Welcoming assembly praised N. Korean leader Kim Jong Un

Around 50 undergraduates of the Praise Baekdu Committee held a speech contest and music presentation, aimed at welcoming North Korea leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Seoul, on Saturday in Marronnier Park, Jongno District, Seoul. Participants during the event responded by shaking pink-colored azalea flowers as a means to welcome them.

One of the intriguing parts was a section that organizes Baekdu guardians of the Welcoming Committee of Kim Jong Un. The performance involves actors who play a role of parents and their children. The father showed a placard that says “Kim Jong Un, forever" and "Kim Jong Un♡." He said, "I love him 100 times, 1,000 times more than I do love BTS. He is humble and smart. He knows everything from science to arts,” praising the leader high. He also mentioned, “Kim shuts the mouth of Americans. He is the best leader who encourages his people.” At the end of the show, he proposed to welcome him to Seoul by raising the North Korean flag.

There was a divided reaction to the event. “I have no idea why young people engage in such behavior. It is shocking," a citizen, surnamed Kim, 57, criticized. "I do not know where they are coming from.” Another middle-aged man passed by with some cursing remarks. Meanwhile, some citizens found it positive. A 75-year-old lady, surnamed Lee, said that she understands that they praise inter-Korean efforts to have a meeting even though it is not right to blindly admire Kim.


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com