Kim Jong-un Celebrates New Year Festivities in Pyongyang
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Seoul, Jan 1 (NationPress) North Korea conducted an extensive celebration marking the New Year in Pyongyang, featuring leader Kim Jong-un, according to reports from state media on Wednesday.
The artistic event was presented with magnificence on Tuesday evening at the May Day Stadium, heralding the promising new year of 2025, which is expected to serve as a pivotal moment for consistent success and advancement, as stated by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Young figure skaters and schoolchildren performed on the ice to the melody of 'Dear Father', a song dedicated to Kim Jong-un, to commence the festivities. The event was attended by the leader, high-ranking government officials, party members, and military leaders, as per the KCNA.
Upon Kim's arrival in the audience, spectators erupted into deafening cheers, expressing their utmost respect and admiration. The leader reciprocated by extending his warm greetings to the citizens nationwide, the report indicated.
As the performance concluded, loud shouts of 'Hurrah!' for Kim Jong-un resonated throughout the venue, accompanied by a dazzling fireworks display that adorned the night sky, noted the KCNA.
Images from the performance, provided by North Korea, featured Kim's daughter, believed to be named Ju-ae, and Premier Pak Thae-song seated beside Kim. However, his wife was absent from the event and not mentioned among the attendees.
In other reports, the KCNA revealed that students in Pyongyang congregated at Kim Il Sung Square on Tuesday night to raise the national flag and set off fireworks to welcome the New Year, suggesting that North Korea welcomed the New Year with traditions similar to those of previous years.
A video from the New Year celebration, broadcasted by Korean Central Television, depicted Kim Yo-jong -- the sister of the North Korean leader who holds the position of vice department director in the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea -- exiting the event venue while holding a boy's hand, accompanied by a girl, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
In April 2015, South Korea's intelligence agency speculated that Kim Yo-jong was likely to give birth the following month. Later, in 2018, a government source suggested Kim was pregnant during her visit to South Korea in February for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Nonetheless, no official confirmation has been provided regarding her marital status, pregnancies, or childbirths. An official from South Korea's unification ministry remarked that it is challenging to draw conclusions based on the video evidence.
