Faudzil @ Ajak

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18 December 2013

KOREA CRISIS - North Korea marks Kim Jong-il death amid purge tensions






17 December 2013 Last updated at 13:27 GMT



North Korea marks Kim Jong-il death amid purge tensions


North Korean mourner: "I miss our dear leader so much"
North Korea is marking the second anniversary of the death of leader Kim Jong-il, days after the dramatic purge of a top-level official.
Images from Pyongyang showed ranks of thousands of officials at a ceremony to commemorate Mr Kim.
His son, Kim Jong-un, inherited the leadership after his death in 2011.
Last week, he presided over the execution of Chang Song-thaek, his uncle and a powerful figure seen by outside observers as his mentor.
Mr Chang was accused of multiple crimes, state media said, including forming a power base and attempting to overthrow the state.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Kim-moon described his execution as "very dramatic and surprising".
He urged regional nations "while they must be vigilantly and carefully watching the development of situation, not to take any premature actions".
Residents laid flowers at monuments to both Kim Jong-il and his father, Kim Il-sung, North Korea's first leader.
This picture taken by North Korea's KCNA on 16 December 2013 shows people offering flower bouquets before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il to mark the second anniversary of Kim Jong-il's deathImages from Pyongyang showed people paying tribute to the late Kim Jong-il and his father and founding leader of North Korea Kim Il-sung
North Koreans walk near the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-ilThe father (left) and son ruled North Korea for more than six decades
North Koreans marking two years since the death of Kim Jong-il, 17 December 2013Pyongyang residents are seen here in front of a mosaic monument of Kim Jong-il
In this image taken from video, North Korean military officials attend an event to mark the second anniversary of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang on 17 December 2013Thousands of high-level officials attended a ceremony in Pyongyang
Kim Jong-un at a ceremony marking the second anniversary of the death of his fatherKim Jong-un clapped but listened to the eulogies for his father with downcast eyes
Kim Jong-il, who ruled North Korea for almost two decades, died on 17 December 2011.

North Korean media review

North Korean media have been using the anniversary to portray the country's ruling elite as being united around leader Kim Jong-un following the execution of his uncle, Chang Song-thaek.
Among other crimes, Chang was found guilty of forming his own power base.
State media continue to describe Kim Jong-un as the "supreme commander" and "beloved leader". But it is their insistence on describing him as the "unitary centre of unity" that is particularly noticeable.
The official news agency, KCNA, says the armed forces hold Kim Jong-un in "high esteem as the unitary centre of unity and leadership" and pledge to "protect him with their lives".
The phrase was repeated by Kim Yong-nam, North Korea's ceremonial head of state, and Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Korean Workers' Party.
Another element being stressed by the media is the leader's descent from state founder Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
"The Mount Paektu bloodline is and should be the North's eternal bloodline," says Rodong Sinmun.
Pyongyang's propaganda describes Mount Paektu as the "sacred birthplace" of Kim Jong-il.
Compiled by BBC Monitoring
On Tuesday, his third son and chosen successor Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony to remember his father.
The young leader wore a sombre expression, the BBC's Lucy Williamson reports from Seoul.
She says the ceremony, in a large hall, was as much about the current leader as the old one.
Kim Jong-un sat on the podium flanked by North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, and the head of the army.
"All our people and soldiers have struggled and achieved victory for the past two years by holding our great leader [Kim Jong-il] in high esteem," Kim Yong-nam said in his speech.
On Monday, thousands of North Korean soldiers lined up in front of the state mausoleum to pledge their allegiance to Kim Jong-un.
The South Korean president, meanwhile, held a meeting of top security officials, warning of possible "provocations" from North Korea in the wake of the purge of Mr Chang and his aides.
His sudden fall from grace and rapid execution have sparked fears of instability inside North Korea.
Mr Chang, who was married to the elder Mr Kim's sister, was thought to have facilitated the transfer of power from father to son two years ago.
It was also widely believed that he was highly influential behind the scenes.

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