North Korea’s First Public Portrait of Kim Jong Un Marks a New Chapter
For the first time in official public space, the North Korean regime has hung a portrait of its current leader, Kim Jong Un, on the outside of the Pyongyang International Airport. The move is widely believed to be the beginning of a full-blown personality cult for the young dictator.
What’s Been Tradctionally Hunted?
Throughout the country you’ll see every inch of the walls, homes, offices and classrooms decorated with glorified images of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Mosaics, statues, and murals celebrate the founding father and his son‑successor. They’re so ubiquitous that the country’s cultural fabric is literally painted with them.
But today, the family’s latest champion was missing from that omnipresence‑squad. No public statues, no wall‑folded portraits, no shelves did they ever show the youngest generation.
“Is It a Second Term?”
- RYKCC Morse‑Mos: “It’s a first’—No, a second term, folks—an entire cult in a new frame.” Analysts point to the new portrait as a signal that Kim Jong Un is stepping into a “second term” of leadership.
- “Second term will focus on solidifying Kim Jong Un’s personal cult,” says Cho Han‑bum, a strategist at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
- He insists the portrait is just the tip of the iceberg for a future phase of cult‑building.
Getting the Face Right
Kim was spotted just outside once again with a half‑framed pair of glasses and a sharp, black western‑style suit, sported with a spotted tie. He looked bright and beaming, refusing to let the low‑light (P’yŏngyang weather or cameras perhaps?) affect it.
A Rewind to Prior Visions
We’ve seen inside the Workers’ Party headquarters a portrait of Kim shown alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping—during a Beijing delegation’s visit in April. But not on the public façade. Now the figure has stepped out!
From a Young Leader to a Global Key Player
Kim Jong Un began ruling in 2011 after a quick succession. Early on, he seemed precarious—susceptible to manipulation. Over the last few years, he tightened control with ruthless purges.
He’s now the first people in the DPR Korea to meet a U.S. President (Donald Trump) in a landmark summit, plus jamming up meetings with China and South Korea. Yep, the world is paying attention.
According to Dr Yang Moo‑jin, a professor in the University of North Korean Studies, symbolism and imagery are the core messages of a socialist state. The portrait displays front and centre, visualising the state’s unspoken agenda: a “Kim cult.”
