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Pyongyang’s leader, Kim Jong-un, tearfully apologized for leading the country through difficult times compounded by the coronavirus epidemic, writes The Guardian.
Speaking at the grand military parade over the weekend to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Labor Party, Kim Jong-un removed his glasses to wipe his tears – an indication, analysts say, of mounting pressure on his regime.
“Our people have put all their trust in me, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, but I have not always been able to climb to the heights,” he said. “I’m really sorry about that.”
“It is important to see why he came to shed tears on such an occasion,” said Hong Min, director of the North Korea division at the Korean Institute for National Unification. “Under his message, you can feel that the Pyongyang leader feels a lot of pressure on his leadership.”
North Korea unveils new ICBM
The parade, which marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party, also featured the Hwasong-15 missile and another that appears to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile, according to Agerpres.
North Korea has not conducted any ballistic missile tests since November 2017, when it launched a Hwasong-15 missile, along with diplomatic efforts to negotiate a denuclearization deal with the United States, negotiations that have been stalled for two years.
Although North Korean leader Kim Jong Un avoided sending a harsh message to the United States in his speech prior to the military parade, showing a missile superior to the Hwasong-15 missile (which has a range that could be enough to hit US territory). suggests the idea that Pyongyang will continue to develop increasingly sophisticated missiles if it does not reach an agreement with Washington. In this regard, Kim mentioned in his speech that his country, owner of the nuclear weapon, will continue to strengthen its army for the purpose of “self-defense and deterrence”, while ensuring that it will “never” use it for a preventive attack.
Editor: Iulia Iancu
