A Show of Unity Amid Crisis
State television broadcast sweeping drone footage of vast formations of workers, students, and soldiers chanting slogans in perfect unison. Portraits of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un loomed over the crowd as giant red banners proclaimed slogans such as “Defend the Supreme Commander With Our Lives” and “Our Nation, Strongest Under the Marshal’s Leadership.”
Despite ongoing food shortages and tightening state control, the regime appears determined to display confidence and dominance. Analysts believe the rally was not only about celebration, but also about signaling to both domestic and international audiences that the regime remains firmly in control.
“Events like this are about power projection,” says Dr. Min Kyung-ho, a political analyst in Seoul. “The regime wants the world—and its own citizens—to see order, discipline, and unwavering loyalty.”
Kim Jong-un’s Rare Public Appearance
Kim Jong-un appeared in person at the rally, standing atop a marble podium overlooking the crowd. Dressed in a black Mao-style suit, he smiled and waved as thousands chanted his name. In a fiery speech broadcast across the country, Kim praised the "invincible might of the Korean people" and condemned what he described as “hostile encirclement by imperialist forces.”
“Our strength lies in unity and ideology,” Kim declared. “No external pressure can shake the foundation of our powerful socialist state.”
His speech was met with thunderous applause and synchronized cheers from the crowd, many of whom had rehearsed for days to perfect their movements and reactions.
Tightly Controlled Participation
Attendance at the rally was mandatory for many residents of Pyongyang, according to multiple reports from defectors and South Korean intelligence sources. Participants were reportedly selected by work units and neighborhood committees and required to undergo loyalty training prior to the event.
“People smile because they must,” said a defector now living in South Korea. “If you don’t cheer loudly enough, you’re noticed.”
Uniforms, badges, and placards were distributed in advance. Entire neighborhoods were mobilized for rehearsals, sometimes running late into the night. Participation was not only expected—it was monitored.
Propaganda in Overdrive
The rally was accompanied by a surge in state propaganda across television, radio, and public spaces. Patriotic music played nonstop in streets and subways. State newspapers published glowing articles about the people’s “boundless love” for their leader and the regime’s “brilliant future.”
Outside observers see the campaign as an attempt to distract from worsening economic conditions, growing discontent, and increasing international scrutiny over human rights abuses and weapons development.
A Nation on Display, A Population Under Pressure
While the mass rally may have been a striking visual spectacle, experts emphasize that it represents more than celebration—it is a political tool designed to reinforce fear, loyalty, and submission.
“These displays are not optional,” says Rachel Jung, a North Korea researcher based in Tokyo. “They are carefully managed performances, meant to erase the possibility of dissent and reinforce the illusion of unity.”
As the country’s challenges mount, such rallies are likely to continue—highly visible manifestations of a regime determined to project strength, regardless of the cost to its people.