San Francisco (Obama.net)- Early Sunday morning in Pyongyang, North Korea, what has been advertised as the biggest parade held by the North Korean military ever took place. The event itself was no surprise, but what did make audiences take notice was that the leader of the state, Kim Jong Il, made one of his few appearances.
Kim Jong Il, who was joined by Kim Jong Un, the youngest of his sons, was the recipient of an enormous applause as the men of the North Korean military stopped in their tracks to honor their leader.
The event, which celebrated the People’s Workers Party anniversary, was a typical one for North Korea. Unlike American parades, which are more holiday themed and suited for children, the Asian state hold parades that are primarily militaristic.
Approximately 20,000 soldiers walked alongside missiles and tanks that were being shown off to the people of North Korea.
Many are seeing this year’s event as more than just a celebration. Many are taking note that Kim Jung Un’s presence is an indicator that it is almost time for his father to step aside so the son can become the new leader of North Korea. This is due to the recent health problems that Kim Jong Il has been facing.
There is much speculation in the United States on just who Kim Jung Un is exactly. He is believed to be in his late 20’s, educated, knowledgeable of English and German, and is said to even be a fan of American’s such as Michael Jordan.
The coverage of the parade is a rare sneak peak into the world of North Korea as the government allowed about sixty media outlets to come and cover the event. This comes as a surprise as North Korea has been known to imprison journalists and other members of the media in the recent past.
CNN reporter, Alina Cho, spoke of the high level of security around the event, saying that even the writing utensils of media members are being inspected.
With the reign of Kim Jong Il coming to an end and the reign of Kim Jong Un coming to a start shortly, the people of North Korea must wonder what changes that may bring. It is hard to think that the standard of living for average North Koreans would go down any further with the new regime, but only time will render that statement true or false.
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