New stamps show Kim, his daughter and a missile
전체 맥락을 이해하기 위해서는 본문 보기를 권장합니다.
"It shows they have a weapon that can secure the future of the country," said Hong, "and presents an image of the head of a family and a leader who is guaranteeing the safety of all North Koreans and their children."
Appearing with his daughter at the missile launch site also "softens the belligerent military image," said Hong, and "provides a justification for developing missiles and having nuclear weapons."
이 글자크기로 변경됩니다.
(예시) 가장 빠른 뉴스가 있고 다양한 정보, 쌍방향 소통이 숨쉬는 다음뉴스를 만나보세요. 다음뉴스는 국내외 주요이슈와 실시간 속보, 문화생활 및 다양한 분야의 뉴스를 입체적으로 전달하고 있습니다.
North Korea on Tuesday unveiled a new postal stamp series featuring the daughter of the North's leader Kim Jong-un for the first time.
The stamp series, which commemorates the regime’s successful Nov. 18 launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), shows the regime leader and daughter Kim Ju-ae next to each other in five out of eight new stamp designs.
The designs were posted to the website of the North’s Korea Stamp Corp., which said the stamps will be issued beginning Friday.
Kim Ju-ae is believed to be the North Korean leader’s second child, but her prominent appearances in state media, and now postal memorabilia, has fueled speculation that she is being groomed as Kim Jong-un’s successor.
She was also present next to Kim Jong-un in state media photographs of the nighttime military parade that took place in Pyongyang on Feb. 8 to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North’s military, the Korean People’s Army.
Pyongyang’s state media has referred to the younger Kim as his “esteemed” daughter or as his “beloved” or “most beloved” child, in an indication that she may be his favorite offspring.
Seoul’s National Intelligence Agency has previously said that Kim has at least three children, with one elder son born in 2010.
Kim Ju-ae’s existence was first disclosed by former NBA star Dennis Rodman following his September 2013 visit to North Korea on an invitation from the North Korean leader.
The former Chicago Bulls forward said he held Kim’s daughter, who was just born, and revealed the baby’s given name was Ju-ae.
In a previous interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily, Hong Min, director of the North Korean Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), said the regime’s decision to publicize the close relationship between Kim Jong-un and his daughter at the Hwasong-17 test launch and subsequent military milestones has a “considerable image-making effect” and also brings the leader closer to the North Korean people.
“It shows they have a weapon that can secure the future of the country,” said Hong, “and presents an image of the head of a family and a leader who is guaranteeing the safety of all North Koreans and their children.”
Appearing with his daughter at the missile launch site also “softens the belligerent military image,” said Hong, and “provides a justification for developing missiles and having nuclear weapons.”
Hong was skeptical that Ju-ae is the heir apparent, noting that North Korea “in general is patriarchal,” and that “despite society changing in many ways, it is still a country where the differences between men and women are very severe.”
But Kim Jong-un’s own path to the regime’s helm suggests there is little guarantee his rumored first-born son would succeed him simply by virtue of order of birth.
The current North Korean leader was named as successor to his father Kim Jong-il in 2008, over his elder half-brothers Kim Jong-nam and Kim Jong-chol.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
Copyright © 코리아중앙데일리. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.
- 'Dream Maker' final forms new seven-member Filipino boy band Hori7on
- Seungri is free, and his die-hard fans couldn't be more delighted
- Turkish ambassador calls relief effort a 'test of humanity'
- Son Heung-min wins legal dispute against former agency
- Korean child goes unregistered as legal father denies paternity
- Galaxy S23 has more recycled material than S22: Samsung
- SM Entertainment stock rises as battle for agency continues
- Korea's veteran arctic researchers see big changes over the years
- Is K-wine the next big thing? This local sommelier thinks so.
- Ten members of tripleS 'Assemble' to release their first EP