North Korea's Kim Jong-un makes rare new year speech

[shanny-w.livejournal.com]

The North Korean leader has delivered a new year's message on state TV, the first such broadcast for 19 years.

Kim Jong-un, in power since 2011, spoke of the need to improve the economy and also to reunify the Koreas, warning that confrontation only led to war.


The speech came less than a month after the conservative Park Geun-hye was elected president of South Korea.

In 1994, Mr Kim's grandfather, Kim Il-sung, spoke on radio and TV. His son, Kim Jong-il rarely spoke in public.

In addition to Mr Kim's televised address, new year's messages were issued in the form of a joint editorial by North Korea's three main newspapers.



Kim Jong-un said 2013 would be a year of creations and changes, calling for a "radical turnabout" that would transform the impoverished, isolated state into an "economic giant" and raise living standards.

But while he said confrontation between the North and the South should be removed, Mr Kim stressed that military power remained a national priority.

"The military might of a country represents its national strength. Only when it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving country," he said.

The message coincides with UN Security Council discussions on how to punish Pyongyang for a recent long-range rocket launch.

Under Mr Kim's leadership, North Korea has conducted two long-range rocket launches - actions condemned by the US and Pyongyang's neighbours as banned tests of missile technology.

The launch in April failed, but December's attempt appears to have been a success, placing a satellite into orbit.

The US, Japan and South Korea are seeking a response in the UN Security Council, which banned North Korea from missile tests after nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

Kim Jong-un saw in the new year by watching a musical performance with his wife, North Korean state media reported.



Source:bbc.co.uk

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Comments

[xcherryblossomx.livejournal.com]

Kim Jong-un said 2013 would be a year of creations and changes, calling for a "radical turnabout" that would transform the impoverished, isolated state into an "economic giant" and raise living standards.

Hope he means it and makes it happen.

[livvyxo.livejournal.com]

Fascinating, terrifying country.
It's positive that the leaders seem to be slowly but surely diluting themselves from the batshit dictatorship of il-sung
He's calling to reunify the koreas - that'll be interesting to see how that decision goes

[lolwut321.livejournal.com]

As nice as this would sound, I feel like this is the usual BS for NK. They say the same stuff about reuniting the Koreas and having peace and stuff every time they are in need of more food or money. And once they have it, they revert back to their old ways.

Here's hoping that they're serious this time though. It's always nice to be optimistic :).

[purekpopology.livejournal.com]

"The military might of a country represents its national strength. Only when it builds up its military might in every way can it develop into a thriving country," he said.

With this mentality, I don't think things will ever change. You can have an incredibly strong military, but if your people are starving and poor it means nothing. You have the ability to protect your physical land, but what is that worth if everyone in the country is miserable?

That said, I hope things to do change. I hope they really are ready to make some radical changes. I'm just a little cynical about it.

[falling-empress.livejournal.com]

starving people and you're launching flops?

come on...

[lolwut321.livejournal.com]

Dat Kangta H.O.T. haircut tho?

Ill.

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

reminded me of antonie dixon, personally

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

oh yeah this was what i forgot to post

i wonder if he's just doing the reaching out bit to make the south look bad since I doubt he's gonna get shit from park geunhye

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

ehh I've seen it said but I'm pretty sceptical about how open to NK a conservative can be without losing a lot of support in SK

[frantastic.livejournal.com]

we will see