North Korea Removes 'Kim Il-sung' from Youth Organization Name After 25 Years

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea has changed the name of the Workers' Party's affiliated youth organization from 'Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-ilist Youth League' to 'Socialist Patriotic Youth League.' This is the first renaming in five years and the first time in 25 years that the name of North Korean leader Kim Il-sung has been removed from the youth organization's title.

According to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 30th, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un stated in a letter sent to the 10th Congress of the Youth League, which began on the 27th, that "a significant decision was made at this congress to rename the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-ilist Youth League to the Socialist Patriotic Youth League."

Chairman Kim evaluated the new name as "clearly reflecting the character and mission of the youth movement at the current stage of the revolution," adding that "it embodies the ideals and spirit of the youth of our era and preserves the unique flavor of a youth organization."

However, he emphasized that changing the name does not alter the essence of the youth organization, which continues to uphold Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-ilism as its overall goal and main struggle task.

The Youth League was founded in 1946 as the North Korean Democratic Youth League, merged with the South Korean Democratic Youth League in 1951 to become the Korean Democratic Youth League, then renamed the Socialist Labor Youth League in 1964, changed to the Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth League in 1996, and finally renamed the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-ilist Youth League in 2016.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.