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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Mangyongdae Funfair in Pyongyang on Wednesday.
This just in: North Korea is not a paradise in some ways — and this news comes from Pyongyang’s official mouthpiece, the Korean Central News Agency.
On Wednesday, KCNA reported that newly anointed leader Kim Jong Un had visited an amusement park where he scolded park officials for poor upkeep of the park, according to the Yonhap News Agency in South Korea.
The criticism from the young leader was the first publicly reported rebuke since he inherited leadership of the country in December, and a rare occurrence in the history of the normally laudatory "inspection tours" taken by his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather Kim Il Sung, who ruled before him.
Kim’s criticism of the Mangyongdae Funfair in Pyongyang was strong and detailed, going so far as to describe the state of the grounds by the Viking ride as “pathetic,” Yonhap said.
He found problems with the roller coaster, the paint on the rides and the safety of the waterpark, the report said, and instructed officials to draw a lesson from touring the site and take it as a warning of the need for a "proper spirit of serving the people."
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Analysts cited by Yonhap viewed this report as a means of the burnishing the image of Kim, thought to be about 28, as a competent and detail-oriented leader interested in citizens' welfare.
"The aim is to instill an awareness among ranking officials across North Korea that Kim Jong-un is a benevolent leader but also strict when it comes to principles," Jang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University told Yonhap.
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Kim’s apparent efforts to consolidate his position as leader of the country’s Communist Party, government and military has not been entirely smooth.
In April, North Korea attempted a rocket launch — seen as a way of bolstering the regime’s legitimacy — despite protest from the international community. North Korea said the rocket was for putting a civilian satellite into orbit, but its critics said it was a missile test.
The rocket exploded.
The launch attempt prompted the United States to suspend 240,000 tons of planned food aid to North Korea, which is believed to be suffering a severe shortage.
Some North Korea experts are predicting that Pyongyang is planning an underground nuclear test, which likely would further isolate the regime.
Fighting between North Korea and U.S.-backed South Korea ended in armistice in 1953, but the two nations are technically still at war.
Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, was a Communist fighter who emerged as the first leader of the north after World War II.
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South Korea and the United States were both part of a larger U.N.-sponsored effort to defeat the North's invasion of the South. There has never been a conclusion to the "Police Action," which means that the U.S. is still committed to the defeat of North Korea.
HAHAHA ! Such words of Wisdom !
Maybe, the US could give North Korea ride aid, instead of food aid. How about Six Flags Over Pyongyang?
Haha...nope still would'nt go.
While millions starve to death slowly, eating the soles of their shoes, the Glorious Butt Plug chastises the operators of a damn amusement part for chipped paint?? I guess there isn't ANYTHING better for junior jerk off to do. Maybe he could strap one of his impotent missiles to the roller coaster and get it launched without exploding in the first ten feet of flight...."Pathetic Kills....."
Ya'll are really zinging them out today. These comments are way better than any amusement park. I haven't stopped laughing.
Wonder what kind of foods the concession stands sell??? I didn't see anything about that in the article.
Looking at pics of that roller coaster - I feel immediately depressed.
That's not a good sign for an amusement park...
@larry c wilson, your term "Police Action," it may have been called that in the begining, but History call it "The Korean War." Just for people who are not aware, There is NO formal treaty or anything ending the conflict. There is only a "VERBAL AGREEMENT." It could erupt at any time, today, tomorrow, or next week. Pyongyang, is where everybody goes to discuss or have talks with N.Korea. Pyongyang, is the most perfect city in N.Korea. Everything there must be perfect including the Park. They want the World to think that all of N.Korean towns and cities is this nice. It's all a front, eyewash, and Properganda.
Maybe if his daddy hadn't spent all the money on alcohol and weapons, they could have fed their fellow countrymen and paid for the upkeep of the park. Ya think??
even when he's happy...he's UN-HAPPY...when he's cool...he's UN-COOL...he drinks the UN-COLA...all his tea is UN-SWEET'N...
WOW, that is one snappy black outfit he's wearing. Did Mom pick that out? I see the begining of a new fashion trend starting before my eyes! He is the ultimate chick magnet! And the hat! It goes so well with a Mongoloid shaped head! He looks so sharp,that Kim Kardashian is talking about marrying him (KimKim?)-Oooops sorry, wrong color,!
I guess the real reason for his displeasure was that the coaster failed to accelerate a launch venicle to the ballistic speed enough to throw a payload over to the South.
North Korea...perfection in the eyes of liberals. State tells you what to do, when to do it, regards itself as perfect, everybody works for the state. personal achievement is shunned.
Everything they are trying to achieve here....
well, to be fair NK isnt that much different from any other place on the planet.
The leadership and those closest are well taken care of, they eat well and get whatever they want.
They dont have to care about people starving or dying, just ramping up their military as far as far can go...because you never know when the boogey man is going to strike you (look at the US and how much WE spend on our military might, despite no one showing any ability to wallop us...at NK has been invaded before, and understands there is a real danger of losing their soverignty).
They dont have to do whats best or right by all their people, only those in power and those who stand to lose.
Thats no different than our leadership - self serving, to the point where they would undoubtedly destroy america in an effort to enrich themselves and their friends.
we slurp our govt and media's propaganda like it was the truth, nothing but the truth - so help us god.
maybe it's just a matter of time before there's a north and south united states?
and which side will be seen as the crazy paranoids? guess that depends on which side has international support...
LB - absolute BS
Most of us want a hybrid between capitalism and socialism.
And we've already got that...so to believe otherwise, is complete tom foolery.
We simply think that our nation can not survive or thrive, unless we are personally invested in each other...not just ourselves.
You wouldnt survive in a pure capitalist world...you'd be a slave, and there's no denying that. You should be grateful you live in a nation that is socialist in many ways...no doubt, you would have been poor and stayed poor.
The American Dream only exists, because we have a socialist system in place that lets poor people rise to the top. Capitalism doesnt allow for that...it takes CAPITAL to survive in a capitalist society. Poor people would never acheive capital in that world...never.
He was REALLY pissed, about the "guess-your-weight" guy!
This crap hole of a country still exists? When is south korea going to bust the border and march over their emaciated bodies to take it back?
Can someone tell me why we still give these a-holes 480,000,000 pounds food. I feel bad for the common people of North Korea we send them food and their gov brainwashes them into hating us.
@ Jessica
Really, jessica really?
When was the last time you were told you can never leave your country? When was the last time you had to log on to the intranet instead of the Internet because your leaders didn't want you to see how @!$%#y you actuallyhave it? When have you feared for your life because of your religious preferences?
when jess, when?
Oh and btw: socialism is a relatively new term, became great through capitalism, NOT socialism.
@Jessica - Very well said.
No not the defeat of North Korea but the defense of South Korea.
The reason that he was angry at the roller coaster was that was his new way of launching missiles! He was going to have them go around and around until they gained enough speed to .......................
No, he was angry because he did not meet the height requirement but they made an exception for him. The fact that it took 5 minutes to wedge his wide behind into the seat and once there, the ride did not have enough power too move only added ice to his ire.
He had better hurry and procreate so that the next gen of great leaders can be properly trained.....
I've seen that amusement park in the "Themepark 1984" documentary on YouTube. The whole park is a piece of crap. But I would think it's hard to maintain the park when the government's checks sent for maintenance keep bouncing!
I saw it too. Reminded me of Detroit only nicer.
There is no banking system in NK, so no "checks".
@ AlexG-1904848,
I was being facetious. Geez man, way to throw a turd in the punch bowl...
Glad Un is keeping the important issues of his country in the forefront.
Sorry kim jong un, but the workers were probably too busy starving to death to provide up keep for your pathetic park.
Yep, and their growth is so starvation stunted nobody in North Korea can meet the "You must be this tall to ride" height requirement!!!
It must have been a slow news day. It seems like the news agencies will use any old excuse to rewrite the same story over and over again, they just tag a quick and pointless story to the beginning of it.
Kim Jong is now proof that he is 4th generation waste of sperm....
You know the park's management team was likely rounded up and sent off to a prison camp to work hard labor. Warning or not.
Missile exploded!? Thank you C.I.A.
Nah, the thing was pretty much a washing machine filled with rocket fuel. This @!$%#up was all-Korean.
So glad that he has his priorities in order.
I've been on that roller coaster and liked it.
"Kim Jung Oink declares war on inanimate object that scared him into wetting his pants": War results at 11:00.
I thought little Umpa-Lumpa boy was upset that he could not get his Super Size McD's meal warm enough.
"Hey, little Lord Umpa-Lumpa, your common people are starving to death and yet you criticize working people trying to maintain a roller coasters with nothing? SERIOUS warped priorities......."
When it comes to North Korea, it's hard to tell which news stories are real and which are from the Onion...
You speak the truth, the Onion has some great North Korea ones... I like their plot to steal the moon.
Maybe the only reason we haven't wiped them off the planet is their entertainment value.
Who cares about a roller coaster when they're starving? Bet you don't have to stand in line long for a ride.
Insanity reigns.
There was a line there when I rode it. As American tourists we were taken to the front of the line... a few of the kids in line didn't seem to appreciate it while others were fascinated by Western visitors. We rode the bumper cars too.
How can Aemricans be in North Korea when they do not allow US citizens in? Or did you suck up to NK handlers and they shoved their proproganda down your throat about how things are wonderful in the DPRK?
They do let Americans in... it was easy to visit... and just like visitors from every other country, you will have DPRK minders with you all the time. Yup - lots of propaganda but seeing their side of the Korean war was fascinating.
TIDubai: You were probably put in the first car so when it jumped the track you were "cushioning" for the great citizens of North Korea. Capitalist swine is good for something!
When we rode it, there were no locals on the train. Our group was big enough to take the entire train. And if it jumped the track only evil imperialists would be hurt. LOL
If the locals are having trouble feeding themselves, how can they afford to ride a rollercoaster? The "Decadent" Western styled device is near the "Decadent" Pseudo-Socialist City of the Pseudo-Civilized Government of North Korea.
The whole place is a @!$%# hole
Have you been there?
No Dubai I have not been there, but I have seen night time images of it from space. A black hole surrounded by contries awash in light.
Indeed is is dark at night. I wouldn't call it @!$%# hole though... cleanest city in Asia by far. The country is a disaster though. Zero freedom.
I seriously had a nightmare that I was in North Korea with my mother last month. That's what you get by reading about places like this for a living...
As another symbolic gesture, today Kim Jong Un will endorse gay marriage.
That whole country is an amusement park with only one ride,THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORROS.
Who cares about a roller coaster when they're starving? ........Who cares about Gay Marriage, Abortion, and the NRA when we are losing jobs and catering the the Wealthy and Corporations?............
This man has been out in the real world. Hopefully he wants some of the things that come with prosperity & will use his influence to improve relations with the world once he has consolidated enough power. At this time I'd bet he has to watch his every step to keep from having a deadly accident.
I'm guessing Kim was just pissed off because the roller coaster operator wouldn't allow him on board because he wasn't tall enough. I'll wager the line on the "You Must Be This Tall to Ride" sign is being repainted...
post of the week!!! now THAT was funny!!! ☺
Gee thanks, Chefaz. I figured the only reason Kim could possibly have worn that ridiculous hat out in public was to make himself look taller. The photo also clearly shows he's in a foul mood when walking away from the coaster. Inescapable conclusion? Rejected at the ticket booth!
Maybe Little Kim is wearing the hat to cover up a bad hair day???
Reminds me of the line from the original "Caddyshank" said by the late Rodney Dangerfield: "Oh, this is the worst-looking hat I ever saw. What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh?"
Good grief...after reading this article, where to start???
He's worried about the spirit of the people at an amusement park??? How about worrying about their hungry bellies???
The "Un"dictator...what a guy!!!
Ever notice in pics of N. Korea that even the sun really doesn't want to come out?
Thus spoke the Un------------- WHAT A DUMP!!