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Reports of public appearances by North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il from the North’s state media outlets have become more frequent as of late. A series of recent news reports indicate that Kim may be returning to his post and emerging from his reclusive state.

The rash of photos appearing to show Kim in good health provided by the North Korean media coincides with the conclusion of the U.S. presidential election, and some analysts are speculating that North Korea may be sending a message to the U.S. president-elect.

On October 6, the North’s Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim attended a concert with North Korean soldiers. As is customary, the KCNA did not provide detailed information about Kim’s activities, such as when or where the concert was held. However the KCNA did report that after attending the classical music concert performed by the national Eunhasu and Mansudae Art choirs, Kim hailed the performance as successful, calling it a “monumental masterpiece in an era of Songun (military-first) policy with significance for the development of Juche (self-reliance) music.”

Kim was accompanied by Choe Thae-bok and Kim Ki-nam, secretaries of the Workers’ Party of Korea; Jang Song-taek, head of the party’s administrative division; Ri Kwang-ho, head of the party’s central committee; and Korean People’s Army generals Hyon Chol-hae and Ri Myong-su, the KCNA reported. In particular, the KCNA reported that Kim Yang-gon, director of the United Front Department of the Worker’s Party, who is in charge of South Korea policy, was listed as one of the attendees for the first time since his last public appearance in August 2008.

In particular, the KCNA reported that Kim Yang-gon, director of the United Front Department of the Worker’s Party, was listed as one of the attendees for the first time since his last public appearance in August 2007.

This is the third time in five days that North Korean media outlets have carried reports about Kim’s public appearances. On November 5, the KCNA reported that Kim had visited two army units, Unit No. 2200 and Unit No. 534, and the report was accompanied by a number of photographs. On November 2, the KCNA released photos of Kim watching a football match between two army teams. The KCNA did not provide photographs of Kim at the concert, even though it was considered a public event.

Kim Geun-sik, a professor of politics and diplomacy at Kyungnam University, said, “The recent spate of news reports is being seen as a move to prevent the sense of uneasiness (about the North Korean leader’s health) from spreading by displaying the health of the North’s leader, as well as a message for U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to actively take steps to hold bilateral talks with North Korea.”

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