A new series in North Korea’s main newspaper has been recounting the illustrious deeds of prominent historical figures in recent months, and in the process shedding light on the current priorities and concerns of the regime.

In late January, the Rodong Sinmun began publishing profiles of people referred to as “chungshin” (충신)— a term that North Korean dictionaries define as both a person loyal to the party and leader and one loyal to a king in a feudal society.