As the new year dawns, Kim Jong Un, the General Secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, has markedly reduced his public appearances over the past ten days, despite his earlier whirlwind of engagements across economic, civilian, and military sectors.
Notably, this decline coincides with two significant events: the U.S. operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3 and North Korea’s claim of a South Korean drone incursion into its airspace on January 4. Analysts on Thursday speculated that this sudden reduction in activity might be linked to heightened concerns for Kim’s personal security.
According to comprehensive reporting by News1, Kim’s public appearances, as reported by North Korean media outlets including Rodong Sinmun, have dramatically decreased since January 6. This stands in stark contrast to the daily front-page coverage of Kim’s activities from January 1 to 6. Since then, Rodong Sinmun has reported only one public appearance by Kim: a visit to a construction site in Pyongyang’s Hwasong district on January 11.
The January 1 edition featured Kim attending New Year celebrations with his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter, Ju Ae. The following day’s paper reported their visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay respects to former leaders.
On January 3, Kim was reported visiting the Sinuiju Greenhouse Farm construction site, where he encouraged young workers and soldiers while emphasizing local development policies.
The January 4 and 5 editions covered Kim’s inspection of an important munitions factory, where he reviewed the production of tactical guided weapons, including ballistic missiles and North Korea’s version of the Spike missile. He also observed hypersonic missile launch drills. These activities showcased Kim’s hands-on approach across economic, civilian, political, and military domains as the supreme leader.
The January 6 edition featured Kim at the construction site of a Combat Meritorious Service Memorial, honoring North Korean troops deployed to Russia. In a rare display of dynamism, Kim was shown operating a forklift and planting trees alongside his daughter, Ju Ae, capturing public attention with these unprecedented images of the supreme leader.
Analysts interpret Kim’s busy schedule as a strategic move to review achievements across various sectors and rally public support ahead of the anticipated 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party in February. The active involvement of his family, including Ju Ae and Ri, appears designed to reinforce the image of a hardworking leader dedicated to the welfare of the people and the state.
However, the abrupt decrease in Kim’s public activities has led some experts to draw connections with the January 3 incident involving the arrest and extradition of Maduro by U.S. forces.
The sudden ousting of Maduro, who had forged an anti-U.S. alliance with North Korea, by U.S. special forces may have prompted North Korean leadership to reassess and limit Kim’s public engagements while adjusting security protocols.
Historically, North Korea has intensified Kim’s security measures following incidents involving foreign leaders. A notable example occurred after the failed bomb attack targeting then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in April 2023, when Kim’s security detail was observed carrying specialized protective equipment and displaying heightened vigilance.
Furthermore, North Korea’s claim on January 4 of a South Korean drone violating its airspace warrants attention. From Pyongyang’s perspective, this alleged incursion, occurring just a day after Maduro’s ousting, could be interpreted as a direct threat to their supreme leader.
While the South Korean government reports no immediate changes in Kim’s activities, it remains vigilant regarding the sudden decrease in his public engagements.
However, given the nature of North Korean media, officials are considering various possibilities. These include the potential for consolidated reporting of Kim’s activities or the likelihood that Kim is deliberately reducing his public appearances to focus on preparations for the upcoming party congress after an initially active first week of the year.
