{"id":4442,"date":"2020-01-18T06:00:28","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T21:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4442"},"modified":"2020-01-23T15:07:43","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T06:07:43","slug":"no-new-year-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2020\/01\/politics\/no-new-year-message\/","title":{"rendered":"\uff1cInside N. Korea\uff1e \u201cNo plan, No policies\u201d: Residents Confounded and Critical after Kim Forgoes New Year Address"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kim Jong-un inspects construction of his project in Samjiyon. Photograph originally published in November, 2018 by the Rodong Sinmun<\/p><\/div>\n

For the majority of North Koreans, the New Year kicks off with a tedious task, they are faced with the challenge of memorizing Kim Jong-un\u2019s annual \u201cNew Year\u2019s Day\u201d speech.<\/p>\n

For the first time since he took power, however, Kim Jong-un did not give his annual speech. Feeling a mixture of surprise and relief, residents are not yet sure what to make of the unusual situation, said a reporting partner living in Ryanggang Province on January 3.<\/p>\n

The annual \u201cNew Year\u2019s Day address\u201d is generally a self-congratulatory message that recounts the nation\u2019s achievements over the previous year and presents policies and prospects for the year ahead. During the Kim Jong-il era, this message was delivered as a \u201cpublic editorial\u201d and published in major newspapers and party newsletters. Kim Jong-un, on the other hand, has preferred to give a speech each year.<\/p>\n

Previously, following delivery of Kim Jong-un\u2019s annual address, North Korean workplaces, schools and public institutions would hold lectures where citizens would be forced to memorize the entirety of the speech.<\/p>\n

These lectures would usually continue until mid-January, with groups competing in recitation contests and question-and-answer sessions. Residents dared not neglect the competition and would diligently memorize Kim Jong-un\u2019s ambitious goals for the year.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner summarized the local reaction to the skipped speech thusly, \u201cWe were all relieved that there would be no recitation contest. But the economy is so bad that it seems there can\u2019t even be a New Year\u2019s Day address- there are no countermeasures or policies coming from above. Over the past year, it was so hard to make money at the markets due to the effects of the sanctions. We therefore expected new policies or countermeasures to be brought up [in the New Year\u2019s Day address] but there are no prospects for us. There is nothing but empty shouts of \u2018self-reliance\u2019.\u201d
\nNext page :Country not on high alert for war...<\/strong>
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\u25c6 Country not on high alert for war<\/h2>\n

What is the latest on North Korea\u2019s internal situation? According to the reporting partner, the winter military drills, which began on December 1, have continued in full swing. There are also emergency and anti-aircraft drills taking place, however, the atmosphere amongst the general public is free of military tension or unrest. Indeed, many do not even feel the need to participate fully in the emergency drills.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner explained, \u201cThe majority of residents believe that there will be no war so long as we possess nuclear weapons. That is why this kind of training has become meaningless to them. In Hyesan, the Red Guard militia had a training session but I don\u2019t think anyone in attendance listened to the official\u2019s speech explaining the military situation. There is a very relaxed atmosphere.\u201d (Kang Ji-won)<\/p>\n

\u203b ASIAPRESS contacts reporting partners in North Korea through smuggled Chinese mobile phones.<\/p>\n

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