Motives behind North Korean leader's contradictory messages

North Koreans celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the country's ruling Workers' Party at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, Saturday. AP-Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave what experts see as contradictory messages to the North Korean people, South Korea and the United States in a rare late-night military parade on the 75th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party, Saturday.

Cheong Wa Dae convened a National Security Council meeting, Sunday, to analyze the motives behind Kim's messages and display of its arsenal.

Among them were what was possibly the North's biggest-yet intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was mounted on an 11-axle launch vehicle that was also seen for the first time.

The North also displayed a variety of solid-fuel weapons system, including what could be an advanced version of its Pukguksong family of missiles designed to be fired from submarines or land-based mobile launchers.

The presidential office cited a need to observe all agreements reached by the two Koreas to avoid armed conflicts on the Korean Peninsula.

It also said it will continue to analyze strategic significance and other details of the North's newly introduced weapons while having relevant ministries work together to restore cross-border ties.

At the celebratory event, Kim shed tears as he thanked the people of North Korea for abiding by anti-virus measures imposed by the party and helping the country to stay free of COVID-19 infection. Kim also praised soldiers for their hard work on flood recovery projects.

"I am truly thankful that none of you have suffered from the pandemic … Seeing you all in good health makes me feel deeply touched and I can't find any other words than thank you," Kim, flanked by his senior officials, said before the troops and tens of thousands of spectators in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Square.

His "humane" gesture was a divergence from the god-like status and cult of personality passed down in the three-generation lineage of North Korean leadership.

"And this shows that the situation in the North is worse than what the outside world expected and that Kim is desperate to soothe and unite the people," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University.

Park speculated that, although the North denies any cases of coronavirus, the pandemic exists there and it is further jeopardizing the country's fragile economy.

The professor referred to Kim calling the North "the only country on the planet that has carried out quarantine irrespective of all shortcomings due to brutally enduring sanctions and extreme natural disasters."

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Kim attributed such hardship to his "lack of efforts and sincerity" and said he will "not let down our people's faith in me even it takes my own life."

Kim said, "I find it an honor to serve such great people and fight for them … I solemnly reaffirm to remain loyal to our people's faith," he said.

Shin In-kyun, president of the Korea Defense Network, speculated complaints inside the reclusive state are "getting volatile" and that Kim is expected to highlight economic revival as a priority task.

In a message to South Koreans, Kim Jong-un called them "beloved brothers" and expressed hope to "hold hands again by overcoming the crisis on public health as early as possible."

The message comes after Kim, in a letter sent to President Moon Jae-in, apologized to South Koreans last month over the deadly shooting of a South Korean fisheries official who floated into the North's territorial waters.

Both Park and Shin viewed the North Korean leader is making a reconciliatory gesture. They, however, underlined such a gesture is conditional and inter-Korean cooperation will not resume immediately.

Park pointed out the Moon administration has sought to capitalize on the COVID-19 crisis as an occasion for inter-Korean cooperation.

"And if you analyze Kim's words carefully, you can see the North is willing to resume cooperation only when the pandemic ends," he said.

Shin viewed the earliest possible time for inter-Korean cooperation will take place next January when the Workers' Party will hold its Eighth Congress to announce a new-five year economic plan.

Kim's speech was punctuated by thousands of goose-stepping troops, tanks, armored vehicles, rocket launchers and a broad range of ballistic missiles rolled out.

Kim vowed to strengthen "war deterrent," saying they are "righteous self-defense means, so as to contain and control all the dangerous attempts and intimidatory acts by hostile forces."

He avoided direct criticism of the U.S. throughout his speech, which analysts reckoned was a measure not to provoke the U.S. ahead of its November presidential election.

"I'd say the North is open to resuming denuclearization dialogue with the U.S., but at the same time, is getting ready for a change in the U.S. government and breakdown of such dialogue," Shin said.
Meanwhile, a U.S. government official found it "disappointing" over North Korea continuing to prioritize its weapons development.

"It is disappointing to see the DPRK continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program," the official told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity.

The official said Washington, guided by the vision U.S. President Trump and Kim Jong-un set forth in their groundbreaking 2018 summit, calls on Pyongyang "to engage in sustained and substantive negotiations to achieve complete denuclearization."

Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter to Kim and that Beijing would continue to "defend, consolidate and develop" bilateral relations.

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