North's leader pays tribute to former mentor on anniversary of death

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North's leader pays tribute to former mentor on anniversary of death

Published: 19 May. 2025, 15:16 Updated: 19 May. 2025, 15:42

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the grave of Hyon Chol-hae, his mentor during his successor training years, to mark the third anniversary of his death on May 18, according to the Korean Central News Agency. [YONHAP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid tribute at the grave of Hyon Chol-hae, a former senior adviser to the Ministry of National Defense and Marshal of the Korean People’s Army and Kim’s mentor during his time as successor, on the third anniversary of his death.

This visit is interpreted as an attempt to highlight Kim’s image as a leader who cherishes the people by spotlighting Hyon — who served three generations of North Korea’s supreme leadership from Kim Il Sung to Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un — while also encouraging loyalty among the populace.

The state-run Rodong Sinmun reported on Monday that Kim visited Hyon’s grave at the Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery in Sinmi-ri the previous day and “offered a flower.”

The paper published a photo of Kim kneeling before a headstone inscribed with “Comrade Hyon Chol-hae,” placing a single red flower in front of it.

The paper also featured a lengthy article titled “The Noble Affection Shown by the Dear General Secretary Kim Jong-un to Comrade Hyon Chol-hae,” which highlighted Hyon’s contributions and emphasized loyalty to Kim.

Hyon, who died at the age of 87 on May 19, 2022, was a close confidant of Kim Jong-il and a key military figure. He held major positions such as a member of the Political Bureau and Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and is known as a “mentor of successor education” who helped Kim Jong-un solidify control over the military during his grooming as heir.

At the time of Hyon’s death, North Korea honored him by releasing a handwritten letter from Kim that read, “This Jong-un has never once forgotten Comrade Hyon Chol-hae, not even for a moment,” and also publicized Kim’s presence at Hyon’s deathbed.

In this image captured from a documentary about Hyon Chol-hae, former senior advisor to the Ministry of National Defense and Marshal of the Korean People’s Army, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cries while reading letters exchanged with Hyon [YONHAP]

Experts interpret the emphasis on “loyal subjects” as a strategy by Kim to induce loyalty through what is effectively an emotional appeal.

North Korea naming its newly built 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer — akin to an Aegis-class ship — after anti-Japanese partisan and founding figure Choe Hyon is seen as another example of this strategy.

The Rodong Sinmun on Thursday referenced the Choe Hyun ship, describing Choe, who was loyal to Kim Il Sung, as “a revolutionary soldier who kept absolute loyalty to the Supreme Leader as the lifeblood of his life,” and urged today’s citizens to live with similar devotion to Kim Jong-un.

“It’s an effort to encourage loyalty to Kim Jong-un by emphasizing that loyalists are treated with particular respect,” said Oh Gyeong-seob, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. “It can be viewed as a kind of emotional governance unique to Kim Jong-un aimed at establishing a leadership style distinct from his predecessors.”

The 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyun is seen during a ceremony for its display at Nampo Shipyard in North Korea on April 25. [YONHAP]

Meanwhile, North Korea continues to take steps to sever inter-Korean ties under Kim Jong-un’s “two hostile states” policy stance.

North Korea recently replaced the signboard of “Tongilgak,” located on the northern side of the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom, with one that reads “Panmungwan,” according to the Ministry of Unification. “Tongil” is the Korean word for unification.

“North Korea removed the Tongilgak signboard in January last year and installed the Panmungwan signboard on Aug. 11,” said a Unification Ministry official.

Tongilgak was a conference facility built in August 1985 on the orders of Kim Jong-il. The second summit between former President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un on May 26, 2018, also took place there.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO, LEE YU-JUNG [[email protected]]