Seoul: North Korea celebrated the former leader’s 10th anniversary on Friday Kim Jong IlDeath with a call for greater public loyalty to his son and current leader Kim Jong Un, which is struggling to navigate the country as the difficulties related to the pandemic deepen.
In the 10 years at the helm of North Korea since the death of his father, Kim Jong Un 37, has achieved the same absolute power enjoyed by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the current leader’s grandfather and the state’s founder. Despite the massive economic setback caused by harsh anti-virus measures and long-passive diplomacy with the United States, North Korea shows no signs of political instability and some outside experts question Kim’s grip on power.
But the long-term stability of Kim Jong Un’s regime could still be questioned if he fails to take steps to address ongoing difficulties and improve public livelihoods, some observers say.
On every previous death anniversary, Kim Jong Un paid respects in a mausoleum, where the mortal remains of Kim Jong Il lie in the kingdom with Kim Il Sung. Kim Jong Un also called national meetings in honor of his father during the anniversaries of some previous milestones, such as the first and fifth.
He was expected to do the same this year but North Korea’s state media did not immediately report any public activity by Kim Jong Un on Friday morning. State-run newspapers published articles honoring Kim Jong Il and called for more unity behind Kim Jong Un, while state TV broadcast propaganda songs and documentary films on the late leader.
“Great leader and comrade Kim Jong Il is always with us and he is the sun of our party and the eternal ‘suryong’ and ‘juche (self-reliance)’ of our party and revolution,” the North’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an editorial, referring to for an honorific title reserved for North Korean leaders.
Without mentioning the current difficulties, the newspaper said that “we must make every effort to strengthen our one-minded unity by uniting behind the venerable Com.
Citizens offered flowers and paid tribute in front of giant bronze statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung on Thursday in Pyongyang’s Mansu Hill.
As this year’s death anniversary approaches, Kim Jong Un is grappling with the toughest moment of his regime due to the coronavirus pandemic, persistent UN sanctions and mismanagement.
North Korea’s trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80% last year, before falling again by two-thirds in the first nine months of this year. Last year, the North’s economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997, according to South Korean government estimates, while its grain production also fell to its lowest level since Kim took office.
Kim has refused to return to talks with Washington and Seoul as he calls for building a strong, self-sustaining economy and upholding tough virus restrictions, including a two-year border closure. Analysts say Kim fears his country’s broken public health care infrastructure cannot tolerate a major virus outbreak, although he makes a dubious claim that North Korea is coronavirus-free.
“Unless North Korea accepts proposals for nuclear disarmament talks with the US, it cannot shy away from powerful international sanctions. Without international cooperation, North Korea has to face its borders because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. must continue to be sealed. And this is a North Korean dilemma,” analyst Cheong Seong-chang in private Sejong Institute South Korea said in a recent analysis piece.
North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal is at the core of Kim’s regime, and he has called it “a mighty treasured sword” that ensures peace in the face of US military threats.
According to Seoul’s unification ministry, during its 10-year rule, North Korea has conducted 62 rounds of ballistic missile tests, which are banned by several UN Security Council resolutions. The numbers are compared to an estimated nine rounds during Kim Il Sung’s 46-year rule and 22 rounds during Kim Jong Il’s 17-year rule. Four of the North’s six nuclear tests and three of its intercontinental ballistic missile launches all took place under Kim Jong Un’s regime.
Kim’s weapons test in 2016-17 invited harsher UN sanctions and prompted him to exchange threats of destruction and crude insults with then-President Donald Trump. The two sat for a historic three-round summit on Kim’s nuclear weapons in 2018-19, but their diplomacy eventually collapsed due to a squabble over sanctions. Kim has since threatened to increase his nuclear arsenal and build more sophisticated weapons systems.
“North Korea marked the 10-year commemoration of Kim Jong Il with public gatherings and state propaganda. More important would be Kim Jong Un’s attempt, after a decade in power, for post-pandemic diplomacy and economic recovery.” to map the reliable route,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor Eva University in Seoul.
In the 10 years at the helm of North Korea since the death of his father, Kim Jong Un 37, has achieved the same absolute power enjoyed by Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung, the current leader’s grandfather and the state’s founder. Despite the massive economic setback caused by harsh anti-virus measures and long-passive diplomacy with the United States, North Korea shows no signs of political instability and some outside experts question Kim’s grip on power.
But the long-term stability of Kim Jong Un’s regime could still be questioned if he fails to take steps to address ongoing difficulties and improve public livelihoods, some observers say.
On every previous death anniversary, Kim Jong Un paid respects in a mausoleum, where the mortal remains of Kim Jong Il lie in the kingdom with Kim Il Sung. Kim Jong Un also called national meetings in honor of his father during the anniversaries of some previous milestones, such as the first and fifth.
He was expected to do the same this year but North Korea’s state media did not immediately report any public activity by Kim Jong Un on Friday morning. State-run newspapers published articles honoring Kim Jong Il and called for more unity behind Kim Jong Un, while state TV broadcast propaganda songs and documentary films on the late leader.
“Great leader and comrade Kim Jong Il is always with us and he is the sun of our party and the eternal ‘suryong’ and ‘juche (self-reliance)’ of our party and revolution,” the North’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an editorial, referring to for an honorific title reserved for North Korean leaders.
Without mentioning the current difficulties, the newspaper said that “we must make every effort to strengthen our one-minded unity by uniting behind the venerable Com.
Citizens offered flowers and paid tribute in front of giant bronze statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung on Thursday in Pyongyang’s Mansu Hill.
As this year’s death anniversary approaches, Kim Jong Un is grappling with the toughest moment of his regime due to the coronavirus pandemic, persistent UN sanctions and mismanagement.
North Korea’s trade with China, its biggest trading partner and an economic pipeline, shrank by about 80% last year, before falling again by two-thirds in the first nine months of this year. Last year, the North’s economy suffered its biggest contraction since 1997, according to South Korean government estimates, while its grain production also fell to its lowest level since Kim took office.
Kim has refused to return to talks with Washington and Seoul as he calls for building a strong, self-sustaining economy and upholding tough virus restrictions, including a two-year border closure. Analysts say Kim fears his country’s broken public health care infrastructure cannot tolerate a major virus outbreak, although he makes a dubious claim that North Korea is coronavirus-free.
“Unless North Korea accepts proposals for nuclear disarmament talks with the US, it cannot shy away from powerful international sanctions. Without international cooperation, North Korea has to face its borders because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19. must continue to be sealed. And this is a North Korean dilemma,” analyst Cheong Seong-chang in private Sejong Institute South Korea said in a recent analysis piece.
North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal is at the core of Kim’s regime, and he has called it “a mighty treasured sword” that ensures peace in the face of US military threats.
According to Seoul’s unification ministry, during its 10-year rule, North Korea has conducted 62 rounds of ballistic missile tests, which are banned by several UN Security Council resolutions. The numbers are compared to an estimated nine rounds during Kim Il Sung’s 46-year rule and 22 rounds during Kim Jong Il’s 17-year rule. Four of the North’s six nuclear tests and three of its intercontinental ballistic missile launches all took place under Kim Jong Un’s regime.
Kim’s weapons test in 2016-17 invited harsher UN sanctions and prompted him to exchange threats of destruction and crude insults with then-President Donald Trump. The two sat for a historic three-round summit on Kim’s nuclear weapons in 2018-19, but their diplomacy eventually collapsed due to a squabble over sanctions. Kim has since threatened to increase his nuclear arsenal and build more sophisticated weapons systems.
“North Korea marked the 10-year commemoration of Kim Jong Il with public gatherings and state propaganda. More important would be Kim Jong Un’s attempt, after a decade in power, for post-pandemic diplomacy and economic recovery.” to map the reliable route,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor Eva University in Seoul.
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