ID :
28103
Mon, 11/03/2008 - 10:46
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/28103
The shortlink copeid
N. Korean media report leader's appearance at soccer match
PYONGYANG, Nov. 2 Kyodo - North Korea's state-run media said Sunday the country's leader Kim Jong Il had attended a soccer match, the third report of a public appearance by Kim since foreign reports surfaced in September that he had suffered a stroke.
The Korean Central News Agency, in a report dated Saturday but moved early
Sunday, said Kim watched the match between teams of the Korean People's Army.
The report did not say when the event took place, which is not unusual in the
case of the leader's movements. But it said the match was held ''in connection
with the close of the 11th People's Sports Contest,'' which ended Friday in
Pyongyang.
The report was accompanied by pictures, and state television ran more than a
dozen photographs from the event in its news program, including three that
showed the leader in a brown jacket and sunglasses.
In one of the pictures, a smiling Kim was shown sitting down, with other
officials in the background. No video footage was shown in the program.
Sunday's edition of the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers'
Party of Korea, printed the picture of Kim smiling on its front page.
''After watching the match, Kim Jong Il congratulated the footballers on their
success in the match, expressing great satisfaction over a high level of the
game played by them,'' the KCNA report said.
The last KCNA report on the leader's public appearance was one dated Oct. 10,
which said he visited a military unit. Pictures of the event were also released
at that time.
Those images were the first to be made public since Kim's visit to a military
unit reported Aug. 14, and came after reports from outside North Korea that he
had suffered a health setback, a charge Pyongyang has denied.
Speculation surrounding Kim's health intensified after the leader stayed away
from celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the country's founding on Sept.
9.
Sunday's KCNA report said Kim was accompanied by KPA generals as well as Jang
Song Thaek, his brother-in-law who is director of a department of the ruling
party.
The Korean Central News Agency, in a report dated Saturday but moved early
Sunday, said Kim watched the match between teams of the Korean People's Army.
The report did not say when the event took place, which is not unusual in the
case of the leader's movements. But it said the match was held ''in connection
with the close of the 11th People's Sports Contest,'' which ended Friday in
Pyongyang.
The report was accompanied by pictures, and state television ran more than a
dozen photographs from the event in its news program, including three that
showed the leader in a brown jacket and sunglasses.
In one of the pictures, a smiling Kim was shown sitting down, with other
officials in the background. No video footage was shown in the program.
Sunday's edition of the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers'
Party of Korea, printed the picture of Kim smiling on its front page.
''After watching the match, Kim Jong Il congratulated the footballers on their
success in the match, expressing great satisfaction over a high level of the
game played by them,'' the KCNA report said.
The last KCNA report on the leader's public appearance was one dated Oct. 10,
which said he visited a military unit. Pictures of the event were also released
at that time.
Those images were the first to be made public since Kim's visit to a military
unit reported Aug. 14, and came after reports from outside North Korea that he
had suffered a health setback, a charge Pyongyang has denied.
Speculation surrounding Kim's health intensified after the leader stayed away
from celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the country's founding on Sept.
9.
Sunday's KCNA report said Kim was accompanied by KPA generals as well as Jang
Song Thaek, his brother-in-law who is director of a department of the ruling
party.
