Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, has introduced a new national oath playing down the achievements of his father and grandfather and instead praising his own ideology and leadership.

The oath, which must be recited by all citizens, was originally introduced in the 1970s, when Kim Il-sung, the founder of the nation and the grandfather of the present dictator, exercised control over the nation.

The oath was made up of 10 articles that extolled the wisdom and greatness of Mr Kim and, after his death in July 1994, his son, Kim Jong-il.

Declared by workers, students and members of the armed forces on national holidays and key anniversaries of the Workers’ Party, citizens have been required to swear to “arm themselves with the ideals” of the nation’s first two leaders, the Seoul-based DailyNK news site reported.

Citizens were then required to commit themselves to applying those ideals to every facet of their lives - in the workplace, school and family - and “to forever dedicate their lives as if they were worth nothing but for the great achievements of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and the Workers’ Party of Korea”.