Loud Weeping, Tense Silence in N.Korea
Masses of people in Pyongyang paid their respects to dead North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Tuesday, much as they had done the previous day, while a tense regime clamped down on all other activities.
China's state-run CCTV broadcast the images of thousands of Pyongyang residents paying their respects in Kim Il-sung Square and the Pyongyang Gymnasium. But the streets were almost empty and few people were seen at bus stops where they usually form long lines. Flags hung at half-mast and most restaurants and shops were closed, it said. AP said Pyongyang remained orderly even while apparently grief-stricken.
The North is deporting foreigners out of Pyongyang, Sinuiju and the Rajin-Sonbong special economic zone, and restricting travel. Missionaries and businessmen of U.S. nationality who were engaged in charity work in the economic zone and Sinuiju were forced to leave. A Chinese man who took a flight from Pyongyang on Tuesday said, “Foreigners weren't allowed to leave their accommodation after Kim Jong-il’s death was announced.” The North Korean authorities are also stopping foreigners from entering and are issuing no new visas until Dec. 29.
Controls in the North have been strengthened further. In major cities all gatherings of over four people except to mourn the dead leader's death have been banned, and armed soldiers have been positioned in the streets. The Daily NK quoted a source in Onsong as saying the soldiers warned people not to move or pay the price.
Defectors attempt to break into N. Korean embassy in London
LONDON, Dec. 21 (Yonhap) -- A group of North Korean defectors tried unsuccessfully to enter the country's London embassy following news reports of the death of the North's leader Kim Jong-il.
The incident occurred when four North Korean residents in London went to the embassy in western London late Tuesday, local time, in a bid to protest the former leader's brutal rule.
After ringing the doorbell several times to no response, they shouted anti-Kim Jong-il slogans and clapped loudly in front of the residential building used as the North's embassy.
The defectors also pasted Kim's portrait and anti-Kim Jong-il documents on the embassy door and placed a bunch of flowers outside in a show of celebration of Kim's death.
The documents, written in both Korean and English, were headlined, "In congratulation of Chairman Kim Jong-il's death."
Police were called by embassy officials and questioned the defectors at the scene but did not arrest them.
"The reason we regret Kim's abrupt death is because we lost our chance to judge the dictator at the people's hands," one of the defectors said. "We decided to take this action because of the (North Korean media's) pitiful portrayal of North Korean people weeping at the death."
North Korean state media announced Monday that the 69-year-old leader died of a heart attack during a train ride on Dec. 17.
Kim ruled the communist country with an iron fist since his father and the nation's late founder Kim Il-sung died in 1994.
North Korean embassy in Ealing, West London (file photo)
Kim Jong Eun does not wield total control over the DPRK military, the Korean Peoples Army.
Kim Jong Eun however is in command of and has control over the Public Security Bureau (PSB), or Secret Police as it were. Meaning of course if he did not have control of the former or elements, he could simply use the latter to eliminate those not cooperating with him.
In fact, I recall him being put in charge of the Secret Police some time ago, and he was particularly tasked with handling the two Al Gore Reporterettes who got snagged in the DPRK and were rescued (and probably later molested in the private jet) by Bill Clinton.
And,
1) Kim Jon Eun has apparantly issued his "ORDER NUMBER ONE" or his first command order. It was to the DPRK military of all people, ordering their appropriate movements and behavior at this time. Interesting that his first order was to the entire country's military. I believe this order came today.
2) Japanese news is also now heavily speculating based on ROK sources that the "heart attack/death on a train" by Kim Jong il is an outright fabrication:
3) Sankei News (conservative) in Japan is openly speculating on the possibility of assassination of Kim Jong il.
Now, if possible, would be the time to foment an anti-Kim Dynasty popular uprising, starting from the villages, towns and provinces and heading for Pyongyang, perhaps starting in the Northern Provinces so if it gets hot and the noose tightens, people in the leadership of it can at least have the option of escaping to China, or perhaps getting out by boat.
Well the clamp down on Americans isn't surprising....but I am surprised no foreigners allowed for Kim's funeral. Though I suspect China will have representatives there.