On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, sent approximately 2.9 billion KRW (about 1.97 million USD) in scholarships to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chochongryun). This gesture commemorates the 114th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Kim Il Sung on April 15.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that Kim Jong Un allocated 316.36 million JPY (approximately 1.99 million USD) in Japanese currency for educational aid and scholarships. These funds are intended to support the democratic ethnic education of Korean children in Japan.
The newspaper also noted that North Korea’s total scholarship contributions to Chochongryun have reached an impressive 50.35 billion JPY (approximately 314 million USD) over 172 instances. This tradition spans three generations of leadership, from Chairman Kim Il Sung to Chairman Kim Jong Il, and now to General Secretary Kim Jong Un.
Kim has consistently maintained this practice, sending scholarships to Chochongryun annually on his father’s birthday. Last year, he reportedly sent 287.02 million JPY (about 1.8 million USD) in scholarships around the same time.
Despite Kim’s recent declaration of a hostile relationship between North and South Korea at the end of 2023, which has led to a gradual erosion of the concept of a unified Korean ethnicity, he continues to maintain strong ties with Chochongryun. Analysts interpret this as a strategic move to cultivate future generations of Chochongryun members as a support base.
Interestingly, within the Chochongryun community, which has long advocated for independent peaceful reunification, Kim’s declaration of hostility has reportedly caused significant backlash and confusion. In light of this, some experts suggest that Kim has been intensifying his efforts to communicate with Chochongryun since 2024, possibly to mitigate these concerns and maintain loyalty.