“The 60s song, despite the Party’s push to promote it once again, has already become a target of mockery”, a source from South Pyongan Province told Daily NK on May 10, adding that the song has prompted people to look back on the 60s when the song was written. Media access inside North Korea is tightly controlled.
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Most appointments appear to focus on the economy; Kim’s younger sister’s title not yet clear There were no surprising additions to North Korea’s major generals, and Kim Jong-un promoted a large number of his close associates and economic leaders in an attempt to maintain harmony between the older and younger generations. Kim picked Choe to represent North Korea a year ago at Chinese celebrations commemorating the end of World War II.
They shouted “manse!”, or “live forever!”, while clasping their hands in the air or waving pink flowers as they passed before Mr Kim and other top officials on a leaders’ platform.
Last week, North Korea invited 128 foreign journalists from 12 different countries to Pyongyang to cover the most important political event in the country in 36 years, the 7th Congress of the Worker’s Party of Korea.
Hong said Tuesday the congress shows the North has been unable to construct a new guiding ideology, opting instead to strengthen the idolization of past and present leaders.
Hong further stressed the need to continue to impose sanctions and exert pressure on the reclusive regime as there is “danger that North Korea would move to advance its nuclear programs (if given any slack)”.
China approved the latest raft of United Nations sanctions – the toughest to date – that were imposed after the North’s January nuclear test, and there are signs that it is implementing the measures.
The reshaping of the highest-decision making body of the WPK signals what could be Kim’s willingness to shift the balance of power from the military to the party in a major departure from his father, Kim Jong-il, who advocated the military-first policy known as songun throughout his 17-year rule until his death in December 2011.
South Korea will put sanctions and pressure ahead of dialogue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said on Wednesday. “The overwhelming message is that they have doubled down on the nuclear issue”, he said. Also, he said North Korea is developing what could be used as first-strike capabilities, including solid-fuel missiles, that would remove any warning time if the North meant to launch a weapon. Can we still talk about denuclearization, or do we aim for a freeze and a cap?
China has sent a message of congratulations to the North Korean leader on his new position, but declined to send a representative to the gathering.
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For some, it was essentially nothing more than a piece of political theatre, with Kim Jong-Un firmly front and centre stage for the duration.
