In the wake of the execution of Kim Jong-un’s uncle, political and military elite in North Korea have rushed to defend and re-pledge allegiance to the young dictator.
NBC News reported that Mr. Kim was actually the center of attention during a public ceremony to mark the two-year anniversary of the death of his father, Kim Jong-il. Political and military leaders publicly declared their support for Mr. Kim at that ceremony and again on Tuesday. The public displays of affection come just a few days after Jang Song Thaek was executed and several other high-ranking members of the party were purged.
Mr. Kim sat beneath a massive flag emblazoned with the smiling face of his father — on a stage that was noted especially because it did not contain his paternal aunt, Kim Kyung Hui, who was Mr. Jang’s wife.
“By eliminating the only other faction, the power in North Korea is now fully concentrated on Kim Jong-un,” said one analyst with a Seoul-based think tank, in NBC News.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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