Kim Jong Il unanimously re-elected as North Korea’s Supreme Leader

Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s long-time leader has been unanimously re-elected as their Supreme Leader.

Kim Jong Il has not been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in August 2008. He was now appointed by North Korea’s Parliament to a third term despite his prolonged absence from public view.

“This… marks a great event, strikingly demonstrating the unshakeable faith and will of the army and people of the DPRK to firmly defend and glorify the Korean-style socialist system centred on the popular masses,” declared the official KCNA news agency.

The re-election was announced to the people of North Korea in a carefully stage-managed broadcast. A daytime broadcast showed undated footage of the re-elected Supreme Leader meeting soldiers and workers since the State television does not usually go on air until the 5pm news.

Kim Jong Il’s re-election comes at the end of a week of celebrating the country’s military might, in the wake of what the regime insists on calling its successful launch of a long-range rocket, despite appeals from world leaders not to go ahead.

(source: timesonline)