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Loyalty Pledges and Tears: Kim Jong Un’s Subtle Messages for North Korea’s Future

Eugene Park Views  

Kim Jong Un’s Tribute to Late Father Kim Jong Il
Notable Public Displays of Emotion

공개석상서 눈물 쏟고, 간부에 충성맹세 받고…김정은 미묘한 행보
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid tribute to the late Kim Jong Il, former Chairman of the National Defense Commission, on the 12th anniversary of his death on the 16th, reported the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on the 17th./ Korean Central News Agency·Yonhap News

Recent activities of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un show subtle changes, from shedding unusual tears in public and frequently showcasing his daughter to receiving pledges of loyalty from party and military officials at a memorial event for his father.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 17th that Kim Jong Un paid tribute to the late Kim Jong Il at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on the 16th, the 12th anniversary of his death. Kim Duk Hoon, the prime minister; Jo Yong Won, the party secretary; and Choe Ryong Hae, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, were among the party and government officials who joined the tribute.

Prominent Figures in Attendance

If you look at the photos released that day, Choe Son Hui, the foreign minister; Kang Sun Nam, the defense minister; Jung Kyung Taek, the chief of the General Political Bureau of the People’s Army, and Oh Soo Yong, Lee Il Hwan, and Park Tae Sung, the party secretaries, also participated. The images also captured Kim Yo Jong, the deputy director of the Workers’ Party, and Park Jung Cheon, the party’s military-political guidance director.

The agency reported that the participants pledged loyalty to Kim Jong Un and achievements in national rejuvenation. North Korean media mainly conveyed a nationwide mourning atmosphere on the 12th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death, looking back on Kim Jong Il’s activities and emphasizing the superiority of military-first politics.

Meanwhile, there are interpretations that Kim Jong Un, who has recently shown tears in a row at official events and has accompanied his daughter Kim Ju Ae to various military-related events in succession, is signaling his will to pass on power to the fourth generation.

공개석상서 눈물 쏟고, 간부에 충성맹세 받고…김정은 미묘한 행보
The Korean Central TV reported on the 9th that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took a photo with the 5th National Mothers’ Meeting participants on the 8th. / Korean Central TV·Yonhap News

By. Hyun Ho Lee

Eugene Park
content@www.kangnamtimes.com

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