The photos of a room of people wearing the shirts were sent out on state media
North Korea celebrated the deployment of its new spy satellite with breathless displays on state television, a banquet with rocket scientists and space agency T-shirts – including one prominently worn by leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter.
While the celebratory broadcasts and banquets have been a staple of the state’s propaganda apparatus, the T-shirts were a new twist. Scores of technicians from the National Aerospace Technology Administration and Kim’s daughter, thought to be about 10 years old, wore one of the white, blue and red shirts that bore the logo of NATA.
The photos of a room of people wearing the shirts were sent out on state media on Friday. Kim did not wear one and instead opted for a black jacket.
While Kim has continued propaganda staples of appearing with senior cadres, top military officials and soldiers, one of the new twists of his leadership has been to celebrate young scientists working on the state’s nuclear, missile and space programs.
He has also brought along his daughter to missile tests, signaling there is another generation of the family dynasty that has ruled the country since the Cold War and it will depend on nuclear weapons for its survival.