In a significant development out of Pyongyang, North Korea’s former propaganda chief, Kim Ki Nam, passed away at the age of 94. State media reports confirmed his demise, attributing it to age-related illnesses and multiple organ dysfunction.
Kim Ki Nam, known for his pivotal role in constructing personality cults around North Korea’s dynastic rulers, had been under treatment since 2022. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced his death on Tuesday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid his respects to Kim Ki Nam at a funeral hall in Pyongyang, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of a “veteran revolutionary” who remained steadfastly loyal to the regime, according to KCNA.
The funeral proceedings are scheduled for Thursday, with Kim Jong Un set to lead the funeral committee, as reported by KCNA.
Kim Ki Nam’s Legacy:
A former secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party’s central committee, Kim Ki Nam was a prominent figure in North Korea’s propaganda machinery. His tenure included key positions in the party’s propaganda departments, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s narrative.
In the 1970s, he served as the chief editorial writer of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, North Korea’s official mouthpiece. His influence extended into leadership roles within the ruling party’s propaganda apparatus.
North Korean state media hailed Kim Ki Nam as a “veteran of our Party and the revolution, a prestigious theoretician, and a prominent political activist.”
However, his legacy was not without controversy. In South Korea, he earned the moniker “North Korean Goebbels,” drawing parallels to Nazi Germany’s infamous propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, due to his adeptness in manipulating information.
Kim Ki Nam’s prominence was underscored by his involvement in key events. He was among the seven senior officials who accompanied the late leader Kim Jong Il’s hearse following his death in 2011. Additionally, he led a North Korean delegation to South Korea in 2009 to attend the funeral of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.
In the late 2010s, Kim Jong Un’s influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, assumed the role of the regime’s chief propagandist, marking a shift in North Korea’s propaganda landscape.
Kim Ki Nam’s passing marks the end of an era in North Korean propaganda, leaving behind a complex legacy intertwined with the country’s political narrative.
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