1 May 1987 | Magazine, Magazine Editions, Volume 16.05 May 1987
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10 May 2024 | News and features, North Korea, Opinion, Ruth's blog
One of the core roles of Index from its establishment was samizdat, providing access to real news for those people caught behind the Iron Curtain as an alternative to Soviet propaganda. We provided both a platform for dissidents and a news outlet for those subject to totalitarian censorship, an aspiration we continue to hold today.
However when you think about censorship and repressive regimes we only ever refer to the dictator as the main driver for censorship – Putin’s Russia, Xi’s China, Lukashenka’s Belarus, but we rarely consider or even know the names of the people who do the dirty deed.
That isn’t the case in one of the most restrictive dictatorships in the world.
In the tightly controlled information environment of North Korea, the recent passing of Kim Ki Nam, a key figure in the regime’s propaganda apparatus, marks the end of an era. Kim Ki Nam, who spent decades shaping the narrative of the totalitarian state and building a personality cult around the ruling Kim dynasty, leaves behind a legacy of censorship and manipulation.
Kim Ki Nam’s career demonstrated the potent blend of ideology and media manipulation that characterise authoritarian regimes. As deputy director and later leader of Pyongyang’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, he played a central role in crafting the regime’s messaging, cementing the authority of the ruling dynasty, and stifling dissent.
The propaganda machine overseen by Kim Ki Nam maintained an iron grip on communication within North Korea, tightly controlling information flows and censoring external influences. The banning of South Korean and Western entertainment, including music and movies, illustrates the regime’s determination to isolate its citizens from alternative narratives and perspectives, something that perpetuates today. The draconian punishment meted out to individuals caught consuming foreign media, such as the public sentencing of teenagers for watching K-dramas, highlights the regime’s extreme measures to enforce ideological conformity.
Moreover, Kim Ki Nam’s influence extended beyond North Korea’s borders, with his role in shaping the regime’s external propaganda efforts and projecting an image of strength and unity to the outside world. Something undertaken at a huge cost to the citizens of North Korea, as they were forced to engage in the charade.
As we reflect on Kim Ki Nam’s legacy and the ongoing impact of his work, it is imperative to recognise the profound implications of state-controlled propaganda for freedom of expression and the broader struggle for human rights. The manipulation of information, censorship of dissent, and cult of personality perpetuated by regimes like North Korea not only deprive citizens of their basic rights but also threaten the foundations of democracy and open society.
The death of Kim Ki Nam must remind us of the need to reaffirm our commitment to defending freedom of expression, combating propaganda, and standing in solidarity with those who dare to speak truth to power. Only through vigilance, solidarity, and unwavering dedication to the principles of freedom and democracy can we hope to challenge the tyranny of censorship and authoritarianism wherever it may arise.
1 Dec 2022 | North Korea, Tyrant of the Year 2022
“As far as freedoms go, there is no landscape so bleak as North Korea,” says Index assistant editor Katie Dancey-Downs. “Under Kim Jong-un’s totalitarian regime, citizens are fed propaganda in lieu of actual food. And as for elections? The ballot paper has only one option.”
Kim Jong-un continues to rule as the supreme leader of North Korea, keeping alive the brutal legacy of the Kim dynasty. He makes a grand show of nuclear weapons on the global stage (including recently firing more than 20 missiles across the sea border with South Korea) while much of the country lives in extreme poverty and under close surveillance. One of Kim’s most recent photo opportunities was alongside what is believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile – he watched as the test was launched.
Criticism of the regime is not tolerated. Dissent is punished severely. Executions and prison camps drive fear under this totalitarian regime, while lavish displays of affection are demanded by its leader.
“North Koreans are nothing short of modern-day slaves who have been deprived of freedom of expression and movement,” says Jihyun Park, a UK-based activist who escaped from North Korea – twice. “North Korea is a place where I lived like a machine and remained silent.”
North Korea lands in last place in the Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index, out of 180 countries. Only official government news sources are permitted, which are packed with propaganda. No outside information gets in, and what the rest of the world gets to see is controlled with the tightest of grips. Some tyrants might overreach on internet clampdowns, but for Kim it’s all or nothing. North Koreans only have access to a localised intranet, with absolutely no view of the world wide web in any form.
With Kim Jong-un the third generation in the dynasty, and talks of his eventual successor hotting up, Dancey-Downs comments: “Perhaps beyond simply Tyrant of the Year, Kim should be up for a lifetime achievement award.”
