Taeyongho: "Kim Jong-un's Title Change to 'General Secretary' Aimed at Strengthening Authority and Status"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party, analyzed that North Korea's appointment of Kim Jong-un as the Party General Secretary was intended to strengthen his authority and status.

On the 12th, Tae stated, "The title 'General Secretary' was judged to be much more advantageous for enhancing his authority and status than 'Chairman.'

The title 'Party General Secretary' was the highest title of the Workers' Party during the era of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Changing back to the General Secretary title used by his predecessors after four years indicates an intention to reorganize the party structure for easier governance, along with the effect of strengthening authority and status. Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un's father and former Chairman of the National Defense Commission, also retained the title of 'General Secretary' after Kim Il-sung's death.

Tae said, "In fact, the title 'Chairman' is so common in North Korea that it does not clearly distinguish Kim Jong-un's role as the 'head of the party.' Thousands of party organization leaders from the central to the grassroots level, as well as chairpersons of rural cooperative farms and heads of committees in various social sectors such as sports, education, and culture, are all addressed as 'Comrade Chairman!'"

He added, "Kim Jong-un needed a title that could be exclusively assigned to him, and that is precisely the title 'General Secretary.' It seems a formal procedure was necessary to involve the deceased predecessors in the party congress and officially inherit their party titles with their consent."

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