Rodong Sinmun

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 로동신문
Hancha 勞動新聞
McCune–Reischauer Rodong Shinmun
Revised Romanization Rodong Sinmun
South Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 노동신문
Hancha 勞動新聞
McCune–Reischauer Nodong Shinmun
Revised Romanization Nodong Sinmun
Rodong sinmun frontpage.jpg
Type Daily newspaper
Format Broadsheet
Owner Workers Party of Korea
Publisher Rodong News Agency
Founded 1945
Political alignment Socialism,
Juche,
Songun
Official website www.rodong.rep.kp (Korean)
www.rodong.rep.kp/InterEn/ (English)

Rodong Sinmun (English: Workers' Newspaper) is a North Korean newspaper and the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. It was first published on November 1, 1945, as Chǒngro (Chosŏn'gŭl: 정로; Hancha: 正路; "right path"), 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 viewpoints on many issues.

The English language version of Rodong Sinmun was launched in January 2012.[1]

Contents

Contents [edit]

Rodong Sinmun is published every day of the year and usually contains six pages.[2] The editorial, where the Workers' Party expresses its view on different issues, and commands passed down by the party are usually regarded as the most important pieces of information.[citation needed] There is typically no content in such areas as lifestyle, or TV, radio and other entertainment.[citation needed] It is said that it has a hundred or so reporters, and the cut-off time for publishing articles is noon on the day before the scheduled publication date.[citation needed] The newspapers are mainly delivered to organisations such as schools, cooperative farms and working places, but for those in high positions in the government or the party there can be individual deliveries.[citation needed] However, it's now available in PDF format at its webpage.

On January 1, 2006, the paper printed a joint-editorial calling for the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea. While annual January 1 editorials are a tradition among the papers, this year's brought attention from Western media outlets, by calling for a "nationwide campaign for driving out the U.S. troops".[3] The editorial made several references to Korean reunification.

New Year editorials [edit]

As a tradition since 1996, along with the two other main state run newspapers in North Korea and the Korean Central news agency, Rodong Sinmun publishes a joint New Year editorial that outlines the country's policies for the year. 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 the country.[4][5] On January 1, 2006 the agency sent out a joint-editorial from North Korea's state newspapers calling for the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea.[6] While annual January 1 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".[7] 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 the country. The editorial also made reference to denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula, in what analysts claimed was a "hopeful" sign.[8][9] 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.[10]

The 2011 joint editorial edition, 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 the DPRK, 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 2012 joint editorial edition, the first under Kim Jong-un's leadership, started with a great tribute to Kim Jong-il and aside from recurring calls for improving inter-Korean relations and for the fulfillment of the October 4 Declaration of 2007, also called on the whole nation to give priority to do Kim Jong-il's 2012 mission of Strong and Prosperous Nation, continue his and his father Kim Il-sung's legacies to the entire country and the socialist cause, and to build up and encourage the various sectors that compose the nation to become contributors to national progress in all areas at all costs.

This practice ended in 2013 when Kim Jong-un delivered the first New Year speech on television in 19 years.

Alternative Uses [edit]

The newspaper is often used as rolling paper by North Koreans, either for tobacco or, notably, cannabis; the latter grows both naturally and in private gardens throughout the DPRK, and is not prohibited despite the state's zero-tolerance policy on other narcotics such as heroin or methamphetamine, which includes capital punishment for drugs offenders. Since folding, burning, tearing or otherwise defacing images of the Great, Dear and Supreme Leaders is considered desecration, smokers use the classified pages. This practice is said to be widespread among North Korean soldiers. [11]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Kim, Young-jin (2012-01-11). "NK’s main paper launches English website". Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-01-11. 
  2. ^ Holloway, Andrew (2003). A Year in Pyongyang. Aidan Foster-Carter. Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology and Modern Korea, Leeds University.
  3. ^ North Korea Demands U.S. Troop Withdrawal. Fox News. December 31, 2005.
  4. ^ North Korea issues New Year denuclearization pledge. Reuters. December 31, 2008.
  5. ^ N. Korea Vows to Rebuild Economy in New Year Message, The Korea Times, January 1, 2009.
  6. ^ "Joint New Year Editorial Issued", KCNA, January 1, 2006.
  7. ^ "North Korea Demands U.S. Troop Withdrawal". .Fox News. December 31, 2005.
  8. ^ 2009 Joint New Year Editorial Issued, KCNA, January 1, 2009.
  9. ^ North Korea message is mild on US. BBC News. January 1, 2009.
  10. ^ Kim, Sam (January 1, 2010). N. Korea calls for end to enmity with U.S., hints at return to nuclear talks. Yonhap.
  11. ^ http://www.vice.com/read/north-korea-is-stoned-all-the-time-which-explains-a-lot?fb_action_ids=516385005063256&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582.  Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links [edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rodong_Sinmun&oldid=553013348"