North Korea marks 40th anniversary of ideology system, stresses loyalty to Kim family

Marking the 40th anniversary of the proclamation of its key leadership ideology, North Korea called Wednesday for loyalty to its leader Kim Jong-un. In 1974, Kim Jong-il, the former leader of the communist country and incumbent young leader's father, introduced the monolithic ideological system that calls for modeling the whole society in accordance of the sole leadership under the Kim family. The former leader also inherited power from his father and the country's founding father, Kim Il-sung. The rule also outlines the importance of unconditional obedience to the Kim family and actions required to be taken by the country as a whole to express allegiance. It has since served as the basis for the country's key leadership ideology. "The cause of dying the revolutionary ranks with the monolithic ideology had made more dynamic progress and new changes had taken place in all fields of revolution and construction ... since the modeling of the whole society on Kimilsungism was proclaimed as the supreme programme of the (ruling) Workers' Party of (North) Korea," the North's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in its editorial in English. Calling for the achievement of "the great cause of Mt. Paektu under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong-un," the North stressed the importance of ideology education on the people "to make them key members of spreading the ideology." Every North Korean is taught to pledge loyalty to each generation of the Kim family, known in the communist country as the Mount Paektu blooline, that has run the country since its founding in 1948. Mount Paektu, located on the Sino-North Korean border, is the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula. Since the execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle and No. 2 man, Jang Song-thaek, for treason charges in December, Pyongyang has stressed unity surrounding Kim and striven to reinforce ideology education on the people.