North Korea's former propaganda chief, Kim Ki Nam, has passed away at the age of 94, according to state media. He died of old age and "multiple organ dysfunction," for which he had been receiving treatment since 2022, as reported by KCNA. Kim Ki Nam spent decades leading propaganda efforts in the totalitarian state, building a personality cult around the ruling Kim dynasty.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended his funeral and paid tribute to him as a "veteran revolutionary who remained boundlessly loyal" to the regime, the report added. Kim Ki Nam had no blood relations with the ruling patriarchy, but he played a crucial role in shaping the country's messaging, working closely with Kim Jong Il, the predecessor and father of the current leader.
He was appointed deputy director of Pyongyang's Propaganda and Agitation Department in 1966 and later rose to lead the department. Kim Ki Nam maintained a close relationship with Kim Jong Il and led initiatives to establish the role of Kim Il Sung in the country's history and support Kim Jong Il's succession of the leadership.
Under Kim Ki Nam's oversight, the propaganda department maintained control over communication and information flows in and out of the state. South Korean and Western entertainment, including music and movies, were banned, and state television censored foreign programs.
Despite his retirement in the late 2010s, Kim Ki Nam continued to appear at public events, indicating his ongoing good terms with the regime. His death marks the end of an era for North Korean propaganda, as the state's messaging has shifted under Kim Jong Un to demonize South Koreans and heavily rely on nuclear weapons for political legitimacy.
