Kim Jong-un, the Chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, did not attend the New Year visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun for the second consecutive year. The Ministry of Unification assessed this as an effort by Kim to establish his “independent status.”
On January 2, an official from the Ministry of Unification met with reporters and stated, “In the early years of his leadership, Kim had no choice but to rely heavily on the legacy of his predecessors.” However, the official noted, “Now, 10 years into his leadership, we can see efforts to establish his own independent position, not only with the Kumsusan visits but overall.”
Traditionally, Kim Jong-un is known to visit the Kumsusan Palace on January 1 and sometimes on five significant occasions, marking the birthdays and death anniversaries of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. However, since 2022, he has been inconsistent with his visits, adapting his attendance to circumstances.
On the other hand, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that members of the Political Bureau of the Worker’s Party, along with senior government officials and military leaders, had visited the palace on January 1. However, there was no mention of Kim’s attendance in these reports.
KCNA conveyed, “All participants reaffirmed their unwavering will to uphold the revolutionary ideology and leadership of Kim Jong-un, courageously leading the prosperous development era of our mighty country.”
Since assuming power in 2012, except for 2018 and last year, Kim Jong-un regularly visited the Kumsusan Palace on the first day of the year. Yet in recent years, visits have significantly decreased. Since 2022, he has not visited the palace on Kim Jong-il’s birthday on February 16 or even for Kim Il-sung’s birthday on April 15 for two years running, including last year.
In contrast, the Ministry of Unification commented on the previous day’s news reports showing Kim attending a New Year’s celebration performance with his daughter Ju-ae, rather than his wife Ri Sol-ju and daughter like last year. They noted, “Kim’s participation seemed focused on emphasizing his image as a nurturing father.”