Kim Jong-un gallops up sacred mountain in show of power
Kim Jong-un has joined the time-honoured tradition of macho displays by authoritarian leaders in a new series of photos where he masterfully gallops a white steed up North Korea’s highest mountain while slamming US sanctions.
Evoking fellow strongman Vladimir Putin’s barechested horse-riding bravado in 2009, Kim chose to keep his shirt on, opting for this season’s brown fur-lined winter coat as he charged fearlessly through the first snows of Mount Paektu, his reclusive country’s most sacred peak.
A statement released by the state-run KCNA news agency called his photo shoot "a great event of weighty importance in the history of the Korean revolution,” describing the supreme commander’s eyes as “full of noble glitters” when gazing across the majestic vista and contemplating the weight of his destiny.
The series of carefully choreographed pictures, clearly staged to underscore an image of strong leadership and authority, show Kim racing the horse across a snowy path, and taking time to reflect while riding at a slower pace through pine trees.
According to the Yonhap news agency, Kim also visited a special tourist zone under construction in Samjiyon County at the foot of the mountain, which the country hopes can help revive its struggling economy.
Kim lashed out at the United States for its ongoing tough economic sanctions amid a diplomatic stalemate in negotiations to end the North’s nuclear and missiles programme.
An attempt earlier this month in Sweden to revive backroom talks ended in failure and a warning from Pyongyang that it would not meet the US for more “sickening negotiations” unless it abandoned its “hostile policy.”
"The situation of the country is difficult owing to the ceaseless sanctions and pressure by the hostile forces, and there are many hardships and trials facing us," Kim said, according to KCNA.
"The pain the US-led anti-DPRK hostile forces inflicted upon the Korean people is no longer pain, but it turned into their anger."
The North Korean leader’s projection of his power through horsemanship marked a creative shift from his usual policy of test-firing a few missiles in frustration at US policy towards the North, but it may also have been a teaser of what is to come if there is no further progress in nuclear talks.
KCNA’s colourful report of Kim’s mountain expedition ended with the cryptic sign off that “the officials accompanying him were convinced with overflowing emotion and joy that there will be a great operation to strike the world with wonder again and make a step forward in the Korean revolution.”
