Kim Jong-un Disappears... Triple Nations Use Their Voices to Shower Criticism

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] As the 'Middle East situation' rapidly unfolds, it has been identified that Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, is significantly reducing his range of activities. Chairman Kim has not appeared publicly since attending the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee, which concluded on December 31 of last year. It is evaluated that he has especially reduced public activities since the U.S. eliminated Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

On the 6th, a government official said, "South Korea and the U.S. are tracking Chairman Kim's movements through intelligence assets," adding, "(Chairman Kim) has recently reduced his range of activities and appears to have not attended any official events."

North Korean state media reported on the 2nd that Chairman Kim paid respects at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun around the New Year. However, the exact date of the visit was not disclosed. Considering the phrase "around the New Year," it seems to have been shortly after the plenary meeting.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies have continued to monitor Chairman Kim's movements. Currently, the South Korean military detects the routes of Chairman Kim's vehicles and other means of transportation through signals interception, while the U.S. military uses reconnaissance satellites. The South Korean military can independently intercept communications up to near Mount Baekdu, and video intelligence collection is possible up to areas near Pyongyang.

North Korea cannot help but feel psychological pressure from the U.S. eliminating a key figure in the Iranian military. Reflecting this, North Korea has indirectly pressured the U.S. regarding the Iran situation by using third-party voices instead of directly criticizing the U.S.

On the 6th, the Korean Central News Agency reported in an article titled "China and Russia Condemn U.S. Missile Strike Violating the UN Charter," stating, "In the early morning of the 3rd, the U.S. launched a missile strike on an airfield in Baghdad, Iraq."

The agency conveyed news of a phone call on the 4th between Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister, and Sergey Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister, reporting that they "condemned the U.S. missile strike." It emphasized, "China and Russia oppose the abuse of force in international relations and cannot accept reckless military actions," and "they expressed concern over the severe deterioration of regional stability caused by the U.S.'s illegal actions."

Meanwhile, North Korea's external propaganda outlet, Meori, claimed on the 5th regarding the killing of Commander Soleimani by the U.S. airstrike, "The Middle East region will become the graveyard of the United States."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.