Kim Jong Un Strengthens Unity by Sending Gifts to Veterans
71st Anniversary This Year... Military Parade Also Held During Anniversary Ceremony
North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has taken steps to care for war veterans ahead of the signing anniversary of the armistice agreement (July 27), which North Korea calls 'Victory Day.' This is interpreted as an effort to both promote anti-American sentiment and strengthen internal unity.
The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 26th that "the 71st anniversary celebration of the Fatherland Liberation War victory will be grandly held in the capital, Pyongyang," adding that "participants in the celebration arrived in Pyongyang on the 25th." It further explained, "Workers of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party warmly welcomed the participants," and "citizens on the streets of the capital expressed their respect and enthusiastic congratulations to the heroes of the great Victory Day celebration."
Participants of the 71st Anniversary Celebration of the Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War arrived in Pyongyang on the 25th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 26th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The event reportedly invited war veterans, wartime merit workers, and officials and innovation workers from the military-industrial sector nationwide.
On the occasion of Victory Day, Kim Jong-un also sent gifts to veterans across the country. The news agency said about Kim Jong-un's gifts, "They contain heartfelt affection, hoping that the war veterans will grow old with the party and firmly inherit the history and tradition of certain victory in every battle, becoming the strength of our country and the pillar of our people's hearts." It added that "(the veterans who received the gifts) respectfully expressed their boundless gratitude to the beloved Comrade Kim Jong-un, who bestows upon them all the glory and happiness in this world."
The Rodong Sinmun mocked the U.S. military's extreme despair at the time of the armistice signing to promote anti-American sentiment. It particularly claimed, "The U.S. side bowed its head and begged North Korea for an armistice negotiation just one year after the outbreak of the Korean War." It also ridiculed the United Nations Command representative, U.S. Major General William Harrison, for repeatedly making mistakes while signing the armistice document, calling it "a thrilling moment that allowed us to see at a glance the shameful and pitiful appearance of the doomed U.S. imperialists."
North Korea grandly commemorates political anniversaries every five years (jubilee years). Since this year's Victory Day marks the 71st anniversary, it is expected to pass relatively quietly as a means of reinforcing internal unity. The 70th anniversary event included a military parade and a central report meeting. A Ministry of Unification official said, "This year is not a jubilee year, so there are no special developments," adding, "There have been cases where the commemoration was limited to paying respects at the graves of martyrs who participated in the Fatherland Liberation War (North Korea's term for the Korean War), so it is necessary to observe further."
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