Kim Jong Un admits negligence in front of compatriots. North Korea’s dictator Kim Jung Un turned to the people at a military parade. Corona does not exist in the country – “not a single person” was infected – he nevertheless apologized.
Kim Jong Un admits negligence in front of compatriots
Communist North Korea celebrated the 75th anniversary of the ruling Labor Party with an unusual night military parade. State television began showing pictures of the celebrations on Saturday evening (local time) with thousands of marching soldiers, cheering crowds, military music and fireworks in the center of the capital, Pyongyang.
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Ruler Kim Jong Un gave a speech in which he warned that his country would “fully mobilize” its nuclear forces if it were threatened. However, the dictator avoided direct criticism of the United States. Instead, he focused on a message to the local population. He called on them to remain determined in the face of the “enormous challenges” arising from the coronavirus pandemic and the US-led sanctions against its nuclear program. North Korea will continue to expand its military “for self-defense and deterrence”.
An apparently emotional Kim Jong Un apologized for not improving the lives of North Koreans, according to Reuters news agency. “I am ashamed that I could never really repay your enormous trust,” he said. “My efforts and my dedication were not enough to get our people out of difficult living conditions.” The ruler blamed international sanctions, typhoons and the coronavirus for failing to fulfill promises of economic progress.
Kim Jong Un also claimed in his propaganda address: “Not a single person” in North Korea has contracted the coronavirus so far – a claim that South Korea and the United States had previously questioned. Kim Jong Un thanked the country’s soldiers for their efforts against natural disasters and the coronavirus. Covid-19 cannot be prevented without socialism. He hoped that North and South Korea would shake hands again after the end of the corona crisis, said Kim Jong Un.
North Korea, which was already largely isolated, has further isolated itself after the outbreak of the coronavirus – with drastic consequences for the economy and the people in the country. An unusually wet and stormy summer made the problems worse. Weeks of rain and floods threatened the harvest in July and August. Even before the crisis, around 11 million North Koreans were malnourished.
At a meeting of the Labor Party in mid-August, Kim had to admit that North Korea “because of unforeseen difficulties” had not been able to improve people’s living conditions and had failed to achieve its economic goals. The state media quoted him as saying that a new five-year plan must be drafted in January 2021.
Source: https://www.spiegel.de/
