NIS: "Kim Jong-un, 17 Public Appearances So Far This Year... Lowest Level Ever"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The National Intelligence Service (NIS) stated on the 6th that North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un's public activities this year have been at an all-time low.

At a closed briefing of the Intelligence Committee held at the National Assembly on the same day, the NIS reported that "as of today, Kim's public activities this year total 17 times, which is about a 66% decrease compared to the annual average of 50 times during the same period," according to Kim Byung-gi, the ruling party secretary of the Intelligence Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea.

The NIS explained, "Kim has been focusing on reorganizing internal ranks by directly overseeing military power and party-government meetings, and the overlap of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has significantly reduced his public activities."

The NIS added, "When Kim resumed activities on May 1 after a 20-day hiatus and attended the completion ceremony of the Suncheon In Fertilizer Factory as his first on-site guidance this year, it is analyzed as an intention to send a message to the people about solving food issues and to instill confidence in self-reliance," further stating, "Even during periods without public activities, normal state governance was maintained."