Kim Jong-un, the all-powerful leader of North Korea

Why is it that North Korea can’t be ignored? Is it because of its secretive nature or its ambitious nuclear projects? Preetha Kadhir elaborates

There is something about North Korea that attracts everyone’s attention. Is it because it is secretive or is it because of its ambitious nuclear projects?

Whatever may be the case, this ‘hermit kingdom’ can hardly be ignored. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was officially appointed party chairman last week.

Can you believe that there is only one party in North Korea? Yes and it is the Workers’ Party of Korea. This party was founded by Kim Jong-un’s grandfather Kim Il-sung who also had the title of party chairman.

The first ruling party congress held after 36 years seems to have achieved its target of reaffirming the supremacy of Kim who was not even born when the last Congress took place.

The last Congress in 1980 was conducted to crown his father Kim Jong-Il. After the latter’s death in 2011, Kim took over the regime.

Policies

Kim’s leadership has come under widespread condemnation for the number of nuclear tests that were carried out. Two out of the four tests were under Kim’s leadership and it is widely speculated that the fifth would happen soon.

Though the Congress has taken a policy decision of not using nuclear weapons unless the country is attacked by another nuclear power, hardly anyone buys this.

Pyongyang also says it is keen to work for the reunification of the Korean peninsula.

A major shift in policy is that Kim has opted for ‘byungjin’ policy of economic and nuclear development whereas his father’s policy revolved around ‘Songun’ or military first.

A five-year economic plan was revealed for the first time which makes observers believe that there could be a marginal shift from nuclear ambitions to economic development.

Korean tensions

South Korea and North Korea have always been at loggerheads. The 1950-53 conflict between the two Koreans ended in a truce and not a peace treaty and so there is hardly any goodwill left between them.

They continuously trade blames on each other and North Korea threatens South and its major ally United States.

North accuses the United States of planning a nuclear attack. The already strained relationship reached an all-time low after the fourth nuclear test in January which also brought with it tougher UN sanctions. Nothing seems to deter North Korea from its nuclear ambitions and it has suggested that it will go ahead with nuclear and missile development.

(Source : thehindu.com)

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