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NK to hold birthday ceremony for heir apparent Saturday

Posted January. 07, 2011 11:19,   

한국어

North Korea`s ruling Workers` Party or military will likely hold a ceremony Saturday to mark the birthday of heir apparent Kim Jong Un, the youngest son of leader Kim Jong Il.

An official at South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Thursday that Seoul understands that Pyongyang`s power organizations such as the party and military also carried out idolization work for the junior Kim last year through events such as singing gatherings or athletic contests.

The North has been briskly conducting idolization activities for the junior Kim since it unveiled his face in the Rodong Sinmun, the official daily of the Workers` Party, late last year.

On Dec. 19, the newspaper carried a photo of workers at Rakwon Machine-Building Complex learning a new song praising the party, with the lyrics defending the North’s third-generation power succession.

The newspaper on Dec. 22 also carried photos of Kim Jong Il and his son visiting a machinery plant, with one of the photos showing a sign saying “Respected General Comrade Kim Jong Un” visited the production plant on May 9, 2009. He received the title of “general” on Sept. 27, 2009.

A government official in Seoul said, “It is unclear if the junior Kim received the title of general long before that day or if the sign was hung just recently.”



kyle@donga.com