NKorea calls for unity on anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is commemorating the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il’s death with calls for greater public loyalty toward his son and current leader Kim Jong Un, who is facing pandemic-related hardships and long-dormant nuclear diplomacy with the U.S. North Korean state newspapers published articles Friday venerating the late leader. Citizens offered flowers and paid homage before giant bronze statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung at Pyongyang’s Mansu Hill. On every previous death anniversary, Kim Jong Un paid respect at a mausoleum where the embalmed body of Kim Jong Il lies in state along with that of Kim Il Sung. State media didn’t say whether he went there this year too.