Recently under leader Kim Jong Un, North Korean media has reemphasized the official state ideology of Juche, or self-reliance, as a cornerstone of national pride and patriotic vigor.

Articles published in July celebrated “the new century of Juche” and commemorated Kim Jong Il’s supposed formulation of the Juche idea “into a complete theory scientifically showing the way for human emancipation.”

This reaffirmation of Juche signals a conceptual shift away from Kim Jong Un’s policy of simultaneously advancing the military and economy. Perhaps more importantly, it underlines just how serious North Korea’s economic troubles have become during the COVID-19