Kim Jong-il to celebrate 69th birthday

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il looks at birthday gifts received from Meng Jianzhu, China’s public security minister, Feb. 14. The Chinese official was received by Kim yesterday in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Successor Kim Jong-un looks on from the rear right. (Korean Central News Agency Yonhap)

Observers say this birthday will be notable for its expected celebration of Kim Jong-un as successor

By Son Won-je, Staff Writer　

　　　

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will celebrate his 69th birthday on Wednesday. High interest has centered on his health, but a South Korean official said Tuesday that since recovering from a stroke, he has shown no signs of ill health. The official said the celebrations will be slightly larger than last year’s, but since it is not a 5-year or decade year, they did not expect anything surprising.

The most notable aspect is that this birthday is the first celebrated since the appearance of son Kim Jong-un as successor, and it appears they will show the Kim Jong-il is alive and well and focus, too, on launching Kim Jong-un’s succession system. In this context, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu, who met with Kim Jong-il on Monday, congratulated North Korea for successfully resolving the issue of succession of the Korean revolution by naming Kim Jong-un to the Central Military Commission of North Korea’s ruling Workers Party.

Internally, signs have been detected that North Korea has began a special distribution of goods to inspire loyalty to Kim Jong-il and secure support for his successor. North Korean human rights group “Good Friends” recently said North Korea’s trade representatives abroad sent back to North Korea foodstuffs for use in a special distribution. The KCNA reported Monday that it had loaded planes with birthday gifts to give to children on eight West Sea islands. Others say, however, that it will be difficult for the central government to provide a consistent special distribution to all North Koreans due to accumulated food shortages.

　　

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