Kim Ki Nam, who was a key figure in North Korea’s propaganda apparatus, has passed away at the age of 94.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced his death on Wednesday, citing old age and “multiple organ dysfunction” as the cause.
He has been undergoing medical treatment since 2022.
Kim Ki Nam played a central role in shaping the North Korean regime’s messaging and the cult of personality surrounding the Kim family.
His work involved building and maintaining the veneration of the ruling Kim dynasty, making him one of the most influential figures in North Korea’s totalitarian system.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended his funeral and paid tribute to Kim Ki Nam, describing him as a “veteran revolutionary who had remained boundlessly loyal” to the regime, according to KCNA.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency compared him to Nazi Germany’s propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, quoting his infamous line: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.”
While Kim Ki Nam was not related to the ruling Kim family, he became deputy director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department in 1966 and worked closely with Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader.
He eventually rose to lead the department.
The relationship between Kim Ki Nam and Kim Jong Il was reportedly close, with some media outlets referring to them as “drinking buddies.”
In the 1970s, Kim Ki Nam was appointed to oversee the Rodong Sinmun, the state-controlled newspaper, where he played a significant role in shaping North Korea’s narrative.
He was also instrumental in promoting the image of Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founder, and in supporting Kim Jong Il’s succession to power, according to North Korea Leadership Watch.
For decades, Kim Ki Nam was responsible for crafting the state’s political slogans, managing its media and publishing efforts, and even overseeing the fine arts.
Photographs from 2015 show him, then in his 80s, standing among military officials and taking notes during a speech by Kim Jong Un.
Kim Ki Nam retired in the late 2010s, with his role passing to Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong.
However, he continued to make public appearances, indicating that he remained on good terms with the regime up until his death.
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