N. Korea: Kim Jong-il Gone Underground Again?(no sign of him on dad's memorial day)

Yonhap News (via Naver.com) ^ | 07/09/06 | Moon Sung-kyu

[TigerLikesRooster]

/begin my summary

N. Korea: Kim Jong-il Going Underground Again?

[Yonhapnews 2006-07-09]

N. Korean media failed to report if Kim Jong-il showed up and paid respect at the 12th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's death.

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Moon Sung-kyu = Did Kim Jong-il pay respect to his father, the late President Kim Il-sung at Kumsusan Memorial Palace on 12th anniversary of his father's death?

N. Korean media reported on July 8th that top leadership of party, cabinet, and military, led by Kim Young-nam, the Chairman of Supreme People's Assembly, showed up at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, but Kim Jong-il was not on the list of visitors.

No news on his attendance on July 9th, either.

Since Kim Il-sung's death on 1994, this is the fist time that N. Korean media failed to mention his attendance at the palace (on the anniversary.)

Every year Kim Jong-il showed up at the palace on midnight, July 8th, the time when Kim Il-sung died, or early morning, accompanied by high-level officials, and it made the headline on the same day by N. Korean media.

/end my summary

[TigerLikesRooster]

Due to current missile crisis, itt seems that Kim Jong-il has gone underground, just as he did for about 50 days during the War on Iraq. Either he sneaked in unannounced to the palace at a different time, separate from the official delegation, or he was not there at all. He could be afraid of pinpoint air strike by U.S. Another possibility is that he cannot go because he is facing  really urgent matters to take care of.

Whatever the case is, this is an unusual development because this ritual is so important for the legitimacy of Kim Jong-il's rule.  Officially, he rules N. Korea to uphold the legacy of Kim Il-sung.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Cinnamon]

pot-bellied pig prolly digging up truffle mushrooms...

[wildcatf4f3]

6 ft under I hope

[Liberty Valance]

bttt

[BunnySlippers]

So ronery ...

[A CA Guy]

Could be that he is being chased by some starving folks he promised a paradise to.

[sinanju]

In his deepest bunker, hiding under the bed. And THIS is the guy we're supposed to send special envoy's to and offer up tribute?

[sageb1]

Wuss...

[scott7278]

He'll always be ronery...

 

[AnnaZ]

I think he's just too damn embarrassed. I would be.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #8

And trumpeted as a sensible leader by Clintonoids.:)

[BigFinn]

He's probably getting ready to blast off a couple more of his 'dongs'... he always splits town before that happens...

[WestVirginiaRebel]

He went to get his dong fixed.

Apparently it has a problem staying up long enough for it to deliver its payload.

[Southack]

China evacuated low-land coastal residents already from Typhoon Ewiniar's path. No surprise that Kim Jong-il is fleeing Karl Rove's weather machine, too (that last part is a joke, by the way).

[jonrick46]

Kim Jong-Il is thinking his underground bunker is going to save his bacon. Wishful thinking.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks for the ping.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Missile envy? Projectile dysfunction?

I would hide, too.

Thanks for the ping, Ruth.

[ncountylee]

At 5'2" he could use a middle school recess for cover from spy satellites.

[Southack]

Typhoon update: