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Kim Jong Il Makes Appearance at Parliament Session

By Kurt Achin

Seoul

09 April 2009

North Korean members of parliament have opened a new legislative session by formally re-appointing Kim Jong Il the leader of the country. State television showed the North Korean leader attending the session, Thursday, ending months of absence from public view.

Intelligence agencies believe the North Korean leader suffered a stroke in the middle of last year. Until Thursday, he had all but disappeared from public view. Mr. Kim's previously stout image appears visibly leaner.

A North Korean newsreader announced Mr. Kim remains firmly in charge of the country.

She says Kim Jong Il has been re-appointed as chairman of the country's National Defense Commission.

The appointment was the first order of business Thursday at the North's legislature, a ceremonial body which exists mainly to approve dictates from the central communist party. The title of Defense Commission Chairman effectively makes Mr. Kim leader of a government that teaches children to worship the Kim family from birth.

North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket this week was seen by many observers as a means to rally public sentiment behind the 67-year-old leader, and help him reassert the perception that he remains healthy and in charge.

North Korean television has been showing mass rallies which took place Wednesday to celebrate the launch.

Choe Tae Bok, secretary of the North's ruling party, tells tens of thousands of people at the gathering the launch was a "historical victory over other countries, and the fruit of wisdom and talent."

Brian Myers, a specialist in North Korean political propaganda at South Korea's Dongseo University, says even under the North's authoritarian system, building public support is crucial.

"I think many people in the West seem to mistake North Korea for a sort of 1984, East Germany-style 24-7 surveillance state. And it really isn't. It doesn't have either the financial means or the technological means," he said.

Scholars like Myers say the big question in the days ahead is what if any changes the North's leader will make in the structure of the government. Such changes could suggest Kim Jong Il may be clearing the way for a future successor

金正日再次被正式任命为北韩领袖

北韩议会开始新的会期，正式再次任命金正日为北韩领袖。北韩国家电视台播放了这位北韩领导人参加这次会议的镜头。

北韩电视节目播出了领袖金正日星期四主持北韩议会，即最高人民大会开幕式的录像，从而结束了几个月来这位领导人没有公开露面的局面。

*首次公开露面*

情报机构认为，这位北韩领导人去年中曾经中风。在星期四之前，他一直没有公开露面。金正日原先粗壮的身躯现在明显消瘦。

北韩新闻播音员宣布金正日仍在牢牢地控制着这个国家。她说：“金正日被再次任命为国防委员会主席。”

这一任命是星期四北韩立法机构的第一项事务，该机构的存在只是为了认同共产党中央独揽大权。国防委员会主席的头衔实际上使金正日成为北韩政府领导人。这个政府从孩子出生起就教育他们崇拜金正日家族。

*显示依然掌控一切*

许多观察人士认为，北韩本星期发射远程火箭是为了促发民众拥护这位67岁领导人的激情，并帮助他重新确立他依然健康并能掌控一切的观念。

北韩电视台播放了星期三庆祝火箭发射的群众大会。北韩执政党劳动党书记崔泰福在大会上对成千上万民众说，这次火箭发射取得了压倒其它国家的历史性胜利，是智慧和天才的成果。

在韩国东西大学研究北韩政治宣传工作的专家迈尔斯说，即使在北韩的专政制度下，建立公众支持也是必不可少的。

他说：“我认为许多西方人误以为北韩就像小说《1984年》内描述的那样，是当初东德那种对人民日夜进行监视的国家。实际上，北韩并非如此。它既没有这种财力，也不具备那样的技术手段。”

迈尔斯等学者说，近期内的最大问题是，这位北韩领导人会采取什么举措来改动政府结构。这种改动可能暗示金正日也许在为自己未来的接班人扫清道路。