2021.01.29 1:35pm
Kim Jong Un presented his “people-first policy” as the fundamental principles of socialism at the Eighth Party Congress which was held for eight days in North Korea since Jan. 5. He also emphasized that people should be regarded with the utmost importance. However, these kind of concepts are nothing more than slogans that are used to control the public and evoke a sense of loyalty. Kim Jong Un’s true intentions were revealed when he enacted the anti-reactionary thought law last year.
Authors Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith pointed out in their book,
The Dictator’s Handbook, that a dictator is someone who hates freedom. Their reasoning is because if you allow freedom, then the people will recognize each other’s suffering and easily cooperate in antigovernmental demonstrations. This same analysis can also be applied to Kim Jong Un because the people’s freedom can be a threat to one’s rank. If outside information gets in (to North Korea) and people become aware of freedom and human rights, then the stronghold of Kim Jong Un’s dictatorship that he worked tirelessly to build will easily collapse. This is why Kim Jong Un feels the need that he must desperately block the spread of liberalism. The anti-reactionary law was formed from within this context.