North Korea held a large event to mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on Dec. 17, despite the nation’s emergency quarantine efforts.
The authorities held a memorial rally in the square in front of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are interred.
Kim Jong Un’s appearance drew particular attention. Dressed in a long, black leather trench coat, he not only looked a bit thinner, but he also wore a serious expression throughout the event, leading some to comment that he looked old.
At noon that day, all North Koreans had to observe three minutes of silence in remembrance of the elder Kim. Some were reportedly mobilized to present flower baskets or participate in the memorial rally. The younger Kim basically used the memorial of his forebear to promote internal unity.
Once the memorial atmosphere was largely concluded, Daily NK conducted a telephone interview with a provincial cadre to convey the general mood inside North Korea.
The following is an interview with Ryu Yong Gil (assumed name), a cadre who works at a government body in North Pyongan Province.
DNK: How did you see the event marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of Kim Jong Il?
“I watched it on TV in accordance with an order regarding organizational and government events. I also saw it in the Rodong Sinmun later.”
DNK: What caught your interest?
“I was deeply impressed by how solemn it was, the three minutes of silence, and how the people on the platform in the central memorial rally faced the audience but then turned around to pay silent tribute to a video of Kim Jong Il on the façade of the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.”
DNK: What was the significance of that?
“I felt with my innermost heart they organized the event so that all of society felt an atmosphere of mourning, as if Kim had passed away just a few days ago.”
DNK: But don’t you think the reality was a bit different?
“I do. They organized the event to produce an atmosphere of mourning, but many people in the provinces didn’t feel as strongly as they did when he actually died. I felt they were ritualistically taking part because it was a state event.”
DNK: Could you please explain that?
“The markets closed that day, and people nationwide took part in organized mourning events, but as soon as that was over, they jumped right back into their daily lives to make ends meet. Ten years has passed since [Kim’s] death, so it seems everything has become routine for people.”
DNK: Were there people crying?
“It was different from when Kim Il Sung died and when Kim Jong Il died 10 years ago. A decade has already passed. Hardly anyone excessively cried like a river this time.”
DNK: Did Kim Jong Un continue to wear a serious expression?
“It was really cold that day. I was worried because his face was red like it was really frozen. But families whispered among themselves about his emaciated face, saying he could no longer move it.”
DNK: Are people worried about his health?
“People wondered if he was sick since his complexion wasn’t good, generally speaking. And he wore a thin leather coat in the cold weather, not winter clothing. I wondered what the officials close to him were doing.”
DNK: It also looked like he lost a lot of weight.
“I think his health really isn’t good. In our country [North Korea], hardly anyone goes on a diet. In fact, I was really surprised when I saw how thin he was on TV this time.”
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
