Kim Jong Un lectures on importance of enhancing nuclear capabilities

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was seen holding a pointer himself at a meeting of the central military committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

Kim was wearing a black uniform without glasses in the pictures published Sunday by the nation’s state media Rodong Sinmun, one of which showed him on a podium pointing at the large screen in front of him with a pointer, which is almost as tall as he is. The South Korean intelligence agency thinks that Kim might have given military officials “a presentation” on the importance of strengthening nuclear capabilities and having strategic weapons at the ready for any possible firing.

However, the information on the screen was blurred covering details about locations, which is unusual for North Korea. On August 15, 2017, Rodong Sinmun published a picture of Kim Jong Un being reported by Kim Rak Gyom, head of the Strategic Rocket Forces, which showed “mission maps” for South Korea, Japan and the United States. This was to send out a strong message to Washington that Guam is within striking distance. Some experts say that, this time, Pyongyang lowered the level of threat by concealing the information.


In-Chan Hwang hic@donga.com