North Korea has released a bizarre propaganda video starring Kim Jong Un as the presenter of an MTV Cribs-style unveiling of new luxury apartments that he shares with his friends. Footage broadcast by state media shows the dictator taking a tour of riverside houses, dedicated to Ri Chun-hee, a veteran news reader known for her theatrical views on current affairs. Kim hailed Ms. Ri as a “national treasure” for her 50-year service at Korea Central News Agency, the only source of information for North Koreans. The 79-year-old has reached billions of screens around the world, as her excessive broadcasts were often the only official confirmation of news from the “hermit kingdom”. They include her tearful revelation of the death of “great leader” Kim Jong-il, the current ruler’s father, in 2011, and the happy announcements of nuclear missile tests against the West. True to her dramatic style, she shone with “tears of happiness” as Kim Jong-un took her by the hand in her new glossy apartment in the capital Pyongyang. The furniture looks a bit boring compared to the “cots” owned by people like Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and the Osbournes, which were displayed in the classic reality show for mansions. But the new construction, overlooking the Taedong River, is believed to be one of the hottest in North Korea’s elite. To view this video, enable JavaScript and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Officials said the property was to be given to people who “contributed to the country’s prosperity and development”. They were built to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-Sung, the founder of North Korea, who is honored with an almost divine status. The footage ended with a clip of Kim Jong-un, 38, leading Ms. Ri in front of large crowds gathered for the band’s unveiling, as she plays canned cheers in the background. She later narrated the excerpt of the section that aired on state television, describing the new house as “like a hotel” and commenting on her own “youthful vigor”. Ms. Ri shone with “tears of happiness” as her “beloved leader” pointed around her new block (Image: AP) The 79-year-old appeared shocked as she looked through the spacious rooms (Image: AP) Later she said she woke up all at night weeping “tears of deep gratitude” for the dictator (Image: AP) Ms Ri added that she and her family “stayed up all night with tears of deep gratitude for the goodness of the party”. The official news agency added in an announcement:[Kim] she said it was the party’s honesty that she would spare nothing for a national treasure like her, who has worked as a revolutionary spokeswoman for the party for more than 50 years since her childhood. She is said to have expressed “the expectation that she would continue her work as vigorously as ever with good health as befits a party representative.” Experts believe that the dictator is in search of good publicity since the pandemic caused his already weak economy. Kim was new to celebrating his 10th birthday as leader of the ruling party this week (Image: Reuters) Mask rules seemed to remain in place as North Koreans laid flowers at statues of Kim Il-sung and his son of Kim Jong -il (Image: AFP) Moon Seong-mook, an analyst at the Seoul-based Korean National Strategy Research Institute, said: “By giving homes to those who are loyal to him, Kim Jong Un would like to further strengthen their faith and inner unity. “Ri Chun Chi is a clear example of such people, as he has strongly disseminated his nuclear and missile tests and served as a kind of admirer.” Contact our news team by emailing us at [email protected] For more stories like this, check out our news page.
