Attendees at the April 15 opening ceremony for Pyongyang’s Hwasong housing development were later summoned by police to write self-criticism letters after violating strict protocols during interactions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Daily NK has learned.
According to a Pyongyang source recently, participants in the event celebrating 10,000 new homes faced consequences for failing to follow precise instructions on how to behave in the supreme leader’s presence.
The source said security preparations began approximately 10 days before the ceremony when select homeowners were secretly chosen to meet Kim Jong Un. Security personnel in black suits conducted physical screenings at a local police station, and participants underwent days of intensive training on proper protocol.
The instructions for meeting the North Korean leader were extremely specific: never initiate hugs with Kim, avoid firm handshakes, speak only when spoken to (preferably minimally), never speak before Kim does, avoid spraying saliva while talking, and don’t startle Kim’s daughter.
Security officials emphasized these points repeatedly, forcing participants to practice extensively. Those who appeared excessively nervous were replaced after warnings that “no mercy would be shown” for inappropriate behavior.
Despite the thorough preparation, several participants (especially elderly people and women) broke protocol. Violations included “hugging the supreme leader too closely” or “speaking first.” Offenders were summoned by city police and each had to write self-criticism letters exceeding 20 pages before release.
“People who met the supreme leader felt diminished by the experience, anxious and disheartened trying to follow the security team’s strict instructions,” the source explained.
After the ceremony, participants who met Kim received special gift boxes containing food items and fabric (velvet for women, suit material for men). City police emphasized that all participants must maintain absolute secrecy regarding the event and required thumbprint signatures on confidentiality agreements.
