North Korea has encouraged residents to visit Mount Baekdu ahead of the 80th anniversary of liberation. The intention is to learn the revolutionary spirit at Mount Baekdu, a symbol of overcoming difficulties.
On the 12th, the Labor Party's official newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, published an article titled, "Let's complete the Korean revolution to the end with the spirit of Mount Baekdu!" stating, "The great spirit that guarantees the eternal resilience of our revolution is the spirit of Mount Baekdu, created by the anti-Japanese revolutionary ancestors in the harsh winds of Baekdu."
It also emphasized, "We must show absolute loyalty to Comrade General Secretary Kim Jong Un's ideology and leadership to move toward greater victories."
The newspaper also noted in a three-page article on "important issues arising in the current revolutionary traditional education," that "education through a visit to the revolutionary site in the Mount Baekdu region is very important," and stated, "Always be aware that there are no diplomas from 'Baekdu University' and that the march to Baekdu must continue throughout spring, summer, and our entire lives."
North Korea promotes Mount Baekdu as the stage for Chairman Kim Il Sung's anti-Japanese struggle and the birthplace of Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il, having established the 'Baekdu Mountain Secret Camp'. The term 'Baekdu University' refers to the process of learning revolutionary spirit there.
North Korea has called for overcoming internal crises, such as U.S. sanctions and economic difficulties, by drawing parallels to the anti-Japanese struggle and advocating for the 'spirit of Mount Baekdu'. This trend has intensified, especially after Chairman Kim Jong Un experienced the 'Hanoi no-deal' between the U.S. and North Korea and solidified his fighting spirit through the so-called 'March of the Cavalry' at Mount Baekdu in 2019.
Recently, national women's federation responsible interpreters, junior propaganda officials, national youth and students, and workplace union officials and members have climbed Mount Baekdu amid the scorching heat.