14 January 2024 , 15:28
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Kim Jong-un has been seen admiring a gun-toting battle robot in bizarre new propaganda photos from North Korea.
The dictator looked impressed in a recent public appearance as he was shown the Transformer-like creation, which is adorned with a radiation hazard symbol.
Set against a backdrop of faux missiles, the battle bot was one of several "science fiction models" on display at Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace in the capital of Pyongyang.
While it was just a model and not a working machine, experts say the robot- which was designed by a child - offers an insight into the indoctrination of younger North Koreans.
The battle robot, which is in fact a model, is adorned with a radiation symbol (Credit: Pen News)Martyn Williams, a senior fellow with the Stimson Center in Washington DC, said: "The design would be influenced by the indoctrination that children receive from a young age. Many of the toys, characters, cartoons, and other input that children get in North Korea have an ideological angle, in addition to a fun one.
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"The TV cartoons are classic examples: some teach children the rules of society - crossing the road, respecting elders, studying hard. But others portray fights between the resourceful and ingenious little guy, North Korea, against the evil, vicious adversary - the US and South Korea. Although the countries are never mentioned, the message is clear."
The snaps were taken on a visit to Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace in the capital of Pyongyang (Credit: Pen News)Mr Williams, who runs a tech blog about North Korea, said "everything that any North Korean touches" is checked for "ideological correctness" by the Workers Party of Korea. "There is a whole department called the Propaganda and Agitation Department that does traditional work like approving news articles and TV reports.", he said. Cultural products including books, songs, plays, movies, and cartoons are also covered by the strict vetting regime, he said, with anything that doesn't fit the "objectives" of the party being banned.
The models weren't the only eyebrow-raising part of Kim's visit to Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace, as kids in military uniforms greeted him on his arrival, before singing his praises on stage in a special performance. State media said the children "were singing their great happiness under the warm affections and love of the benevolent father who always sets policies for children before anything". It said Kim Jong-un would even pluck "a star from the sky for the good of the younger generation". The dictator also demanded an overhaul of education, so youngsters "acquire practical knowledge for socialist construction".