Kim Jong Il's central legacy to the DPRK would have to be Songun. The doctrine unveiled after the death of Kim Il Song which declares the military as the highest priority for the North Korean economic and state apparatus. Songun literally translates to "military first," and as an ideological concept, now has been elevated to a similar status as Juche (self-reliance) in North Korean Society.
This policy now pervades every line of thought in North Korean politics. Some examples would be Songun's role in re-unification of the peninsula:
"The reunification movement will make more dynamic progress this year thanks to the ever-victorious Songun politics and the firm determination of the fellow countrymen to open the gate to national reunification without fail."
Another article lauds Pyongyang's growth (via the Taedong River) as evidence of the Songun policy's success in advancing North Korean society. The first sentence equates North Korea with Songun:
"In the revolutionary grand march to open the gate to great prosperity lots of structures have been built demonstrating a new civilization of Songun Korea."
Also, this same article was published on December 8, 2011, 9 days before the Supreme Commander's demise. Still living, Kim Jong Il represents the culmination of the DPRK's prosperity and growth by means the Songun ideology. He is also presumably responsible for bringing North Korea into the Songun era which Jo Hyang Son, the author, mentions multiple times.
"Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm was built in a few years as a leading fruit producer of the world and one of the 11 famous views in the Songun era."
"They say: A new civilization offers itself in Korea in the Songun era along with the Taedong River."
"Today the Taedong River is a symbol not only of beauty and abundance, but of great prosperity and a new civilization in the Songun era."
Perhaps it is easiest to say that Kim Jong Il's legacy will be Songun politics and the integration of Songun's role into daily life. More importantly however, is the impact that his reign has exerted and will continue to exert on the people of North Korea. While I understand the lack of civil society (which the Songun politic idealizes) to underscore an inequality in the power distribution of a state, will the state, or even more unlikely, will Kim Jong Un be the head of the DPRK that supports and encourages civil society. Could there already be a "people first" movement in the workings of the North Korean proletariat? Perhaps Kim Jong Il's Songun legacy will not be influential and persist in the developement of greater military might and a more malignant foreign policy but instead Songun could represent the beginning of the end of the DPRK. Perhaps Songun will become a line in the sand for the youth and begin a period of reform, and in the not-to-distant future come to represent the end of the oppressive DPRK and the beginning of a "people first" era.
Here is Rodong Sinmun's commemoration to Kim Jong Il's life:
Kim Jong Il Will Always Live in Hearts of Koreans and World Progressives
Today in Pyongyang there will be held a ceremony bidding last farewell to the bier of great leader Kim Jong Il.
The revolutionary career of Kim Jong Il was one of a great successor who set an example of the times in materializing ideas of the preceding leader and accomplishing his cause.
It was the noble life of a peerless patriot who carved out a rosy future of Kim Il Sung's Korea through his tireless dedication to the country and its people and an immortal life of a world political elder and an outstanding leader who steered the cause of human independence and the cause of socialism to victory.
Kim Jong Il always lives in the hearts of the Korean people and army and humankind with the great revolutionary idea indicating the road ahead of the times and history.
It was thanks to his revolutionary idea, Songun idea that the servicepersons and people of the DPRK could firmly maintain the lifeline of the Juche revolution despite the worst trials and demonstrate the dignity of the country as an invincible political and ideological power and a matchless military power before the world.
He always lives with the revolutionary cause of the popular masses and the socialist cause which make steady victories along the orbit of independence.
He provided the unbreakable single-minded unity of the party, army and people and a mainstay for defending the country and achieving its prosperity like a powerful war deterrent. This helped the DPRK win victory after victory in the fierce confrontation with the imperialist allied forces and the final victory of Korean-style socialism. This is the world-startling miracle and the great victory of Kim Jong Il's politics.
He is immortal thanks to the inseparable ties of kindred with the Korean people.
His love for the Korean people is shining as the warmest and devoted love of a father hard to find in human history.
Leader Kim Jong Il will always live in the hearts of the Korean people and progressive humankind of the world and he will find himself at all times among the participants in the general onward march advancing full of confidence under the leadership of dear respected Kim Jong Un.
Thanks to Rodong Sinmun: http://www.rodong.rep.kp/InterEn/index.php?strPageID=SF01_02_01&newsID=2011-12-28-0001&chAction=L
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