Korean Central News Agency - Recurring Themes

Recurring Themes

KCNA articles generally revolve on several specific themes (examples in reference section):

• Detailing performances of cultural events, usually attended by various dignitaries.

• Decrying the actions and attitudes of the United States, Japan, South Korea and other nations, particularly as regards military cooperation, historical events or trade among those nations. Personal attacks on American, Japanese and South Korean leaders are not unknown.

• Airing the official DPRK position on ongoing disputes with Japan over such matters as Chongryon and Comfort Women.

• Noting the celebration of DPRK events and ideas in other countries.

• Calling for the reunification of Korea under the Juche idea.

• Promoting the personality cults of Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung. Such instances would detail the daily routines of the leaders, or praise from friendly organisations in other countries.

• Communications, visits, and gifts (it does not name the particular gift) to and from various like-minded or friendly nations. Regarding the number of gifts, KCNA claimed that former leader Kim Il-sung receives "2,910 a year, 243 a month, and 8 a day."

• New technological developments, such as a preservation agent for the Kimjongilia flower, a new kind of pesticide and blood purifying rings and bracelets, amongst others.

• Emphasizing the names of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un by enlarging their names on the text.

• References to institutes, groups or centers "for the study of the juche idea". For example, a KCNA report from June 12, 2011 claimed that "The Brazilian Center for the Study of the Juche Idea was inaugurated with due ceremony at Sao Paulo University on June 4". The article also refers to an unnamed "chairman" (who presumably presided over the ceremony), but this supposed event was not reported by a source other than KCNA as of the date of the article (eight days after the ceremony was alleged to have occurred).