North Korea marked leader Kim Jong-Il’s birthday yesterday by urging the
military to be on alert and the people to “burn with hatred” against the
United States.
The anti-U.S. diatribe in the state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun appeared
at the height of government-orchestrated celebrations for Kim’s 61st birthday, which was hailed with festivals, speeches and calls for
patriotism.
Kim’s birthday is a national holiday in North Korea.
Rodong Sinmun said the U.S. was pushing its nuclear dispute with North
Korea “to the brink of war.” America and its allies are pressuring the
North to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
“All servicemen of the Korea People’s Army should always be on the
alert,” the newspaper’s editorial said. “All party members and workers
must burn with hatred and hostility in their hearts toward U.S.
imperialists. When the decisive time comes, we must rise as one and
should show in full the heroic might of the people.”
This year’s celebrations surrounding Kim’s birthday coincide with a
report by Japanese media that he is grooming his 21-year-old son, Kim
Jong-Chul, as his successor. Little is known about Kim Jong-Chul,
although a South Korean newspaper reported he had studied in France.
Kim Jong-Il took power in 1994 following the death of his father, Kim
Il-Sung. Kim Jong-Il became “Great Leader” and formally succeeded his
father as Communist Party secretary in 1998, but declined to assume the
title of president. Instead he abolished the post, designating Kim
Il-Sung “eternal president,” and has since ruled as chairman of the
National Defense Commission.
The North wants direct talks with the U.S., from whom it hopes to win a
non-aggression pact.
Yesterday, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice reiterated that
the U.S. government would not agree to bilateral talks.
“We cannot allow the North Koreans to step back into a bilateral
discussion,” she said. “We believe that the Asian balance of power could
be affected by what’s going on in the Korean peninsula.”
