Kim Jong-un makes personal verbal attack on US

Posted on : 2014-11-26 12:01 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
North Korea apparently responding to UN resolution on human rights situation
 South Hwanghae Province
South Hwanghae Province

Since the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution about North Korean human rights abuses, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been clearly expressing his opposition to the resolution, and to the US.

Immediately after the resolution passed, North Korea had various government organizations, including the Foreign Ministry and the National Defense Commission, threaten an “ultra-hardline counterattack.”

And now, Kim himself has come out in direct criticism of the US. This is sparking concern that the North Korean pushback could lead to military action.

When it covered Kim’s visit to a museum in Sinchon, South Hwanghae Province on Nov. 25, North Korea’s state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted remarks in which Kim attacked the US. Mentioning claims that the US military had slaughtered large numbers of innocent people in Sinchon County during the Korean War, Kim said, “The massacres committed by the US imperialist aggressors in Sinchon evidently showed that they are cannibals and brutal murderers seeking pleasure in slaughter.”

“The purpose of my visit is to further reinforce education about class consciousness and opposition to US imperialism in line with the political conditions that we face in order to raise tens of millions of soldiers and citizens for a decisive confrontation with the US. Illusions about the enemy will only lead to death,” Kim said.

North Korea built the museum in Sinchon to support its claims that the US military slaughtered around 35,000 people in Sinchon County, or about one out of four of the residents of the area, during the Korean War. The museum is a center for anti-American education.

It is rare for the North Korean leader to openly make a direct attack on the US. The remarks appear to express strong dissatisfaction with the fact that the US is increasing its human rights offensive against North Korea even after the North signaled its sincerity about improving relations with the US by inviting James Clapper, US Director of National Intelligence, to Pyongyang. Clapper collected two detained Americans that North Korea had let go.

With Kim personally advocating a “decisive confrontation” with the US, there is a greater likelihood that a cold wind will blow on relations between Pyongyang and Washington for the time being. Even worse, some analysts think that, since Kim Jong-un has personally expressed displeasure, North Korean government organizations may find themselves scrambling to see who can offer a firmer response.

“Since this is a matter of the ‘supreme dignity,’ the North Korean military would not find it easy to let Kim‘s remarks go without taking some kind of action, if only to demonstrate their loyalty to him,” said an official at the Ministry of Unification, on condition of anonymity.

As a consequence, the launch of balloons filled with propaganda leaflets into North Korea, which has increased tensions in recent months, is likely to become even more dangerous.

“North Korea may refrain from a fourth nuclear test or from launching long-range missiles out of consideration for China and Russia. However, there is every possibility that it could take action to increase military tension by raising tensions on the Northern Limit Line (NLL), launching a short- or mid-range missile, testing its new rocket launcher, or shooting at propaganda balloons being launched into the North,” said Jung Uk-sik, president of the Peace Network.

 in a photo released on Nov. 25 by the Korean Central News Agency. The sign behind Kim accuses US soldiers of massacring 35
in a photo released on Nov. 25 by the Korean Central News Agency. The sign behind Kim accuses US soldiers of massacring 35

By Son Won-je, staff reporter

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