The Korean Central News Agency in North Korea has recently released a statement reviewing the past year. According to the statement, a fire of revolution spread throughout the country in 2009, which will shine as a historic year heralding the glory days of a military-first North Korea. It also says the independent socialist economy is in full swing, laying the solid groundwork for a “strong North Korea” in 2012. The news agency announces its customary New Year’s joint editorial on January 1st every year and it is the most influential policy guideline for the nation in the coming year. But in a rare move, the Korean Central News Agency has issued a statement evaluating the past year. Here’s Yonhap News Agency reporter Jang Yong-hun to explain.

Since the Kim Jong-il regime was officially inaugurated in 1998, the Korean Central News Agency has reviewed the past year in the form of a statement only on two occasions—the tenth year of the launch of Kim’s military-first politics in December 2004 and the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers’ Party in October 2005. Given the history, it is very unusual to release a similar statement this year. Some North Korea watchers note that this year marks the beginning of Kim Jong-il’s designation of his third son Kim Jeong-un as his successor. Diplomatic experts in South Korea say the economy has been in bad shape throughout the year, with North Korean people suffering from worsening food shortages. Against this backdrop, North Korea seems to have attempted to exaggerate its achievements, claiming that it has laid the foundation for realizing a strong North Korea.

Domestic experts cite North Korea’s move for a third generation power transfer as the most important development in North Korea this year. In early January, Kim Jong-il’s youngest son Kim Jong-un was named the successor to his father. The North reportedly began promoting his talent and abilities around July. Also, some members of the National Defense Commission were replaced by key figures from the Workers’ Party and the military, including Jang Seong-taek, who is the Workers’ Party administrative executive and a guardian of the younger Kim. Also, Vice Marshal of the Korean People’s Army Kim Yong-chun was appointed as minister of the People’s Armed Forces of the National Defense Commission, and the commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command, Ri Yong-ho, was named chief of the Korean People’s Army General Staff. And the succession scheme continued in the political area.

A third generation of hereditary power succession, from late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung to his son Kim Jong-il to Kim Jong-un, is unprecedented in modern history. North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly convened its first session in April, marking the official launch of Kim Jong il’s third term. At the time, the parliament decided to revise the nation’s socialist constitution. The revised constitution places more weight on the authority of the chairman of the National Defense Commission and also emphasizes the role of the commission, in yet another move to reinforce the structure of the father-to-son power transfer. Under the revised constitution, Kim Jong-un will be able to become the nation’s top leader easily, once he takes up his post as the chairman of the National Defense Commission.

North Korea’s heir-apparent Kim Jong-un took the lead in major national events, such as the “150-day Battle” and the Labor Day celebrations on May 1st. Also, he has accompanied Kim Jong-il in almost all public activities attended by his father, focusing on distinguishing himself. Notably, current leader Kim Jong-il has engaged in public activities vigorously this year. According to North Korean media reports, Kim made public appearances 154 times as of December 18th. That figure more than doubled from last year. Experts suspect Kim wanted to demonstrate his health and power inside and outside the nation after he was in poor health last year, while seeking regime stability and the prompt settlement of the power succession project. Meanwhile, North Korea has made an all-out effort to revive the economy, with the goal of building a “strong North Korea” in 2012.

New attempts and changes have been made in the North Korean economy. The “150-day Battle” and the “100-day Battle” were held successively during the second half of the year with an aim of boosting economic production. These campaigns reflect the North Korean leadership’s desperate effort to rebuild the impoverished economy by mobilizing citizen labor. Also, North Korea pushed for currency reform as of November 30th, in an apparent bid to curb inflation, which had been rising sharply since the nation’s massive economic reforms in July 2002. Of late, the North also enacted economic laws related real estate management and consumption of goods. This series of measures indicates North Korea’s resolute will to continue tightening centralized control over the economy by intensifying the state’s role in economic management.

In sports, in the meantime, both North and South Korea qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa. The 2010 World Cup, the first in which the two Koreas will participate, is particularly significant for North Korea, since it will return to the finals after a 44-year absence. North Korea last appeared in the World Cup in 1966 in England... We’ve so far reviewed major events in North Korea this year. So then, what will North Korea be like in the coming year?

We may envision next year’s North Korean society in light of developments in 2009. It’s necessary to keep watching the North’s efforts toward power succession. The communist nation is expected to continue praising and idolizing Kim Jong-un. We’ll also pay attention to the potential role of the National Defense Commission, as the commission’s power strengthens, as I said earlier. On the economic front, we need to observe how follow-up measures of this year’s currency reform may unfold. It’s also important to note how heavily the North Korean economy will depend on China, in consideration of the recent rapid progress in relations between Beijing and Pyongyang.

This tumultuous year, North Korea saw a number of significant developments, such as the launch of the third term of the Kim Jong-il regime and the preparations for establishing a stable foundation for power succession. Next year, North Korea must stabilize the ongoing economic and social confusion caused by currency revaluation as early as possible. Seoul also needs to expand humanitarian aid for North Korea and inter-Korean exchanges so the two sides will work together for a more hopeful future.


[Interview] Year-end Party for N. Korean Defectors
The eventful year of 2009 is drawing to an end. Last Saturday, some North Korean defectors living here in South Korea got together at a year-end party in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, to close the year and renew their resolutions for the coming year. About 100 people, including North Korean newcomers from across the country and South Korean officials, attended the year-end party, organized by the Association of the North Korean Defectors under the Unification Ministry. Here’s Lee Hae-young, official of the association, to tell us more about the party that featured various events.

This is our regular general meeting and also our year-end party. We arranged this party to invite North Korean expatriates who have resettled here in South Korea. We wanted them to have a good time, watching North Korean performances and sharing food with one another. Having left their family members in North Korea, many defectors live lonely lives here. To help them overcome loneliness, we throw a year-end party every year.

Usually, the defectors find little consolation in the unfamiliar South Korean environment. The event was a rare opportunity for them to share their feelings with one another. As they had dinner and watched the North Korean dance performance by the Pyongyang Folk Troupe in a relaxed atmosphere, the painful memories of escaping North Korea slipped from their memories.

…The show was very good. I discovered North Korean musicians and dancers are improving day after day. I feel proud that we, defectors, have now become decent members of South Korean society.
…The party was really fun. It was nice to meet people from North Korea. We were brought closer through this event. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on myself and on the association of the defectors. I really enjoyed the amusing performance, the last part of the party.

According to Mr. Lee, few North Korean people hold their own year-end parties. Similar parties are organized by the Party or the government in the form of a rally to make a solemn vow to remain loyal to the Party in the coming year. The Association of the North Korean Defectors has provided a variety of programs, such as a Korean language lesson and computer training, throughout this year, with a goal focused on helping the newcomers resettle successfully. The association cites this as the biggest result and the most rewarding part of their projects. Noting that the number of North Korean defectors coming to the South is increasing each year, Mr. Lee stresses once again that South Korea should show more interest in the defectors from the North and expand support for them next year.

I hope South Korean citizens and the media will pay more attention to North Korean newcomers. Some South Koreans have prejudices against the Northern people who left their families and fled from their home country. But I urge the citizens to try to understand the unfortunate North Koreans. Would they have made such a decision if the situation hadn’t been that bad in North Korea? I don’t think so. I’d like to suggest that the government become more committed to rehabilitation programs and support projects aimed at helping them adjust to South Korean society in a proper way.

According to the Unification Ministry, the number of North Korean defectors who have entered South Korea is reaching 17-thousand. The ministry estimates the figure will exceed 20-thousand next year. It’s the season for giving and sharing. We hope to show greater interest in the North Korean expatriates, who miss their families and hometowns.