N. Korean leader watches orchestra: report

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has watched a national
symphony orchestra's performance, Pyongyang's news agency said Monday, continuing
reports on Kim's public appearances amid lingering rumors on his health.
North Korea has been reporting more inspection tours by Kim this year than in
2007, portraying Kim as healthy and still in power despite speculation that he
suffered a stroke in mid-August. Seoul and Washington officials say Kim is now
recovering.
"When he appeared in the auditorium, the whole audience broke into rousing cheers
of 'hurrah!' and enthusiastically welcomed him," the Korean Central News Agency
said, giving no date for the leader's latest visit.
It said the State Symphony Orchestra presented pieces called "Blue Sky over My
Country," "Arirang," "Moran Hill" and "Rich Harvest Comes to the Chongsan Plain"
that represent the military-first policy, North Korea's ruling philosophy
formulated by Kim.
"When the performance was over, he waved back to the enthusiastically cheering
performers and audience and congratulated the artistes on their successful
presentation," it said.
Kim also highly praised "the creators and artistes of the State Symphony
Orchestra for having devoted themselves to thoroughly implementing the WPK's
policy on developing the orchestras their own way to cater to the taste and
feelings of the Korean people," it said. The WPK refers to the North's ruling
party, Workers' Party of Korea.
Kim made a total of 93 public appearances this year as of Monday, up from the 86
appearances in 2007, according to North Korean reports monitored by Yonhap News
Agency. Counts can differ slightly depending on whether or not separately
numbering each visit to a different facility in a single report.
The increased count was somewhat unexpected, as Kim had gone unseen for more than
50 days. Since reports of a military inspection released in Aug. 14, North Korean
media had been silent about Kim's whereabouts until Oct. 4, when they announced
an undated visit to a soccer game.
His absence in a military parade on Sept. 9 marking the 60th anniversary of North
Korea's founding fanned speculations of his ill health.
Some of the latest photos showed Kim in gloves, a fur hat, a silver parka and his
trademark dark sunglasses.
Monday's report said Kim was accompanied by Jang Song-taek and Kim Yang-gon,
department directors of the Workers' Party's central committee, and Kang Sok-ju,
first vice minister of foreign affairs, among other senior officials.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)