President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a historic agreement earlier this month committing to working together to “establish new U.S.-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity,” as stated on Twitter .
North Korean anti-American propaganda has determined public opinion among its citizens due to strict controls on information flowing in and out of the country. NY Post reports that this is changing.
North Korea’s new propaganda posters are reportedly depicting unity with America and the once hostile nation is getting rid of its anti-U.S. propaganda.
Until recently, North Korea has portrayed the U.S as an imperial aggressor responsible for numerous war crimes during the Korean War. The NY Post notes that Japan and South Korea are also portrayed as willing collaborators of the U.S agenda.
Rowan Beard, a tour manager at Young Pioneer Tours, told Reuters that the anti-U.S. posters usually found in Pyongyang began to disappear from shop windows in a lead up to the historic summit with President Donald Trump.
“All the anti-American posters I usually see around Kim Il-sung Square and at shops, they’ve all just gone. In five years working in North Korea, I’ve never seen them completely disappear before.”
North Korea has long believed that nuclearization is vital to its survival. It points to the invasion of Iraq, 2011 military intervention in Libya, and American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War as proof of its necessity.
Trump praises Kim Jong Un at a Minnesota rally: He will turn North Korea “into a great, successful country” https://t.co/dXmlXmHL6k pic.twitter.com/UKW65GqKRH
— CNN International (@cnni) June 21, 2018
North Korea is also promoting the unification of the peninsula with South Korea after the historic summit between Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae.
President Trump’s pledge after the Singapore summit to cancel military exercises on the Korean Peninsula surprised both South Korea and the Pentagon.
On the heels of the summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the Pentagon says it has called off military exercises with South Korea. https://t.co/DgGJAdIEPU
— NPR (@NPR) June 23, 2018
Along with anti-American posters, North Korea is getting rid of its souvenirs and postcards in a sign of unity.
North Korean state TV has also refrained from criticism America and South Korea since Kim Jong Un agreed to the historic summits with the respective nations.
Chinese President #XiJinping holds welcome ceremony for visiting #DPRK leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday in Beijing. The two leaders agreed to develop China-DPRK relations and jointly push forward peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula pic.twitter.com/Brxntx4Mpw
— People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) June 19, 2018
Kim Jong Un’s agenda seems to have shifted to the reunification of the Korean peninsula, economic development, and scientific research.
Kim Jong Un recently met with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss denuclearization negotiations with South Korea and America, Sky News reports.
“Kim’s latest talks with Xi will have reassured him that China stands behind the DPRK as it switches its focus to economic development.”
There has been speculation about the North Korean leaders’ willingness to give up his nuclear arsenal and what he wants in return.
