Kim Jong Un has not been seen in public for the past 35 days.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a new city under construction near the border with China and a sacred mountain revered by his family, state media reported on Tuesday, during his first appearance. first appearance after more than a month.
The alpine northern town of Samjiyon is being transformed into a major economic hub, dubbed “socialist utopia” by officials, equipped with new apartments, hotels, ski resorts and commercial, cultural and medical facilities.
The burgeoning city is located near Mount Paektu, the sacred mountain where the Kim family claims their roots and which he has visited numerous times since 2018, with the official KCNA news agency calling it “the epitome of modern civilization”.
KCNA said Mr Kim’s latest trip was designed to inspect the third and final stage of the construction process, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year following delays caused by international sanctions. economy and the coronavirus pandemic.
KCNA did not give a date for Kim’s visit, but it is the first report of the leader’s public activity in the 35 days since he delivered a speech at a defense exhibition, the first time being absent. His longest face since 2014.
The young, reclusive leader’s disappearance in state media often fuels speculation about his health or whereabouts. South Korea’s intelligence agency said late last month that he had no health problems.
“He said Samjiyon has become an example of a modern socialist mountain city and a standard of rural development thanks to the steadfast struggle of workers despite the unfavorable northern environment. benefits,” KCNA said.
Kim said building the new city provides experience in construction, design and technology that will drive economic growth for other regions.
The city is one of the biggest initiatives Pyongyang has launched as part of Kim’s push to boost his “self-reliant” economy as the country faces international sanctions. on nuclear and missile programs.
Nearly two years after sealing its border in response to COVID-19, North Korea recently resumed rail transport with China, the latest sign that it may soon reopen its borders.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
