15 Apr 2012

Kim Jong-un uses first public speech to call for push to 'final victory'

North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong-un, has delivered his first public speech at a military parade to celebrate of the birth of the country's founder, his grandfather Kim Il-sung. Kim, the third from his family to rule North Korea, read monotonously from a script in Pyongyang, calling for a push to "final victory".

kim jong-un

The speech suggested Kim would stick to his father and grandfather's "military-first" policy. But the fact that he spoke at all was a surprise after years of silence from his father when he presided over similar events. Kim Jong-un inherited power when Kim Jong-il died in December.

He praised his grandfather and father as the "founder and the builder of our revolutionary armed forces". "Let us move forward to final victory," the twentysomething leader urged tens of thousands of military and civilians, who applauded throughout his speech of more than 20 minutes.

The Guardian