Kim vows to fight US sanctions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to surmount US-led sanctions on his country in state media reports yesterday alongside evocative propaganda images of him riding a white horse seen as foretelling significant decisions before his own deadline for US movement on nuclear talks expires.

The images in his country’s official media showed Kim riding a white horse to climb a snow-covered Mount Paektu. The location and the animal are both symbols associated with the Kim family’s dynastic rule. The highest point on the Korean Peninsula is sacred to North Koreans and Kim has visited it before making previous major decisions such as the 2013 execution of his powerful uncle and his 2018 entrance into diplomacy with Seoul and Washington.

The images and Kim’s comments were released days after his country’s first nuclear negotiations with the US in more than seven months fell apart. South Korean media quickly speculated Kim may be considering a new strategy in his dealings with the US because he’s previously demanded Washington come up with new proposals to salvage the stalemated diplomacy by the end of December.

“He, sitting on the horseback atop Mt Paektu, recollected with deep emotion the road of arduous struggle he covered for the great cause of building the most powerful country with faith and will as firm as Mt Paektu,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

North Korean documents say Kim’s grandfather and national founder Kim Il Sung had an anti-Japan guerrilla base on Paektu’s slopes during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The official biography of Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il, says the second-generation leader was born on Paektu when a double rainbow filled the skies.

The white horse is also a propaganda symbol for the Kim family that has ruled North Korea for seven decades with a strong personality cult surrounding family members. State media have occasionally shown Kim, his sister and his father riding white horses. The symbolism goes back to Kim Il Sung, who according to the North’s official narrative, rode a white horse while fighting against Japanese colonial rulers.

KCNA said Kim also visited nearby construction sites in Samjiyon County and complained about US-led UN sanctions imposed on his country because of its nuclear and nuclear programs.

 

Kim vows to fight US sanctions

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to surmount US-led sanctions on his country in state media reports yesterday alongside evocative propaganda images of him riding a white horse seen as foretelling significant decisions before his own deadline for US movement on nuclear talks expires. The images in his countrys official media showed Kim riding a white horse to climb a snow-covered Mount Paektu. The location and the animal are both symbols associated with the Kim familys dynastic rule. The highest point on the Korean Peninsula is sacred to North Koreans and Kim has visited it before making previous major decisions such as the 2013 execution of his powerful uncle and his 2018 entrance into diplomacy with Seoul and Washington. The images and Kims comments were released days after his countrys first nuclear negotiations with the US in more than seven months fell apart. South Korean media quickly speculated Kim may be considering a new strategy in his dealings with the US because hes previously demanded Washington come up with new proposals to salvage the stalemated diplomacy by the end of December. He, sitting on the horseback atop Mt Paektu, recollected with deep emotion the road of arduous struggle he covered for the great cause of building the most powerful country with faith and will as firm as Mt Paektu, the Norths official Korean Central News Agency said. North Korean documents say Kims grandfather and national founder Kim Il Sung had an anti-Japan guerrilla base on Paektus slopes during Japans 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The official biography of Kim Jong Uns father, Kim Jong Il, says the second-generation leader was born on Paektu when a double rainbow filled the skies. The white horse is also a propaganda symbol for the Kim family that has ruled North Korea for seven decades with a strong personality cult surrounding family members. State media have occasionally shown Kim, his sister and his father riding white horses. The symbolism goes back to Kim Il Sung, who according to the Norths official narrative, rode a white horse while fighting against Japanese colonial rulers. KCNA said Kim also visited nearby construction sites in Samjiyon County and complained about US-led UN sanctions imposed on his country because of its nuclear and nuclear programs.