N. Korea parliament gives Kim third term
No sign of leader as session opens
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament appointed Kim Jong Il to a third term today as leader of one of the world’s most reclusive nations, buoyed by a rocket launch heralded in state media as “historic” but assailed elsewhere as provocative.
State media said lawmakers approved Kim as chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission at the opening session of the new parliament, an appointment that under the constitution makes him the nation’s top leader.
But there was no confirmation in a midday broadcast on state TV that Kim himself was presiding over the session in what would be his first major public appearance since reportedly suffering a stroke last August.
Kim, 67, fell out of sight in mid-August. He failed to attend a milestone 60th anniversary parade in September, a no-show that sparked concerns about his health and fears of a succession crisis in the nuclear-armed nation. Pyongyang denies he was ill.
Kim re-emerged in state media in early October and has steadily made “on-the-spot field guidance” of farms, factories and military units in an energetic tour widely seen as an attempt to squelch rumors about his health.
Starting at 9 a.m. local time, state TV aired an unusual daytime broadcast trumpeting Kim and his leadership, showing undated footage of him meeting with soldiers and workers. State TV typically doesn’t go on air until the 5 p.m. news, except on special occasions.
The lengthy patriotic montage touted the country’s best, with the military featured prominently in nearly every scene. Soldiers fired tanks, flew MiG fighter jets, went on patrol as the sun set and – dressed in white T-shirts but still wearing their military caps – helped smiling farmers in lush fields and singing fishermen with full nets.
And there was Kim, in a parka and hat exhorting officers in a sports stadium, reviewing troops, getting briefings from white-uniformed naval officers and smiling benevolently as he appeared to give advice. Some of the scenes were clearly file footage, showing the burgeoning belly he sported before losing significant weight in recent months.
The official Korean Central News Agency announced Kim’s appointment shortly before noon.
Experts say the “re-election” consists of legislators holding up their badges to approve the decision.