North Korea’s Former Propaganda Master Kim Ki Nam Passes Away at 94
SEOUL — The former propaganda chief of North Korea, Kim Ki Nam, has passed away at the age of 94, as reported by state media on Wednesday. He succumbed to old age and “multiple organ dysfunction” after receiving treatment since 2022, according to the official KCNA.
Kim was known for his decades-long involvement in shaping propaganda efforts in the totalitarian state, particularly in building a personality cult around the ruling Kim dynasty.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid his respects at Kim Ki Nam’s funeral early Wednesday morning, honoring the “veteran revolutionary who had remained boundlessly loyal” to the regime, as stated by KCNA.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency drew parallels between Kim Ki Nam and Nazi Germany’s propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, highlighting the former’s role in perpetuating falsehoods to establish a narrative.
Kim Ki Nam, despite not being related by blood to the ruling family, was appointed deputy director of Pyongyang’s Propaganda and Agitation Department in 1966. He worked closely with Kim Jong Il, the predecessor and father of the current leader, before eventually taking over the department.
Reports suggest a close bond between Kim Ki Nam and Kim Jong Il, with some media outlets even dubbing them as “drinking buddies”.
During the 1970s, Kim Ki Nam oversaw the state mouthpiece, Rodong Sinmun newspaper, and played a pivotal role in shaping the narrative around Kim Il Sung’s legacy as the country’s founding father and Kim Jong Il’s ascent to power.
Throughout his tenure, Kim Ki Nam authored key political slogans, exerted influence over media and publishing operations, and even dabbled in the fine arts.
Despite retiring in the late 2010s and passing the torch to Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong, Kim Ki Nam remained a presence at public events, indicating a continued rapport with the regime. — BBC
