Neverending Tour

Kim Jong-il strikes a heroic pose at the Central Tree Nursery (Photo: KCTV)

Right as I completed a post on Kim Jong-il’s guidance visits around Pyongyang for the week ending 3 October did I read Rodong Sinmun and see on the Korean Central News Agency that on Friday, 2 October, Kim Jong-il’s neverending tour in pursuit of kangson taeguk continued.  It was a busy day Friday, particularly ahead of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s arrival this past Sunday, starting with another photo-op, this one with KPA “soldier-builders” at Kumsusan Memorial Hall.   After meeting the soldiers, General-Secretary Kim ventured to the north west area of Pyongyang for environmental and light industry guidance, first to the Central Tree Nursery and then the Ostrich Farm.  General-Secretary Kim offered a lot of motivational speech and references to kangson taeguk (the strong and properous land).  The only note is this was the first recent occasion, other than Kim Il-sung’s Memorial Service (commemorating the 15th anniversary of his death) in July of this year, when Jang Song-thaek, KJI’s brother-in-law and Director of the KWP Central Committee Administration Department, was seen wearing a Western-style suit and tie (also the day’s clothing of choice for  KWP Secretary of Party History Kim Ki-nam).  Mr. Jang, it seems, left the Zhongshan suit at home.  Here is the location of the Ostrich Farm on Wikimapia.

The pied piper of Pyongyang leading his travel party through the Ostrich Farm. At the left is Jang Song-thaek wearing a western-style suit. (Photo: KCTV)