South Korean TV channels showed the pictures of Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju and their daughter.
Image: AP
The North Korean leader paced the child in front of a backdrop of nuclear-capable missiles. Observers see the daughter’s first appearance as an indication of possible succession plans within the dynasty that rules with an iron fist.
Dhe North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un took the test of an ICBM as an opportunity to present his daughter to the public for the first time. Observers see this as an indication of possible succession plans within the Kim dynasty. The largest North Korean daily, Rodong Sinmun, showed pictures of the head of state with his wife and daughter. In one he is walking hand in hand with the girl along a nuclear-capable ICBM. Other pictures also featured Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju. Kim had not appeared in public for a month. His lengthy absences repeatedly lead to speculation about his state of health and the balance of power in the hermetically sealed country.
Kim Jong Un said the ICBM test proved his country’s ability to ward off any nuclear threat. Foreign powers are forcing North Korea to expand its nuclear deterrent, state news agency KCNA quoted Kim as saying on Friday. Any attack on North Korea will lead to the destruction of the attackers. Kim called for the development of more strategic weapons and training in the use of nuclear weapons.
The rocket crashed into the sea almost 200 kilometers off the coast of Japan on Friday. The government in Tokyo and the USA accused North Korea of endangering security in the region. The United Nations Security Council has put the test on the agenda for next Monday’s meeting.