N. Korean leader doubles public appearances this year

SEOUL, June 8 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has nearly doubled his
public appearances, including visits to military units and on-site inspections,
so far this year compared with a year ago, according to Seoul officials on
Monday.
The number of public appearances by the North Korean leader that have been
reported outside the country through the North's media so far this year totaled
74, roughly twice the corresponding figure of last year, the Unification Ministry
said.
"There aren't any noticeable changes from last year, but Kim seems to have
increased his inspections of economic activities in the country," an official at
the ministry said.
Meanwhile, North Korea's state broadcaster reported that Kim spent nearly two
months between late last year and early this year just traveling on trains to
visit people throughout the country and quoted him as saying in February that he
could not sleep well, out of concern at the people's state of well-being.
"I don't think I can sleep with my feet comfortable until the people's problems
are resolved," Kim said on Feb. 16, his birthday, according to a radio report
from the Korean Central Broadcasting Station monitored in Seoul.
Pyongyang faces chronic food shortages and has relied on outside aid to help feed
its 24 million people since famine reportedly killed as many as 2 million in the
1990s.
On Sunday, the North's state new agency reported that Kim inspected a cooperative
farm in the northern city of Hamju and called for advanced technologies to
increase crop productivity.
Reports on Kim's appearances usually give no date of the event, as the agency
usually provides belated reports on the leader's activities due to security
concerns. Kim often makes tours of military bases to give pep talks to soldiers.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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