SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un thanked the public for their trust and support “in the troubled times” and wished them happiness and good health on his first New Year’s cards sent to his people.
Kim usually gives a televised speech on Jan. 1, but is widely expected to skip it this year as he will address the country’s first ruling party congress in five years in early January.
“I will work hard to bring earlier the new era in which the ideals and desires of our people will come true,” Kim said in his letter, according to Korea’s Central News Agency.
“I want to thank the people for consistently trusting and supporting our party, even in the difficult times,” he said. “I wish all families across the country more happiness and dear people, good health.”
North Korea is one of the most isolated countries in the world and it is virtually impossible to independently confirm whether all of its 25 million people received Kim’s card. The cards were reportedly the first a leader sent to North Koreans since 1995.
Kim, who succeeded his father as North Korean leader in late 2011, is facing the toughest challenges of his nine-year reign as a result of the pandemic, several natural disasters last summer and ongoing US-led sanctions amid diplomatic deadlock over his nuclear program.
Kim will likely use the Workers’ Party Congress as a venue to create stronger unity and set new development goals for years to come.
North Korea’s pandemic-related border closure with China, its largest trading partner, is hurting the economy. Bilateral trade volume in the first 11 months of 2020 decreased by about 79% from the same period in 2019, said analyst Song Jaeguk of the IBK Economic Research Institute in Seoul.
The Congress, the first since 2006, is officially the party’s main decision-making body, although real day-to-day decisions are made by Kim and his closest associates. The rubber stamp body of delegates is expected to support Kim’s new initiatives without major debates.
State media have not said exactly when the meeting will take place. In 2006 the convention lasted four days.
To ring in the New Year, a large crowd filled Pyongyang’s main square to watch fireworks, a concert, and a flag-raising ceremony. State television showed people wearing masks and thick coats, waving and standing close together.
North Korea has steadfastly claimed to be coronavirus-free – a claim that has been questioned by outsiders. But experts also say an outbreak was unlikely to be widespread, and therefore North Korea considered it safe to hold major events such as the Party Congress in Pyongyang.
Also on Friday, North Korea said it has successfully completed “an 80-day struggle,” a productivity campaign it often launches to force citizens to work extra hours and report increased production numbers ahead of major political events. Experts say North Korea is likely to underline at Congress the need to build a stronger, self-reliant economy to address the difficulties in an effort to force people to work harder.
KCNA said that “the advancement of all people through self-reliance” achieved a “proud victory over the historic 80-day battle.” It said the North Koreans have met or exceeded newly established quotas in factories, mines, farms, flood remediation, coronavirus measures and various other areas.