebrations, clarifying the succession dynamics. He assessed this as another measure to block regime instability. Lee anticipates that the upcoming 9th Party Congress, expected to be held in February, will see an increase in tasks aimed at enhancing regime durability.