North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was pictured Monday at the funeral of a top aide who reportedly acted as his mentor before his father died. State media ran images of Kim carrying the coffin of Hyon Chol Hae, and throwing soil on his coffin at the graveside. Kim did not wear a face mask in the images published Monday, but other attendees did. The country has claimed that its coronavirus outbreak, only admitted to in recent weeks, is subsiding, but outsiders have questioned that claim.
The secretive state, which still has harsh restrictions in place, including a banning of inter-regional movement, said Monday that 167,650 new “fever” cases had been detected in the past 24 hours but that the fever’s fatality rate was only 0.002%. In South Korea, where almost everyone is fully vaccinated and well-nourished, unlike in the North, the COVID fatality rate is 0.13%. State media quoted Kim as saying: “The name of Hyon Chol Hae would be always remembered along with the august name of Kim Jong Il.” Kim was pictured weeping for Hyon last week. Read more at The Guardian.
Buh bye
It’s punishable by death not to weep and hit the ground and be anguished at the death of a leader. The guys in the masks don’t even have to make believe they’re crying.
Hyon Chol Hae is now Shoin In Drerd.