page_title: Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il badges
section_title: Types
hierarchical_section_title: Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il badges / Types
caption_attribution_description: Reflecting on our New Years tour, we found this great photo of a North Korean family we visited on New Year's Day. #2014 #northkorea #uritours
context_page_description: Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il badges are lapel pins with portraits of the eternal leaders of North Korea, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. They have been made since the late 1960s. The badges are produced by the Mansudae Art Studio. There are more than 20 different designs, some of which are more sought-after than others. Ordinary North Koreans wear simple designs with a portrait of Kim Il-sung, whereas those higher up in the society prefer badges that have both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il portrayed.
  The badges were inspired by Chairman Mao badges. Unlike their Chinese counterparts, which were never compulsory to wear, the North Korean badges have been a mandatory part of the attire for most of their history. As such, they are culturally more important than Mao badges ever were, and are a key part of North Korea's cult of personality. According to Jae-Cheon Lim, the badges are:
  [a] formative symbol depicting the North Korean leaders. ... Wearing a leader badge is an identity symbol showing that North Koreans belong to their leader, thus distinguishing themselves from foreign citizens. Unlike other leader symbols, the badge is portable. ...
context_section_description: The badges are designed and made by the Mansudae Art Studio.
  The badges come in different shapes and sizes. Unlike in China, where Chairman Mao badges were diverse because their production was not overseen by the government, North Korean badges have relatively little variation. All in all, there are more than 20 different designs. The size, shape, coloring, and type of metal of the design is indicative of the social status and institutional affiliations of the person wearing it. For instance, party youths wear large round badges, whereas common people wear smaller round badges. While most badges only feature a portrait of Kim Il-sung, there are two exceptions. The most prestigious type has both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il against a red banner. No other design features both leaders. The design is reserved to high-level Workers' Party of Korea officials only. It is so rare that seeing one "can send many a minor North Korean bureaucrat into a stupor". The other exception is badges with the portrait of Kim Jong-il only. They are worn by security services cadres and are also considerably rare.
  Some feature the leader in a Western suit, the others in military attire, or some other type of clothing.
  Before Kim Jong-un had been confirmed as Kim Jong-il's successor and Kim Jong-chul was groomed as the country's next leader, a limited set of Kim Jong-chul badges were reportedly made and given to cabinet, party, and army officials. There are no Kim Jong-un badges, but experts think that it is a matter of time before there will be.
caption: A badge featuring both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il is the most prestigious type.
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