North Korea's Kim Jong-Un hails the execution of his 'scum' uncle in a New Year message
- - The dictator referred to those recently executed as 'scum elements' and 'factionalist filth'
- - Kim Jong-Un's uncle Jang Song-thaek and his aides were recently executed
- - It was his first public criticism of the uncle
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un spoke of the execution of his 67-year-old uncle during his New Year address telling the country 'our party took resolute action to remove...scum elements within the party last year.'
The 30-year-old leader appeared on state television for the speech and analysts say the words reflect his feelings towards aides of his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, and other family members who are believed to have been sent to labour camps.
'Our party's timely, accurate decision to purge the anti-party, anti-revolutionary elements helped greatly cement solidarity within our party,' said Kim, adding that 'factionalist filth' had been 'eliminated.'
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'Eliminated': North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said 'scum elements' including his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, had been removed from the party last year. The dictator gave the speech during his 2014 New Year address
His statement on state tv was the first time he had publicly criticised his uncle, who was executed on December 12 after he was accused of treason, corruption, following the ways of the hated West, and being a womaniser.
Although Jang had played a major role in helping the inexperienced Kim after the younger man had taken power following the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il in December 2011, the new leader is believed to have felt threatened by Jang's power.
Observers in neighbouring South Korea agree that Kim has been running a 'reign of terror' in carrying out a 'massive purge' to consolidate his grip.
Kim also used his New Year message to warn that the Korean peninsula would be engulfed by a 'massive nuclear disaster' if war broke out there again - a reference to the Korean war of the early 1950s when South Korea, supported by the United Nations, fought with North Korea which was at one time supported by China and the Soviet Union.
On holiday: Kim Jong-Un rides a ski lift while inspecting Masik Pass ski resort
'If the war breaks out again in this land, it will bring about a massive nuclear diaster and the US will never be safe,' he warned.
Before issuing his New Year message, Kim warmly wrapped in a thick coat and a bearskin hat, visited his pet project, the Masik Pass Ski Resort, lauded by state media as having been completed at 'lightning speed'.
He took a test ride on a ski lift, rising up over the project that he said during an earlier visit was 'at the centre of the world's attention'.
According to a report published by the official news agency, the resort was opened in a ceremony on Tuesday.
Business as usual: Kim Jong-un (R) inspects Masik Pass, near Wonsan, North Korea
Switzerland, where Kim had studied during his youth, blocked a £6 million sale of ski lifts to the capital, Pyongyang, earlier in 2013, describing the resort as a 'propaganda project' for the impoverished Stalinist regime.
Even so, Kim urged his workers to press on and today the resort is said to feature 70 miles of multi-level ski runs, a hotel, heliport and cable cars.
The massive project is not the only entertainment centre to arise since Kim took power. Other projects he has ordered to be built include an amusement park, a water park and a luxury horseback riding club.
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