Kim Jong-un bans all weddings, funerals and freedom of movement in North Korea
Weddings and funerals have been banned and Pyongyang is in lockdown as preparations for a once-in-a-generation party congress get underway in North Korea.
The ruling Worker’s Party of Korea, headed by the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, is due to stage the first gathering of its kind for 36 years on Friday.
Free movement in and out of the capital has also been forbidden and there has been an increase in inspections and property searches, according to Daily NK, which claims to have sources in the country.
The temporary measures are said to be an attempt to minimise the risk of “mishaps” at the event, according to Cheong Joon-hee, a spokesman at South Korea’s Unification Ministry.
The last party congress was held in 1980, during which Kim Jong-un’s father - Kim Jong-il - was confirmed as the successor to the state’s founder, Kim Il-sung.
Mr Jong-un, 33, who is already the country’s supreme leader, is expected to use the congress to cement his leadership, declare North Korea a nuclear state and outline his vision for the nation’s economic and military future.
The party’s official newspaper, said: “The [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] proudly joined the ranks of advanced nuclear and space powers while demonstrating the might of the invincible politico-ideological, military and youth power and is now dashing ahead toward to a socialist economic power and highly civilised nation.”
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kim-jong-un-north-korea-bans-weddings-funerals-freedom-of-movement-party-congress-a7009691.html
Weddings and funerals have been banned and Pyongyang is in lockdown as preparations for a once-in-a-generation party congress get underway in North Korea.
The ruling Worker’s Party of Korea, headed by the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, is due to stage the first gathering of its kind for 36 years on Friday.
Free movement in and out of the capital has also been forbidden and there has been an increase in inspections and property searches, according to Daily NK, which claims to have sources in the country.
The temporary measures are said to be an attempt to minimise the risk of “mishaps” at the event, according to Cheong Joon-hee, a spokesman at South Korea’s Unification Ministry.
The last party congress was held in 1980, during which Kim Jong-un’s father - Kim Jong-il - was confirmed as the successor to the state’s founder, Kim Il-sung.
Mr Jong-un, 33, who is already the country’s supreme leader, is expected to use the congress to cement his leadership, declare North Korea a nuclear state and outline his vision for the nation’s economic and military future.
The party’s official newspaper, said: “The [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] proudly joined the ranks of advanced nuclear and space powers while demonstrating the might of the invincible politico-ideological, military and youth power and is now dashing ahead toward to a socialist economic power and highly civilised nation.”
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kim-jong-un-north-korea-bans-weddings-funerals-freedom-of-movement-party-congress-a7009691.html
