December 05, 2023
Analysis

‘Son of the army’: North Korea holds up infant as future soldier for Kim Jong Un

TV program profiles boy delivered by army medics during pandemic, in propaganda campaign to shore up support for regime

A North Korean child delivered by an army unit under exceptional circumstances is destined to become a soldier who fights for Kim Jong Un, according to DPRK state television, showing the infant dressed in military uniform in propaganda that one expert said seeks to generate loyalty for the regime.

In a program aired repeatedly since last month, Korean Central Television (KCTV) has relayed the story of the boy named Jang Ryong Hung who was reportedly born at a pharmacy during the country’s strict COVID-19 lockdown last year.