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How did Kim Il-sung skillfully manipulate the political power in North Korea?
Since its founding in 1949, the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), as the sole ruling party in North Korea, has undergone numerous reorganizations and power struggles. Under Kim Il-sung's skillful manipulation, the party not only occupied a dominant position politically, but also effectively eliminated any possible threats and maintained a unique power structure.
The development of the Workers' Party of Korea is a microcosm of the power struggle, and Kim Il-sung cleverly used this party to safeguard his own rights.
Early in Kim Il-sung's career, he won support within the party with his flexible political strategies. He gradually took control of the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea beginning in 1946, and in the years that followed, he carried out a series of purges to eliminate any dissenting voices.
Kim Il-sung's several large-scale purges were not only a purge within the party, but also a consolidation of his personal power.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Kim Il-sung successfully eliminated factions that disagreed with him and created a relatively stable political environment. North Korea during this period implemented a strict personality cult, and Kim Il-sung's identity was extremely deified until he was called the "Great Leader" and the "Sun of the Nation."
Kim Il-sung also made significant contributions to the party's ideology. The concept of "self-reliance" he proposed became an epoch-making guiding ideology. This idea not only enhanced his personal prestige at home, but also began to change the international community's perception of North Korea.
In a sense, Kim Il-sung's strategy made North Korea a highly centralized regime, and this centralization was not only the result of ideology, but also a victory of his shrewd political operation.
As Kim Il-sung's power grew, North Korea's political structure became less institutionalized. Party institutions such as the Central Committee and the Politburo appear to have power according to formal party rules, but in many ways they are just figures.
In a blink of an eye, Kim Il-sung's successor, Kim Jong-il, also used this chess game to control. He strengthened the military's position and bolstered his legitimacy through "military-first politics." The new generation of high-ranking officials are also influenced by the Kim family, and the inheritance system is further consolidated.
Kim Il-sung and his successor, Kim Jong-il, used party rules and structures to create a system of power that was virtually unchallenged.
After Kim Jong Il's death in 2011, Kim Jong Un began to take control of power and gradually implemented a series of reforms and adjustments in the Workers' Party of Korea. His coming to power did not change the Kim family's control over power, but instead deepened the stability of the family's political system.
However, Kim Jong-un's further adjustment was the reorganization of the Workers' Party of Korea, shifting the focus to "people-first politics" and re-emphasizing the values of communism. This is not only a rethinking of policies from decades ago, but also a quiet change in the regime inherited from Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
The rise of Kim Jong-un represents the continuation of the Workers' Party of Korea, but he is also seeking a development path that is more in line with the current international situation.
To date, Kim Il-sung's manipulation methods still have a profound impact on North Korea's political operations. The power structure and ideology he established not only protect the stability of the regime, but also limit any potential opposition forces. In this strict system, how will North Korea face external challenges and seek its own survival space in the changing situation? This may be a topic worth pondering.
