Rodong Sinmun Explained

Rodong Sinmun
Type:Daily newspaper
Format:Broadsheet
Foundation:1945
Owners:Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea
Publisher:Rodong News Agency
Chiefeditor:Kim Pyong-ho
Publishing Country:North Korea
Circulation:600,000
Circulation Date:2015
Circulation Ref:[1]
Political:Workers' Party of Korea
Headquarters:Pyongyang, North Korea
Rodong Sinmun
Context:north
Rr:Rodong Shinmoon
Mr:Rodong Shinmun

Rodong Sinmun (pronounced as /ko/;) is a North Korean newspaper that serves as the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. It was first published on 1 November 1945, as Chŏngro, serving as a communication channel for the North Korea Bureau of the Communist Party of Korea. It was renamed in September 1946 to its current name upon the steady development of the Workers' Party of Korea. Quoted frequently by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and international media, it is regarded as a source of official North Korean viewpoints on many issues.

The English-language version of Rodong Sinmun was launched in January 2012.[2] Although its English name was released as Rodong Sinmun, a more accurate pronunciation is Rodong Shinmoon.

The editor-in-chief is Kim Pyong-ho.[3] The lists of articles of the Rodong Sinmun since 1946 is available online on the websites of the Information Center on North Korea (unibook.unikorea.go.kr) and the North Korea information portal (nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr).[4]

Because of the paper's low wages, many journalists had to use the privilege of being able to travel freely in the country to collect bribes or engage in underground trade in order to make a living.[5]

Contents

Rodong Sinmun is published every day of the year and usually contains six pages.[6] The newspaper has approximately 100 reporters.

Following the purge and execution of Jang Song-thaek, Rodong Sinmun deleted some 20,000 articles from its web archives,[7] while others were edited to omit his name.[8]

Rodong Sinmun content can be accessed over the Mirae WiFi network in North Korea.[9]

New Year editorials

Since 1996, Rodong Sinmun, the Korean Central News Agency, Minju Choson, and Joson Inmingun has published a joint New Year editorial that outlines the country's policies for the year.[10] [11] The editorials usually offer praise for the Songun policy, the government and leadership, and encourage the growth of the nation. They are also critical of the policies of South Korea, Japan, the United States and Western governments towards North Korea.[12] [13] On 1 January 2006, the agency sent out a joint-editorial from North Korea's state newspapers calling for the withdrawal of American forces from South Korea.[10] While annual 1 January editorials are a tradition among the papers, that year's brought attention from Western media outlets, by calling for a "nationwide campaign for driving out the U.S. troops".[14] The editorial made several references to Korean reunification. The 2009 editorial received similar attention, as criticism of United States policy was absent, and the admission of severe economic problems in North Korea. The editorial also made reference to denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula, in what analysts claimed was a "hopeful" sign.[15] [16] This was echoed again in its 2010 editorial, which called for an end to hostilities with the United States and a nuclear free Korean Peninsula.[17]

The 2011 joint editorial edition,[11] aside from its calls for a denuclearized Korea and for a slowdown of tensions between the two Koreas, has for the first time, mentioned the rising light industries of North Korea, given as a reason for an upcoming upsurge in the national economy in the new year and for the achievement of the Kangsong Taeguk national mission. The practice of a joint New Year editorial ended in 2013 when Kim Jong-un delivered the first New Year speech on television in 19 years.[18] In June 2018, Rodong Sinmun devoted a four-page feature to the North Korea–United States summit, welcoming its results. The article carried the text of the declaration in full. In addition, it mentioned security guarantees and Donald Trump's pledge to cease the joint military exercises with South Korea, and failed to mention the promise Kim had allegedly made to Trump about closing down a test site for missile engines.[19]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: North Korea Ramps Up Circulation of National Daily . Sung-hui Moon . Yunju Kim . Roseanne Gerin . . 2015-04-27 . 2015-04-28 . 2023-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230916232546/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/north-korea-ramps-up-circulation-of-national-daily-04272015155756.html/ . live .
  2. News: Young-jin . Kim . NK's main paper launches English website . 2012-01-11 . . 2012-01-11 . 2019-07-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190726183525/http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/01/116_102681.html . live .
  3. Web site: 2nd Plenary Session of the 7th WPK Central Committee Held . North Korea Leadership Watch . 8 October 2017 . 24 January 2019 . 26 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190726183530/http://www.nkleadershipwatch.org/2017/10/08/2nd-plenary-session-of-the-7th-wpk-central-committee-held/ . live .
  4. Web site: Article lists of Rodong Sinmun available online: ministry. Yonhap News Agency. May 14, 2021. May 14, 2021. May 14, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210514165656/https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210514005300325. live.
  5. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/rodong-10052023162221.html North Korean journalists use status and travel freedom to cash in
  6. Holloway, Andrew (2003). A Year in Pyongyang . Aidan Foster-Carter. Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology and Modern Korea, Leeds University.
  7. Web site: Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) Deletes Online Archive Of News After Execution Of Jang Song Thaek . Florcruz . Michelle . International Business Times . 16 December 2013 . 23 July 2017 . 7 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170907170430/http://www.ibtimes.com/korean-central-news-agency-kcna-deletes-online-archive-news-after-execution-jang-song-thaek-1510758 . live .
  8. Web site: On Reading North Korean Media: The Curse of the Web . Weiser . Martin . Sino-NK . 31 October 2016 . 23 July 2017 . 7 September 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170907170426/http://sinonk.com/2016/10/31/on-reading-north-korean-media-the-curse-of-the-web/ . live .
  9. News: Smartphone-capable WiFi on show at Pyongyang IT exhibition, state TV reveals . . North Korean ruling party organ the Rodong Sinmun can be accessed through the network, the report added, as can online-shopping outlet Manmulsang, video-on-demand service Manbang, Mokran video, the Sci-Tech Complex website, and Yeolpung. . Oliver . Hotham . Dagyum . Ji . November 14, 2018 . https://archive.today/20181114162817/https://www.nknews.org/2018/11/smartphone-capable-wifi-on-show-at-pyongyang-it-exhibition-state-tv-reveals/ . November 14, 2018.
  10. Web site: Joint New Year Editorial Issued . January 1, 2006 . . 2013-12-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130524082616/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2006/200601/news01/02.htm . May 24, 2013 .
  11. Web site: North Korea, in New Year Message, Says Regional Tensions Should Be Defused. January 1, 2011. Bloomberg News. 2013-12-16. Paul Tighe and Jungmin Hong. 'The danger of war should be removed and peace safeguarded in the Korean Peninsula,' the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported, citing a New Year editorial carried by newspapers including Rodong Sinmun and Joson Inmingun.. 2013-12-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20131229060744/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-01-01/north-korea-in-new-year-message-says-regional-tensions-should-be-defused.html. live.
  12. https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5000E620090101?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10112 North Korea issues New Year denuclearization pledge
  13. https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/01/113_37114.html N. Korea Vows to Rebuild Economy in New Year Message
  14. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180301,00.html "North Korea Demands U.S. Troop Withdrawal"
  15. http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2009/200901/news01/20090101-02ee.html 2009 Joint New Year Editorial Issued
  16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7806785.stm North Korea message is mild on US
  17. Kim, Sam (January 1, 2010). N. Korea calls for end to enmity with U.S., hints at return to nuclear talks . Yonhap.
  18. Web site: How to interpret Kim Jong Un's New Year's address . Tertitskiy . Fyodor . . 29 December 2017 . 8 October 2018 . 22 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190722101150/https://www.nknews.org/2017/12/how-to-interpret-kim-jong-uns-new-years-address/ . live .
  19. Web site: North Korea welcomes Trump's promise to end military exercises: KCNA . Zwirko . Colin . . June 12, 2018 . June 13, 2018 . January 15, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200115205652/https://www.nknews.org/2018/06/north-korea-welcomes-trumps-promise-to-end-military-exercises-kcna/ . live .

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