In what might seem like an unusual fashion edict from a world leader, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un reportedly banned leather jackets to prevent citizens from emulating his style, which he apparently considers to be his unique, signature look. The move underscores the lengths to which Kim Jong Un goes to maintain a distinct image, which is carefully curated and presented in North Korean media.
The decision to ban leather jackets might appear trivial or humorous at first glance, but it reveals deeper insights into the control the regime seeks to exert over the personal lives of its citizens. In North Korea, the state's interference in daily personal choices extends into the minutiae of people's clothing, highlighting the extent of its authoritarian governance. Leather jackets, often seen as a symbol of rebellion and rugged individualism in many cultures, are portrayed differently within North Korea. For Kim Jong Un, his leather jacket is often part of his public appearances, perhaps intended to project an image of strength and modernity.
Kim's ruling Workers' Party reportedly even deployed authorities to confiscate leather trench coats from marketplaces and citizens, clearly indicating how seriously the regime considers potential challenges to the Supreme Leader’s crafted persona. It's an unusual form of iconoclasm, directed not at icons of the past but at preventing the creation of any iconography that might rival that of the leader himself.
This fashion ban fits into a broader pattern of how Kim Jong Un consolidates power. From controlling hairstyles to the badges of the leaders worn by every citizen, each aspect of a North Korean's public appearance is regulated to conform with state ideology. The leather jacket ban, while peculiar, is thus not out of step with the government's usual policies. It reflects both a personal insecurity of Kim Jong Un and a political strategy to maintain his distinct identity as a tool for his unchallengeable authority.
Observers might recall that North Korea has a history of making sudden, arbitrary rules about mundane aspects of life, which often reflect the whims and the personal likes and dislikes of its leadership. However, they also serve a more serious and darker purpose, acting as a constant reminder of the regime's intrusive reach into the lives of its people. The banning of leather jackets is a continuation of this trend, emblematic of the broader constraints placed on personal freedoms in North Korea.
