Kim Jong-un has not been seen in public for 35 days ahead of a massive parade this week in Pyongyang to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the North Korean army.
of Authoritarian leader absent from Politburo meeting Sunday’s NK News on the country’s deep agricultural crisis noted that it was the third time he had done so.
A previous long period out of the public eye fueled rumors about his deteriorating health, speculation about his possible successor.
of North Korean leader’s 35-day break In the public eye, it would coincide with another long-term absence at the end of 2021, says the Seoul-based website.
However, Kim is scheduled to attend a military parade this week, which could take place as early as Tuesday night.
Preparations for a possible celebration of the founding of the Korean People’s Army have been underway in a frozen state since January at the Milim Parade training ground, despite a sudden five-day blockade in the capital Pyongyang. According to satellite imagery analyzed by US-based surveillance.Site 38 North.
Over the weekend, footage surfaced of military planes flying low in formation at night over central Pyongyang toward Kim Il Sung Square, where most of North Korea’s major public events are held.
Photos obtained by NK News also showed dozens of citizens wearing medical masks gathered in the square along several large buildings covered by black curtains.
mass parade
North Korea has in the past broadcast large parades on television to showcase its latest weaponry, but many of its recent public celebrations have been held in the dark.
The majesty and grandeur of the planned spectacle are brought to bear despite reports of severe food shortages in quarantined states.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday that the ruling Workers’ Party was planning an unusual step of holding a second meeting within two months to discuss agricultural issues.
Humanitarian organizations have consistently warned that North Korea faces chronic food shortages. natural disasters; and poor economic management.