Thousands of North Koreans dance in memory of Kim Jong-il

The participants are young students and workers. The girls wore the traditional "hanbok", while the males a gray suit. Songs in honor of the late leader, but also for Kim Jong-un. Pyongyangs diplomatic ferment continues.


Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Thousands of North Koreans gathered in the capital yesterday to dance in memory of the late leader Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong-un, 25 years after his appointment as President of the National Defense Commission.

Thousands of men in grey suits and women traditional "hanbok" dresses - a high-waisted dress in various colours  - waited for the ceremony master's green light to begin the festivities. The participants moved in harmony in concentric circles, clapping their hands in unison to commemorate the leader who died in 2011. Among the songs, also some in praise of Kim Jong-un, who succeeded at the helm of the country. For the official Kcna news agency, the participants "danced with honour and pride" for their leader.

The demonstrations were held around the Workers' Party central monuments, the train station and more than 1,000 people were in front of the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.  Those taking part were above all university students and workers.

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un remains at the center of the international press, ahead of the upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States and in the midst of a diplomatic ferment that led North Korean Foreign Minister, Ri Yong-ho, to Moscow yesterday.

During a meeting with party officials, Kim mentioned for the first time the dialogues between Pyongyang and Washington, while not naming the American president Donald Trump. "I think there will be great respect on both sides and, if all goes well, there will be an agreement to denuclearise," he said, adding to hope for the future of the two countries a relationship that is "very different from what is it has been for many, many years ".