On the 16th, at the completion ceremony for the construction of a 10,000-family dwelling house in the first phase of the Hwaseong district, bodyguards carrying square bags are standing around Kim Jong-un, the general secretary of the Party. (Captured from Chosun Central TV)
In April of last year, Kim Jong-un’s bodyguards visited the completion ceremony of a house for 10,000 households in Songsong and Songhwa districts. (Captured from Chosun Central TV)
On the 15th, when explosives were thrown at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, bodyguards spread their bags to defend themselves. /news1North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, is attracting attention as it has recently been captured several times holding ‘bulletproof bags’ and carrying out strict surveillance.
Looking at a photo of Secretary General Kim’s National Space Development Agency, released on the 19th by the Labor Newspaper, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, more than 9 bodyguards are standing around the Secretary General, carrying bulletproof bags.
Among them, about 6 bodyguards are closely guarding Secretary General Kim and his daughter Joo-ae at close range. It is somewhat unusual that North Korean bodyguards, who have shown ‘naked’ security, were captured holding special ‘tools’ around Secretary General Kim.
In addition, North Korean media such as the Rodong Sinmun and Chosun Central TV are reporting the bodyguards as they are, as if intended.
The bodyguards carrying square-shaped bags were also spotted at the construction site of the first-phase house for 10,000 households in Hwaseong District, which was held on the night of the 16th. These bodyguards carried bags and closely guarded Kim from close range until he left as well as when he appeared.
In April of last year, at the completion ceremony of the riverside attic housing district in the Potonggang River and the completion ceremony of the 10,000 household dwelling house in the Songsong-Songhwa district, Kim’s bodyguards were also spotted, but they were seen standing bare-handed from a relatively distance. In just one year, it can be seen that the level of security around Secretary General Kim has risen.
The bulletproof bags held by the bodyguards seem to play a role in protecting the target from being attacked or explosives as the bulletproof shield is lowered from the inside when unfolded.
This bag also appeared when former President Park Geun-hye arrived at her sister-in-law in Dalseong-gun, Daegu after being discharged from the hospital in March of last year.
When former President Park was giving a greeting, soju bottles flew in from somewhere, and bodyguards unfolded their bags like shields to protect them.
One of the bodyguards was also caught spreading a bulletproof bag to block the bomb attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that took place at Saikazaki Port in Wakayama Prefecture on the 15th.
For this reason, some speculate that Secretary General Kim may have strengthened security after seeing recent terrorist attacks in North Korea.
Earlier, about 20 days after the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot in July of last year, when Kim moved to take a commemorative photo with the participants of the 8th National Veterans Convention, the appearance of four to five bodyguards closely guarding him was revealed through North Korean media. It showed off a tough atmosphere.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.