North Korea - Propaganda and the next generation | DW Documentary

North Korea: A small country often at the center of global attention for geopolitical reasons. The Kim dynasty has ruled through oppression and isolation since 1948. Yet the regime is striving to project a new image.

Luxury resorts, an international marathon in the capital and a ruling family portrayed in a surprisingly approachable light: Recently, North Korea has been showing the world a very different face. Is the country, up until now known primarily for repression and isolation, undergoing an image change? This documentary looks behind the scenes and reveals the contradictions of a country caught between cautious openness and unrelenting control.

On one hand, a new apparent openness is emerging through sporting events attended by carefully selected international participants. Images of what looks like a thriving economy are being disseminated beyond the country's borders: Online shopping in Pyongyang, idyllic beaches with modern holiday facilities, and even streaming services for wealthy North Koreans loyal to the regime.

State television shows cheerful locals treating themselves to a break at the seaside resort of Wonsan after toiling hard for the motherland. Around 80 per cent of the population are now said to own a mobile phone - albeit with access restricted to state-approved North Korean apps.

Ruler Kim Jong Un is also embracing the image campaign, with more frequent public appearances alongside his daughter Kim Ju Ae. Is she being groomed to be a potential successor? Or is this family-centered turn intended to give the regime a more human face?

At the same time, the state continues to crack down hard on any form of undesirable behavior. Archival footage and reports from refugee organizations document public trials of young people caught consuming South Korean pop culture. International experts emphasize that a change in the country's public image by no means signifies an end to surveillance, punishment and censorship.

Part 1: https://youtu.be/cQmVOxGwg3g

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