ID :
86315
Tue, 10/27/2009 - 00:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/86315
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea plays propaganda song for heir apparent at official event
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- A song believed by North Korean watchers here to be
propaganda extolling the virtues of North Korea's heir apparent Kim Jong-un was
played at a recent public event attended by his father and current leader, the
North's state television showed.
Kim Jong-il, 67, is widely believed to have named his third son, Jong-un, as his
successor, but the internal affairs of his family remain tightly shrouded from
the outside world.
An Oct. 9 report by the North's Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station,
discovered belatedly, carries the voice of an announcer reporting on Kim
Jong-il's visit to a newly-built provincial theater with 25 related photographs,
some of which show a banner reading "Footsteps" above a stage during a choir
performance.
"Footsteps" is believed to be the first song for Kim Jong-un, reportedly written
and composed by a top composer, Ri Jong-o, and its performance is believed by
analysts here to be a sign of progression in the power succession.
The TV footage suggested that the song was performed by a choir at the event in
the North Hwanghae Provincial Art Theater, north of Pyongyang, with the elder Kim
among the audience.
It is the first time for the song to be presented at an official event attended
by the elder Kim.
Kim Jong-il's entourage featured his sister Kim Kyong-hui and her husband Jang
Song-thaek, both of whom are believed to be deeply involved in grooming the heir
apparent at directorial posts at the Workers' Party. Other top party officials
such as Kim Ki-nam and Pak Nam-gi were among the audience along with residents of
the North Hwanghae Province.
The television presented footage of Kim and his entourage clapping their hands,
but it was not clear from the visual material whether they did so to the heir's
song.
The song's lyrics begin "Tramp tramp tramp / the footsteps of our General Kim /
spreading the spirit of February / tramp tramp tramping onwards." General Kim is
believed to be a reference to Kim Jong-un, and February the birth month of the
elder Kim.
Kim Jong-un, said to be born in 1984 to the leader's third wife Ko Yong-hui, has
been described as resembling his father the most in appearance and temperament
among the three sons. His older brother, Jong-chol, is 28, and half-brother,
Jong-nam, is 38.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- A song believed by North Korean watchers here to be
propaganda extolling the virtues of North Korea's heir apparent Kim Jong-un was
played at a recent public event attended by his father and current leader, the
North's state television showed.
Kim Jong-il, 67, is widely believed to have named his third son, Jong-un, as his
successor, but the internal affairs of his family remain tightly shrouded from
the outside world.
An Oct. 9 report by the North's Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station,
discovered belatedly, carries the voice of an announcer reporting on Kim
Jong-il's visit to a newly-built provincial theater with 25 related photographs,
some of which show a banner reading "Footsteps" above a stage during a choir
performance.
"Footsteps" is believed to be the first song for Kim Jong-un, reportedly written
and composed by a top composer, Ri Jong-o, and its performance is believed by
analysts here to be a sign of progression in the power succession.
The TV footage suggested that the song was performed by a choir at the event in
the North Hwanghae Provincial Art Theater, north of Pyongyang, with the elder Kim
among the audience.
It is the first time for the song to be presented at an official event attended
by the elder Kim.
Kim Jong-il's entourage featured his sister Kim Kyong-hui and her husband Jang
Song-thaek, both of whom are believed to be deeply involved in grooming the heir
apparent at directorial posts at the Workers' Party. Other top party officials
such as Kim Ki-nam and Pak Nam-gi were among the audience along with residents of
the North Hwanghae Province.
The television presented footage of Kim and his entourage clapping their hands,
but it was not clear from the visual material whether they did so to the heir's
song.
The song's lyrics begin "Tramp tramp tramp / the footsteps of our General Kim /
spreading the spirit of February / tramp tramp tramping onwards." General Kim is
believed to be a reference to Kim Jong-un, and February the birth month of the
elder Kim.
Kim Jong-un, said to be born in 1984 to the leader's third wife Ko Yong-hui, has
been described as resembling his father the most in appearance and temperament
among the three sons. His older brother, Jong-chol, is 28, and half-brother,
Jong-nam, is 38.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
