North Korea airs video of Kim Jong-un’s Singapore visit

Team Udayavani, Jun 15, 2018, 9:06 AM IST

Singapore: North Korea’s state media today aired a documentary glorifying Chairman Kim Jong-Un’s visit to Singapore for a historic summit with US President Donald Trump.

The 42-minute long video revealed behind-the-scenes footage of Kim’s unprecedented trip, including of him arriving in Singapore on a Chinese plane and lounging in his luxury hotel.

It ran edited footage of Kim’s trip to Singapore, following his movements throughout the city-state, from his arrival on Sunday to his departure on Tuesday night.

It opened with shots of the 34-year-old North Korean leader preparing for his meeting with Trump en route to the summit aboard the jet loaned to him by the Chinese government.

Narrated in the rousing tones of famous North Korean newsreader Ri Chun-hee, the documentary stressed that although Kim had already had “countless” meetings with world leaders, this one had drawn attention from across the world.

Shots of Singaporeans cramming the streets to welcome the North Korean leader were imposed over Ri’s narration, saying Kim was warmly welcomed, CNN reported.

“A lot of leaders of different countries have visited Singapore but it is unprecedented in the history of Singapore to have streets filled with the welcoming crowd like this,” Ri said.

As he prepared for his Trump summit, Kim was shown lounging in his luxurious St Regis hotel suite before heading out for his tour of Singapore, which including strolling around the iconic Marina Bay Sands tower.

The camera lingered on smiling Singaporeans straining to take photos of the North Korean leader as he passed them.

“Streets were full of people admiring the Supreme leader for his brilliant political skills to lead complex and eventful international politics,” Ri said in her commentary.

During his trip, Kim discussed Singapore’s development plan with his hosts, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, according to Ri.

Kim also paid an unannounced visit to Singapore’s booming port, the footage showed.

The documentary’s heavy focus on Singapore, a prosperous capitalist nation, represents a notable change in tone. North Korean media, tightly controlled by the state, typically refrains from showcasing foreign advancements, the report noted.

The video ended on scenes of apparently ecstatic North Koreans welcoming Kim as he returned to Pyongyang.