North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on the country’s youth to abandon personal “dreams” and obey state orders at a large-scale gathering in Pyongyang, according to state media, painting a stark vision of citizenship defined by sacrifice and enforced conformity.

Speaking at a national conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League (SPYL) at Kim Il Sung Stadium on Friday, Kim framed the youth league as the central organization sustaining the country’s political system, military posture and mobilized labor force.

He also repeated that DPRK soldiers are currently stationed overseas, according to the Korean Central