Daily Mirror

Kim’s balmy demand

Workers told to pay to keep ex-leaders’ corpses from rotting

- BY STEPHEN WHITE s.white@ mirror.co.uk @Stephen White278

DESPOT Kim Jong-un is “forcing” factory workers to stump up to keep his dead ancestors embalmed – and on display to the public.

North Korea is struggling to afford the cost of preserving the corpses of their former leaders, Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il.

So Supreme Leader Kim is expecting his impoverish­ed citizens to pick up the £320,000-a-year bill.

The embalmed bodies of Kim’s grandad and dad are on display in the capital Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

But money is tight with the United Nations sanctions that have been imposed to curb Kim’s weapons programmes – preventing the rogue state trading with other countries.

Kim’s regime is now asking factory staff to pay up, and receive a certificat­e of loyalty in return. But one report claims that the people are not happy

with the plan. The source said: “Some people think it is ridiculous how the authoritie­s are ignoring their livelihood­s while trying to raise money to keep dead bodies from rotting.”

News outlet Radio Free Asia reported: “There was a ceremony to award certificat­es for the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il Fund to factory representa­tives.

“They gave the certificat­es to party members and workers who donated money to show their loyalty.

“It will be used to help with the upkeep of the Palace of the Sun.” The source said a speech, given in the province of North Pyongan, encouraged people to learn from the loyalty of the donors and to help by participat­ing in raising funds. But it added: “The party forced all workers to make regular contributi­ons to the Palace of the Sun, saying they would give commendati­ons and preference to donors. “They claimed that regular loyalty donations will go into the fund, which will honour the great leaders who contribute­d their lives to the prosperity of their country and the happiness of our people.”

Some people think that it is ridiculous to raise money for dead bodies FACTORY SOURCE RADIO FREE ASIA

 ??  ?? EMBALMED Founder Kim Il-sung, leader Kim Jong-il
IN STATE Kim Jong-il at the Palace in 2011
EMBALMED Founder Kim Il-sung, leader Kim Jong-il IN STATE Kim Jong-il at the Palace in 2011
 ??  ?? CASH-STRAPPED Leader Kim Jong-un
CASH-STRAPPED Leader Kim Jong-un

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