Analysis: 'I have failed': Kim Jong Un shows tearful side in confronting North Korea's hardships

By Josh Smith

 

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un reacts during a speech at a military parade marking 75th founding anniversary of Workers' Party of Korea (Wpk), in this still image taken from video on October 12, 2020. KRT TV/ via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared to shed tears at the weekend as he thanked citizens for their sacrifices, in the most striking demonstration yet of how he is relying on his "man of the people" persona to tackle his country's deepening crisis.

 

Though the young leader has consolidated his rule over the isolated nation with ruthless purges, North Korea watchers say he has also sought to portray himself as a more traditional political leader than his eccentric father, Kim Jong Il.

 

Speaking at a military parade on Saturday, Kim became emotional as he paid tribute to troops for their response to national disasters and preventing a coronavirus outbreak and apologised to citizens for failing to raise living standards.

 

"Kim's modesty and candour, and his tears and choking, were all highly unusual, even for someone who publicly acknowledges shortcomings and has an established pattern of being expressive," said Rachel Minyoung Lee, an independent researcher and former open-source North Korea analyst for the U.S. government.

 

The speech, which was clearly carefully designed to resonate with the domestic audience, likely cemented Kim's image as a competent, charismatic leader who also has a human side to him, she said.

 

'I AM SORRY'

Kim - who broke into wide smiles when huge new ballistic missiles were displayed in the parade - blamed North Korea's continuing economic hardships on international sanctions, the coronavirus crisis and a series of damaging typhoons and floods.

 

Since succeeding his father in 2011, Kim has made economic progress a cornerstone of his agenda. He also met with U.S. President Donald Trump, forming an unprecedented personal relationship that included flowery letters.

 

But ambitious plans for international trade, construction projects, and other economic measures have stalled in the face of sanctions imposed over his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

 

The economy took a further hit when North Korea closed its borders to nearly all traffic due to the pandemic, and summer typhoons caused flooding that further threatened food supplies.

 

"Our people have placed trust, as high as sky and as deep as sea, on me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily," Kim said, at one point appearing to choke up. "I am really sorry for that."

 

Kim said the country's success in preventing a coronavirus outbreak and overcoming other challenges was a "great victory achieved" by the citizens.

 

"Our people have always been grateful to our Party, but it is none other than themselves who surely deserve a bow of gratitude," he said.

 

So much focus on citizens was a major departure for such events, where speeches are usually filled with more ideological themes and lauding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, said Lee.

 

"The speech was clearly intended to be for and about the people," she said.

 

PERSONAL APPROACH

In contrast to his remote father, Kim has taken his wife to political summits with foreign leaders, often stoops to hug children and mingles with workers at public appearances.

 

Some of this folksy approach has shaped his public response to the country's economic challenges, said Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein, a North Korean economy expert at the U.S-based Stimson Center think-tank.

 

"Kim has been more personally present and visible at disaster reconstruction sites and the like, and he's prioritised a lot of the symbolic construction projects designed to show economic progress," he said.

 

But despite some early moves towards embracing markets, Kim is not an out-an-out reformer and his policy prescriptions have tended to draw on the North Korea playbook honed by his father and grandfather, state founder Kim Il Sung, Silberstein said.

 

The United Nations says that, under Kim, North Korea has continued to quash basic freedoms, maintaining political prison camps and strict surveillance of its citizens. Kim had his uncle executed, according to state media, and the United States accused his government of using the chemical warfare agent VX assassinate his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, in 2017, an allegation Pyongyang has denied.

 

Last week Kim called on his country to embark on an 80-day "speed battle" - a campaign to attain economic goals before a congress in January to decide a new five-year plan.

 

Such campaigns, which involve citizens performing "voluntary" extra labour, have been described by some residents as "one of the most exhausting, irritating parts of everyday life", Silberstein said.

 

"Kim's essentially left with tears, apologies, speed battles and squeezing out funds wherever they can be found," he said.

 

(Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Alex Richardson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-10-13

 

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A crocodile tears if i ever seen any, on a one hand his people are starving and dying by the thousands, assassinated, tortured and disappear without being seen again and he stand there with his fake tears all the while he builds one of the most formidable army in the world...

Edited October 13, 20205 yr by ezzra

Trolling video removed.  It's a discussion forum.  

 

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

'I have failed': Kim Jong Un

Would that not just bring a tear to a glass eye! ????

Cheer up Kim; at least you got a new bff in the White House. 

Note to Trump. Send your love child a box of tissues.

he's not the only one  555   something must be wrong he did apologize to Dr. Fauci for illegally using Fauci's image

 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/trump-admits-failed-biden-campaign-012308867.html

 

I am failing at managing the coronavirus outbreak

Trump Admits He Failed in Biden Campaign’s Deliciously Petty Ad

This little penis man spent all the money on rockets to make himself feel big LOL.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Analysis: 'I have failed': Kim Jong Un shows tearful side in confronting North Korea's hardships

Autocratic dictators stage manage their populations.  Watch the crying Kim.  But don't think it's just North Korea.  I expect in over the next year or so will see other autocratic dictators like Boris Johnsons, Scott Morrisons, and supreme-premier Daniel Andrews stage managing their populations over a good teary-eye weep about how hard it is to have to make the tough decision. 

1 minute ago, connda said:

Autocratic dictators stage manage their populations.  Watch the crying Kim.  But don't think it's just North Korea.  I expect in over the next year or so will see other autocratic dictators like Boris Johnsons, Scott Morrisons, and supreme-premier Daniel Andrews stage managing their populations over a good teary-eye weep about how hard it is to have to make the tough decision. 

Don't be daft.............Gawd...

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The United Nations says that, under Kim, North Korea has continued to quash basic freedoms, maintaining political prison camps and strict surveillance of its citizens.

Let's see.  Commonwealth countries - bastions of Freedom.

Let take Australia for an example.
Quash basic freedoms?  Check
Strict surveillance of its citizens?  Check

Maintaining political prisons?  Not there yet, but if you question the orthodox narrative?  Look out.

 

The problem with organization like the UN is that over the next decade they will be increasingly be the pot calling the kettle "black." 

I have failed

 

It seems that the country can learn many things from North Korea.

8 minutes ago, transam said:

Don't be daft.............Gawd...

"There are none so blind as those who will not see." ...........

10 minutes ago, connda said:

Autocratic dictators stage manage their populations.  Watch the crying Kim.  But don't think it's just North Korea.  I expect in over the next year or so will see other autocratic dictators like Boris Johnsons, Scott Morrisons, and supreme-premier Daniel Andrews stage managing their populations over a good teary-eye weep about how hard it is to have to make the tough decision. 

 

I know your post is tongue-in-cheek but how can you mention Boris Johnson in the same sentence as Kim...purleease. BJ is nothing like an autrocratic dicatator, a buffoon perhaps.

 

 

3 minutes ago, connda said:

"There are none so blind as those who will not see." ...........

Absolutely, did Winston Churchill Cry....?

For sure, I don't know, neither do you regarding Boris unless you see it....????

Blubby whale the burgers have run out or another favorite uncle is in front of the anti aircraft cannon again ???? 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

But ambitious plans for international trade, construction projects, and other economic measures have stalled in the face of sanctions imposed over his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Special shout out to Kim for not  escalating tensions due to the sanctions  !  The propaganda reported from the media  looked very grim for a while imop!

 

Edited October 13, 20205 yr by riclag

8 minutes ago, riclag said:

Special shout out to Kim for not  escalating tensions due to the sanctions  !  The propaganda reported from the media  looked very grim for a while imop!

 

Say what!!! Kim just revealed their long range ballistic missiles and you give a shout out for not escalating tension. You will never make it as an intelligence officer. 

What?! His 'monster' new ICBM [TVF link] is not cheering him up? I guess resigning and turning the mess over to the wife to clean up is out of the question. ????

Edited October 13, 20205 yr by MaxYakov

N-Korea, one of the last authentic countries ...

So the Trump fans have become Kim fans?

What happened to the detestable little rocket man?

It must be a full-time job to be a fan of a schizophrenic.

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 20205 yr by bendejo

4 hours ago, finnsk said:

It seems that the country can learn many things from North Korea.

Which Country and what things?

Maybe having a best bud relationship with Big Brother CCP has something to do with his failures.

5 hours ago, connda said:

Autocratic dictators stage manage their populations.  Watch the crying Kim.  But don't think it's just North Korea.  I expect in over the next year or so will see other autocratic dictators like Boris Johnsons, Scott Morrisons, and supreme-premier Daniel Andrews stage managing their populations over a good teary-eye weep about how hard it is to have to make the tough decision. 

And not one mention of any dictatorships/Coup leaders/oligarchs, Putin et al!

shhh...i am in North Korea NOW!!!!  they call me farang, which is strange.

 

There are only 300 people left in this country.   i can't talk about it, or then people will be able to read facts.  it's better to say no covid, no zombies, no nothing...smile.

 

we are trained to remember covid from america.  china no covid.  farangs are aliens with covid.  

 

globalization fail.   freedom fail.  democracy fail.  human rights fail.  

 

can't worry about that.... can i buy beer at 711 now???????????????????

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Say what!!! Kim just revealed their long range ballistic missiles and you give a shout out for not escalating tension. You will never make it as an intelligence officer. 

When the eagle comes in for an attack, if you flash a big enough gun, it will fly away.

I really need to meet that fairy, so she will have to grant me three wishes, one of them would be Superman’s powers, but none of his weaknesses, so I could get rid of a few political leaders... ????

Shut up Kim, your just like another idiot dictator, spend all the money on military weapons and not on the people. 

15 hours ago, connda said:

When the eagle comes in for an attack, if you flash a big enough gun, it will fly away.

Big enough guns are aimed at the nest not the eagle. 

16 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Big enough guns are aimed at the nest not the eagle. 

Vultures are cowards and use the sanctions method. Till their target is dead or in-capable ... So Americans are?