North Korean Youth Organization Takes Name Kim Il-Sung, What Is It?

The new flag of the North Korean Socialist Patriotic Youth League. (Source: kcnawatch.org)

JAKARTA - North Korea removed the name of the late national founder Kim Il-sung from the title of its largest youth organization and re-incorporated the word 'socialist' into the organization's name, according to state media, Friday April 30.

The North Korean government said this step was taken aimed at tightening the ideological discipline of the young North Korean generation.

The Kimilsungist-Kimjongilis Youth League, governed by the North Korean Labor Party as the ruling party, was renamed the Socialist Patriotic Youth League (SPYL) at its 10th congress in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). April 30th.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a letter of congratulations to the youth league and said the group's name change took into account the new requirements of the Korean revolution and the development of the youth movement. As well as the unanimous will and desire of the Youth League.

SPYL emphasized that the organization will continue to imitate Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism as its general goal and task. As well as affirming loyalty to Kim Jong-un as the current leader.

The latest change marks the removal of the late leader's name from the title after 25 years. From 1996 to 2016, the group was called the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, named after the country's late founder and grandfather Kim Jong-un.

The group changed its name to Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League in 2016, adding Kim Jong-il, the late former leader and father of the current leader to his title.

SPYL has also reintroduced the term 'Socialist' into its newest name in five years, along with increasing efforts to tighten ideological discipline, amid concerns about the rising exposure of the younger generation to outside influences.

Kim Jong-un attended the last day of the congress and took part in a photo session with the participants, Thursday 29 April. A number of high-ranking North Korean officials accompanied him, including the Secretary for Organizational Affairs of the Labor Party's Central Committee.

To note, the Youth League was founded by Kim Il-sung in 1946. Currently, the Youth League is estimated to have an active member of about 5 million people.