Kim steals spotlight at parade
SEOUL — North Korea held a parade showcasing military dogs and virus workers in orange hazmat suits, but leader Kim Jong Un still managed to seize the spotlight by looking thinner and more energetic than he has in years.
During the event late Wednesday, Kim, wearing a cream-colored suit and a shiny tie, emerged as the clock struck midnight. He beamed in response to thunderous applause from performers and spectators filling Pyongyang’s brightly illuminated Kim Il Sung Square, named after his grandfather, the country’s founder.
He smiled widely, waved to the crowd and kissed children who presented him with flowers before taking his spot on a balcony to observe the parade. He laughed vigorously and applauded the marchers throughout the event, while holding animated chats with senior officials.
It was a stark change from 2018, when TV footage showed him struggling to catch his breath while accompanying South Korean President Moon Jae-in on a short hike to North Korea’s Mount Paektu during a period of diplomatic engagement.
Moon, who is three decades older than Kim, didn’t seemed fazed by the walk at all.
Some North Korea watchers said that Kim, who is about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and has previously weighed 308 pounds, may have lost between 22 and 44 pounds.
Kim is facing perhaps his toughest moment as he approaches a decade of rule, with North Korea wrestling with U.S.-led economic sanctions over its nuclear weapons, pandemic border closures that cause further strain to its broken economy, and food shortages made worse by floods in recent summers.
Kim’s health is the focus of keen outside attention as the 37-yearold leader hasn’t publicly anointed a successor who would take control of North Korea’s advancing nuclear arsenal targeting Asian rivals and the American homeland. He has been known for heavy drinking and smoking and comes from a family with a history of heart problems. His father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before him, both died of heart issues.