SEOUL: A pin featuring the solitary portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was officially seen for the first time on Sunday, signalling an accelerated effort to glorify the third generation of the Kim family.
The pin was observed attached to the suit jackets of all North Korean officials who attended a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s 8th Central Committee on Friday, Yonhap news agency reported citing a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday.
The photo was also published in the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s official newspaper.
This marked the first confirmation of the use of pins featuring the sole portrait of Kim Jong Un.
During inter-Korean working-level talks in 2013, North Korean officials confirmed to South Korean reporters that a pin featuring the portrait of Kim Jong Un was created in early 2012, available in two shapes: round and square.
A portrait pin, a key symbol of the Kim family’s cult of personality, must be worn by everyone in North Korea, from ordinary citizens to top officials.
