{"id":4024,"date":"2019-01-15T09:44:21","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T00:44:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4024"},"modified":"2019-01-21T18:10:23","modified_gmt":"2019-01-21T09:10:23","slug":"visiting-china-kim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/01\/news\/visiting-china-kim\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e Birthday Ban: Why N. Koreans were forbidden from raising a glass to Kim Jong-un"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kim Jong-un sits to give his New Year\u2019s address, broadcasted by the Korean Central Broadcasting Station on January 1, 2019.<\/p><\/div>\n

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2019\/Jan<\/span><\/span>\/10<\/em><\/p>\n

\u25c6 Is Kim Jong-un portraying himself as a \u2018humble\u2019 leader?<\/p>\n

Thought to be born on January 8, 1984, Kim Jong-un recently spent his 35th birthday in China. How did the North Korean people commemorate their leader\u2019s birthday? On the afternoon of Kim Jong-un\u2019s birthday, a reporting partner from North Hamkyung Province spoke with ASIAPRESS over the phone (Kang Ji-won).<\/p>\n

The partner reported, \u201cOn the 8th, orders on how to commemorate Kim Jong-un\u2019s birthday came down through the Party. The instructions decreed that there should be no public holiday to mark the birthday and specifically forbade state enterprises and individuals from holding celebrations. All North Koreans were instructed to attend work as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

But what is the true motivation behind the order not to celebrate? According to the reporting partner, \u201cIt would not have been acceptable to create a festive atmosphere just for Kim Jong-un\u2019s birthday.\u201d Moreover, there had been no special events to celebrate Kim\u2019s birthday in the past.<\/p>\n

Ironically, the ban on celebrating Kim Jong-un\u2019s birthday is thought to have been decreed with the intention of increasing public idolization of the leader. Away in China on his birthday, the ban helps to portray Kim Jong-un as a \u2018humble leader\u2019, dutifully performing a public service to his country. Rather than venerate Kim Jong-un, the regime has, for the first time, marked the leader\u2019s birthday by distributing gifts to children. According to our reporting partner, \u201cKindergarten and elementary school students were all given sweets at special ceremonies at their schools.\u201d After 7 years, it would appear that this particular North Korean socialist tradition has finally been carried forth into the Kim Jong-un era.<\/p>\n

\u203b In North Korea, on Kim Il-sung's birthday, April 15, and on Kim Jong-il's birthday, February 16, boxes of sweets were given to children at special school ceremonies.
\nNext page:Kim Jong-un's New Year's greetings...<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u25c6Kim Jong-un's New Year's greetings<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un's New Year's message was announced as usual on January 1. As with previous years, North Koreans across the country were forced to memorize and recite the contents of the speech.<\/p>\n

A partner reporting from a different region said, \u201cFrom the 4th to the 7th, state enterprises and organizations ordered their employees to not only study the contents of the speech, but to memorize and recite the New Year\u2019s address in full. On the 7th, the Socialist Women's Union, the Youth League, and the Workers Party each held quiz competitions on the contents of the address. Groups that answered questions well received praise and those that did not received heavy criticism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u25c6 A four-day market closure...business put on hold to study leader\u2019s New Year\u2019s address<\/p>\n

From January 4-7, markets were closed in order for residents to study Kim Jong-un\u2019s address. The inconvenience and loss of income during the period raised many voices of discontent. According to the reporting partner, \u201cFrom January 4-8, the markets were closed and private commercial activity was forbidden. The authorities said that from January 9, the market will be open from 3-8pm but the people are not happy, asking \u2018Will memorizing the New Year\u2019s address make us money?\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u203b ASIAPRESS contacts reporters in North Korea through mobile phones smuggled in from China.<\/p>\n

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