Hong Joonpyo: "Kim Jongun Must Have Been Startled by Maduro's Ouster"

"Return to the Logic of Power and the Era of Imperialism"

As the United States ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by force, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo assessed that the world has reverted to an era of imperialism governed by the logic of power. He also argued that, in this international climate, North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun must have felt a sense of tension.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jongun visited the construction site of the Sinuiju Greenhouse Complex Farm on the 2nd to congratulate and encourage the youth vanguard and soldier builders welcoming the New Year, and toured the Sinuiju Greenhouse Complex Farm area nearing completion, reported Korean Central Television on the 3rd.
[Korean Central Television footage] 2026.1.3 Yonhap News Agency

On January 5, through his Facebook page, former Mayor Hong stated, "The arrest of Maduro by U.S. President Donald Trump is technically a violation of U.S. domestic law, but this is not the first time such an incident has occurred."

He explained, "There was the invasion of Panama in 1989, the arrest of Noriega in 1990, and the United States has also played the role of the world’s police in events such as the case of Chile and the execution of Hussein."

Former Mayor Hong said, "Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a war crime, and the arrest of Maduro by the United States is a crime under U.S. domestic law, so they are different in that respect. However, both represent a return to the logic of power and the era of imperialism." He added, "Kim Jongun must have been startled by this."