North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the 80th anniversary celebration of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League (Youth League) ahead of the 9th Workers’ Party Congress, rallying the patriotism of young North Koreans. He notably lauded those who participated in the Russian deployment as role models for future generations.
The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on January 17 that the 80th anniversary celebration of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League’s founding was held grandly on the 16th at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, with Kim in attendance.
In his commemorative address, Kim emphasized that the Party Central Committee firmly trusts the youth to plan and advance today’s grand endeavor of enhancing the nation’s dignity and status worldwide while simultaneously revitalizing the entire country. He added that possessing the most revolutionary and patriotic youth corps is a great pride of the Party, state, and people – an unparalleled strength of Korea that no physical force can break.
Kim stated that the event was organized as the first national event of this significant year when the 9th Party Congress will be held, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Youth League’s founding. He explained that the primary purpose of this event is to greatly inspire and widely praise the youth, who have always worked exceptionally hard in every aspect of our cause, and to powerfully motivate them towards new breakthroughs and innovations.
This event marks the first major occasion leading up to the Party Congress, seemingly aimed at mobilizing youth support and emphasizing the role of the Youth League organization ahead of the upcoming congress.
Kim remarked that the revolutionary path has presented numerous challenges and obstacles that were difficult to overcome even with vigorous vitality and overflowing youth. The winds of temptation targeting the corruption of new generations have never ceased. However, he added that the red flag raised by the youth has not faded with the passage of time and the storms of history; instead, it has flown higher and more fiercely through pure and thorough succession.
Despite ongoing generational changes, he praised the youth as the vanguard of class struggle and builders of socialism, stating that they have always been faithful to their mission and historical duty as successors, ensuring that the pillars of the state have never wavered.
Since taking power, Kim has implemented policies aimed at solidifying the socialist system long-term, including the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Exclusion Law (2020) and the Youth Education Guarantee Law (2021), to guard against ideological relaxation among the youth. This event is interpreted as part of that ongoing effort to reinforce youth ideology and utilize it as a foundation for the upcoming 9th Party Congress to advance socialist construction.
During the event, Kim awarded the Kim Jong Il Medal to the Youth League. He personally attached the medal to the Socialist Patriotic Youth League flag and presented the medal certificate to Mun Chol, chairman of the Youth League Central Committee.
The event also included youth soldiers who had been deployed for overseas special military operations in Russia. Published photos captured Kim showing special affection by caressing and embracing the young soldiers.
Kim emphasized that not only the young soldiers present here, but countless comrades are dedicating their vibrant youth without any personal gain, solely to fulfill the orders of our homeland, even on distant battlefields at this very moment. He asserted that there can be no soldiers in the world who fight as faithfully to defend their nation’s honor and their own dignity without any reward or personal interests as the soldiers do.
He continued that only Koreans, only Korean youth can undertake such tasks, and the world has yet to understand this reality, stating that having such youth is a source of national pride incomparable to anything else, thus emphasizing the legitimacy of the deployment.
Kim also took a commemorative photo with exemplary youth.
The Youth League, successor to the Democratic Youth League of North Korea founded on January 17, 1946, is North Korea’s largest youth labor and social organization. Membership is mandatory for all youth and students aged 14 to 30. Current membership is estimated at around 5 million, and the name Socialist Patriotic Youth League was reaffirmed at the 10th Congress held in late April 2021.
Photos released from the event did not capture Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, considered a symbol of North Korea’s future generation. Only party secretaries Ri Il-hwan and Ri Hi-yong, along with Jo Chang-il, head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department, accompanied Kim during his public activities.
The newspaper featured a four-page editorial titled, Let Us Become Youth Vanguards Who Are Endlessly Loyal to the Workers’ Party of Korea’s Cause, listing the contributions of the youth and stating that they are illuminating their precious youth with valuable patriotic struggles.
It described Kim as the youth’s teacher and benevolent father, urging that any youth from this land who has grown under his guidance must be thoroughly armed with Comrade Kim’s revolutionary thought and become absolute believers and fervent defenders of the Party Central Committee’s high authority.
Another article reported that youth from Jagang Province are volunteering for difficult and challenging sectors. A gathering to celebrate these volunteers was held in Kanggye City, where they are expected to work on goat farms and local factory construction projects.
