North Korea is seen as lagging significantly in meeting its citizens' fundamental needs, with politics viewed more as a means of maintaining ruler obedience than serving the public good. Despite worsening conditions for its people, the emphasis remains on control. On March 20, 2024, the Rodong Sinmun highlighted 'Political Precedence,' underscoring this focus.

[Political Terminology]

Political Precedence

Political Precedence is a principle that places political work, aimed at educating and mobilizing the populace, ahead of all other tasks. The esteemed Comrade Kim Jong-un has articulated it as follows: "Party organizations must take the lead in political work, mobilizing the organization and the masses, and by doing so, effectively resolve the issues arising in the construction of a socialist powerhouse."

To prioritize political work means to elevate the role of propaganda and agitation that arms the people with the Party's ideology and policies, and sparks their revolutionary fervor, above all other tasks. 

The outcome of revolutionary and construction efforts hinges on the manner in which people are engaged and tasks are managed. At its core, this engagement is political, focusing on people's ideologies. While material factors play a role in revolutionary struggles and construction efforts, it is ultimately people who provide and utilize these material resources. The speed at which material conditions and resources are secured and utilized to their maximum potential is contingent upon the level of people's autonomous ideological consciousness and their creative capabilities, as well as their willingness to actively engage in struggle. Revolution is fundamentally an act of conscious struggle, thus making it imperative to always prioritize political work to enhance the consciousness and activism of the populace.

Emphasizing political work is inherent to socialism, where the masses, as the system's core, drive actions with their political consciousness and revolutionary zeal. Prioritizing political efforts to boost the workers' awareness and enthusiasm is essential for reinforcing socialism's merits and effectively promoting its development.

A key aspect of realizing the principle of Political Precedence is the appropriate integration of political work with administrative and technical-economic tasks, alongside a focus on political and moral stimulation, properly complemented by material incentives. Furthermore, political work must be conducted based on scientific and revolutionary methods.