North Korea's Kim Jong-un and His Wife Visit Cosmetics Factory
In a rare public appearance, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a cosmetics factory in Pyongyang. What made his appearance more intriguing, though, was the person with him.
According to ABC News, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which is the official state media in North Korea, reported that Kim toured the Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory with his wife, Ri Sol-ju. They were accompanied by other senior officials during the visit that was said to be the second public appearance of the leader with his wife in October.
The couple also visited a shoe factory also in Pyongyang earlier in the month, the report added.
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Apart from his wife, Kim was also joined by his sister, Kim Yo-jong, said a report from BBC. The visit to the cosmetics factory is in line with Kim's propaganda to show to the elite and middle class of North Korea that his rule and leadership are legitimate. It can be noted that several foreign countries have already stopped importing products like cosmetics and other luxury goods to the country, due to certain sanctions.
In turn, North Korea has reportedly started developing its own local cosmetics to fill the void. Some of the more notable high-end brands that were said to have been popular among the country's elite include Bomhyanggi and Unhasu, the BBC report added.
Kim has frequently been seen on photographs, visiting different factories and other areas that give the world a glimpse of the country's civilian economy. North Korean analyst Ankit Panda said in an interview with BBC that Kim conducts such visits "to show that North Korea can look out for its own people, and provide prosperity on a level comparable to Beijing and Seoul."
Panda also noted that all those visits are plain propaganda, which is integral in Kim's reign in North Korea. "Even if we know it's not true, it's important for the regime to show its people that it can provide material pleasures," Panda explained.
With the latest batch of photos, Panda stressed that Kim wanted to show his people that he values blood ties and the "primacy of family." He noted that Kim was sending a message that his regime will eventually be succeeded by his children.
