Today marks three years since the death of
Kim Jong Il, and from the early morning, [KST] commemorative broadcasts by state media praising the former leader have reached their apex.
At midnight on December 17th, Chosun
Central TV reported on “The Arrival of the Day of Blood Tears, December 17th,” covered by Ri Chun Hee, well-known for her
emotional news delivery, particularly her two-day narration, in which she donned black
mourning attire and continuously reported on events surrounding Kim Jong Il’s death in 2011.
Broadcasts for the first and
second anniversaries of the former leader’s death began
at 8a.m., lending weight to assumptions that this year’s early start seeks to underscore the importance of the third anniversary of the leader’s death, traditionally the most
important in Korean culture.
“We miss our Father General [Kim Jong Il]
so much,” Ri declares in the footage. “We long
for his smile, radiant like the sun,” going on to extol his success in creating a “nuclear power and state that has
launched a satellite into space.”
“In the see the all-powerful image of our
General, hailing from the powerful grounds of Baekdu Mountain, within the form
of our Marshal [Kim Jong Eun],” the narration went on. “It is certain that the future of Baekdu’s
power will shine even more brilliantly.”
The broadcast video shows North Korean residents lining up in the severe cold as early as 2:20a.m., wrapped in thick coats and bowing their heads to pay their respects at Mansudae Hill, where statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il stand side by side. “This is the most important day for our people to cherish the memory [of Kim Jong Il], and despite the frigid cold on this December morning, our hearts are ablaze with longing and loyalty,” it continued.
According to the broadcast, as of 6:00a.m.,
the low temperature expected in Pyongyang was 12 degrees (Celcius) below zero–five
degrees below average temperatures for this time of year.
Kim Jong Eun is expected to attend the
central memorial ceremony today at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the Kim
family mausoleum, as he did for the first and second anniversaries of his
father’s death.
