Thinner Kim steals spotlight at North Korean parade
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has 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 white 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.
“His face is clearly thinner and he is moving much more vigorously,” said Park Wongon, a professor of North Korea studies at Seoul’s Ewha Womans University.
Kim’s weight loss became noticeable in June, when he made his first public appearance in weeks to convene a ruling party meeting. Some North Korea watchers then
said that Kim, who is about five feet, eight inches tall and has previously weighed 308 pounds, may have lost 22-44 pounds.
Most experts say Kim’s weight loss is more likely a result of efforts to improve his shape than an indicator of health problems, considering his regular public activity. It may also have a political purpose.
Kim is facing perhaps his toughest moment as he approaches a decade of rule, with North Korea wrestling with US-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.
It has become crucial for Kim to build an image as a young and vigorous leader who can navigate the country out of trouble, analyst Park said. Such image-making efforts would align with the latest parade, which showcased civil defense units involved in efforts to rebuild the economy and communities destroyed by floods and emphasized a domestic message for unity.