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On the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Communist Party that has ruled North Korea since its inception, Kim delivered an unexpected speech.
He thanked the North Koreans for their “great perseverance” as well as their confidence in the party, and praised them for “bravely overcoming difficulties and tests” this year.
Emotions seized the supreme leader as he thanked the country’s military for its help both in recovering from the disaster: North Korea was hit by several major storms this summer and in preventing the epidemic.
After this emotionality, his regime displayed sophisticated military equipment, and among the machines was what appears to be one of the largest ballistic missiles on the planet.
The tone of Kim’s speech, in which the leader never directly mentioned the United States, was soft, in stark contrast to the guns in the square. But it is this contrast that best describes North Korea’s year: It is at a crossroads.
Pyongyang’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons development programs have made incredible progress with Kim.
Diplomatically, he has also done well, both in developing his personal relationship with US President Donald Trump and in improving relations with China, North Korea’s most important economic sponsor.
But for a leader trying to present himself as a man of the people, his promise to improve the lives of all North Koreans remains unfulfilled.
In fact, Kim’s apology to his people is not entirely unusual for him. In his country, the young North Korean leader is portrayed as a man of the people, although he comes from a family that is revered with religious zeal.
She has a busy schedule, often visiting ordinary North Koreans and even hugging some of them. This is in stark contrast to the way his father, Kim Jong Il, ruled.
Unlike his father, Kim is willing to admit that he has failed at everything from satellite launches to inexpensive programs, and to learn from his mistakes. And while the price breaks the myth that state media spends that the ruling dynasty is infallible, it helps nurture Kim’s image as a more modern and agile statesman.
However, the public tear was a level of vulnerability that Kim had not yet reached.
John Delary, a professor at the Yonsei University School of International Relations, said he thought Kim’s decision to display such emotions in public was based on the credibility of his position.
“It’s a political style. It’s a kind of populism connecting with his audience. Kim wants to show them how deeply he feels they are hurting, that he cares,” Delary said.
Whether the North Korean public believes he is sincere is another question. Public apologies are one thing, but Pyongyang’s tightly controlled media landscape does not tolerate dissent. Kim himself is accused of overseeing a network of political prisons in which more than 100,000 people have been thrown into dire conditions.
“From day one, he promised economic development. He apologized for not being able to achieve it for several years in a row, but he did not give up on his promise,” Delary said.
While many blame North Korea’s inefficient command economy for failing to improve living standards, existing sanctions punishing Pyongyang for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles have made it nearly impossible for the country to improve its economic prospects.
Kim’s obsession with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles is presented to the North Koreans as a means of ensuring their safety from outside forces, but it is they who largely pay the bill.
Never underestimate North Korea
The weapons, displayed on October 10, emphasized that North Korea continues to develop its efforts to develop modern weapons. Although North Korea showed off some impressive conventional machines, the highlight of the parade was strategic weapons – ballistic missiles that were on display at the end of the parade.
The latter looks like one of the largest missiles ever built, and is likely the “new strategic weapon” that Kim promised in January that North Korea would unveil in 2020.
Experts say the weapon’s design is similar to the Hwasong-15, another North Korean massive ballistic missile, successfully launched in November 2017.
Most agree that the added size means the missile can carry multiple warheads, which would be useful if North Korea wanted to try to evade or hamper the US missile defense systems.
Pyongyang has also shown new and larger vehicles designed to carry surface-to-air missiles, which in theory make it difficult for opponents to detect them before launch, as the Kim regime may conceal weapons and choose to launch them remotely.
The conclusion of the military demonstration is clear: North Korea is working hard on progressing its weapons, even if it has reduced its tests. The DPRK aims to provoke Washington with long-range missiles and nuclear bombs.
“Never underestimate North Korea. They are constantly working to increase their defenses,” said Melissa Hanham, a missile expert at Earth’s Future Foundation. “The longer we leave the door open, the longer they will continue to develop their nuclear program.”
While a US official said North Korea’s decision to develop a new ballistic missile was “disappointing,” discovering those weapons during a military parade was one of the least provocative ways to show what the country had up its sleeve. In fact, test firings from a long-range ballistic missile could elicit a strong response from the president of the United States, who is in the middle of his election campaign.
When asked about North Korea’s missiles on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized that the parade was not a demonstration of the weapon’s viability and that Kim had not tested a single ballistic missile since met with Trump.
Evans River, a former State Department expert, said the rhetoric in Kim’s speech compared to North Korean weaponry clearly shows that “Kim Jong Un understands that the essence of his deal with Trump is still no.” Long-range ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons are being tested. “
“In addition, President Trump has made it clear that he is not concerned about short-range tests or developments taking place in the nuclear zone,” River added.
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