N. Korean leader makes more public tours ahead of birthday

By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il continued his brisk
public activity with visits to factories and an agricultural university,
Pyongyang's state-run media said Friday, as the country stepped up a worship
campaign for the "dear leader's" birthday.
Kim celebrates his 67th birthday on Monday, amid signs that he has significantly
recovered from a suspected stroke last August. The nation has been preparing the
celebrations for weeks with flower exhibitions, parades to his birth home and
banquets with foreign dignitaries.
Ahead of the important holiday, Kim visited the Wonsan Glass Bottle Factory,
Shoes Factory and Chemical Factory before meeting with students at the Wonsan
University of Agriculture in the eastern North Korean city, according to the
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"The factory has steadily increased the production with locally available
materials by consolidating the material and technical foundation by its own
efforts," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA about the glass plant.
"The experience of this factory once again proves the truth that a great leap
forward is sure to be effected in the production and construction," he said.
The aging leader sharply increased his public inspections this year, making 23
visits as of Friday compared to nine during the same period last year and 10 in
2007.
Analysts cite North Korea's policy goal, which aims to "solve food problems by
our own efforts" and rebuild the frail infrastructure by 2012. The year marks the
100th birthday of Kim's late father and North Korean founder Kim Il-sung.
On Wednesday, the leader replaced his defense minister and the military's chief
of the General Staff.
The reshuffle was seen by Seoul analysts as a sign that Kim is assembling his
closest aides to avert a possible backlash against his choice of a successor,
likely one of his sons.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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