State news Agency KCNA said Saturday that North Korean leader took part in completing the construction of a plant for the production of fertilizers to the North of Pyongyang. This is the first official report about his appearance since April 11.
Reuters reported, citing KCNA that Kim cut the ribbon at the ceremony on Friday, and those who attended the event, «thunder erupted with cries of «Hurrah! The Supreme leader» …»
In the photos, Kim smiled and talked with his assistants at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and toured the plant. Reuters says that the authenticity of the photos published on the website of the official newspaper Rodong Sinmun, could not be verified.
People who are called by officials of the army and the ruling party, as well as those who worked on the project, wore masks and stood at some distance from the podium, where Kim and his aides.
KCNA reports, North Korea leader Kim Jong Un resuming public activity https://t.co/Xp8MwHCT5E pic.twitter.com/f8vbOlx1q2
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 1, 2020
Kim was accompanied by senior officials of North Korea, including his younger sister, Kim Yong Chun, Vice-Chairman senior assistant Pak Pong Ju of the Committee on state Affairs and the Prime Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kim Jae Reng.
Credit: KCNA
Answering the question about the KCNA report about Kim, the President of the United States Donald trump said at a press conference in the White house: «I wouldn’t comment on it. We will have something to say about it at the appropriate time».
Information about the deteriorating health of Kim came after he missed the anniversary of the birthday of the founder of the state Kim Il-sung on April 15. This day is a major holiday in North Korea and leader Kim usually visits the mausoleum where rests his grandfather.
The last time he publicly spoke on 11 April at a meeting of the Politburo of the ruling workers ‘ party.
After his disappearance, the South Korean news outlet specializing in North announced that Kim was recovering after undergoing cardiovascular procedures. Officials in South Korea and the United States said that Kim could isolate themselves to avoid contact with the coronavirus and expressed skepticism about reports in the media that he had some serious disease.
North Korea has not reported any cases of the coronavirus, and States that adopt stringent measures to prevent the outbreak.
City Sanchon, where they built a plant for the production of fertilizers, is located about 50 km North of Pyongyang in the Western region, far from Wonsan, East of the coastal resort where, according to the statement of the officials of South Korea and the United States, Kim, possible, and stayed.
Satellite imagery showed that the train typically used by Kim, is located near the resort of Wonsan.
State television footage on Saturday showed that the movements of the legs Kim look hard and sharp, and on one of the images depicts the green Golf cart in the background, similar to that which he used in 2014, after a long absence from the public.
«Preparation of tables and chairs on stage looked a little unusual for performances in the open air — said about the ceremony, We Seong-wook, Professor of North Korean studies at Korea University. — Kim may be some physical reasons why he is unable to stand for too long, and he needed to sit down after he stand up for a while.»
Perhaps this is the reason that he was not present at the anniversary event in April in Companson Palace of the sun, where he would have to stand at least about one hour.
