Looks like Un's been to Iceland! North Korean dictator rewards his men for carrying out his father's last wish: to plant lots of trees

  • He made the gesture after inspecting the Ryo Islet Defense Detachment
  • The base is near Wonsan, where lies Kim's favourite luxury holiday home
  • It comes after he scolded the weather service for getting forecasts wrong

By Matthew Blake

Published: | Updated:

When Kim Jong Un wants to reward his faithful minions he puts on a magnificent spread replete with all the trimmings.

There were dips, deep-fried vegetables and even some boiled eggs on offer as the North Korean despot thanked officers for fulfilling his father's dying dream: to plant a lot of trees.

He made the bountiful gesture following an inspection of the Ryo Islet Defense Detachment - a vast military base responsible for protecting the island of Ryodo and the coastal city of Wonsan.

Bountiful: There were dips, deep-fried vegetables and even some boiled eggs when the North Korean despot thanked officers for fulfilling his father's dying dream: to plant a lot of trees

Bountiful: There were dips, deep-fried vegetables and even some boiled eggs when the North Korean despot thanked officers for fulfilling his father's dying dream: to plant a lot of trees

Wonson is an area of particular strategic importance to Kim because on its outskirts lies his favourite luxury holiday home.

'[The outpost] is an important combat mission of the detachment to definitely turn the islet into an impregnable fortress and unsinkable battleship and thus not to allow enemies to invade the socialist homeland,' state-run news agancy KCNA said.

Another inspection: He made the bountiful gesture following an inspection of the Ryo Islet Defense Detachment - a vast military base responsible for protecting the island of Ryodo and the coastal city of Wonsan

Another inspection: He made the bountiful gesture following an inspection of the Ryo Islet Defense Detachment - a vast military base responsible for protecting the island of Ryodo and the coastal city of Wonsan

The young leader and his father, the late leader Kim Jong-il, have frequently visited the vacation home and last year ordered the creation of the nation's first beach resort in the city.

Kim praised the military detachment for successfully doing 'everything the Party Central Committee considered as good,' while also saying that it is 'a model unit where the party's military policy is being most correctly implemented and a typical one for the whole army to learn from,' according to the report.

Holiday home: Wonson is an area of particular strategic importance to Kim because on its outskirts lies his favourite luxury holiday home (pictured visiting a nearby ski resort)

Holiday home: Wonson is an area of particular strategic importance to Kim because on its outskirts lies his favourite luxury holiday home (pictured visiting a nearby ski resort)

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cries during a memorial service for his father and former leader Kim Jong-il at Pyongyang's Kim Il-Sung Square in this photo taken by Kyodo on March 25, 2012, on the 100th day since the death of his father
Dying wish: It was his father Kim Jong Il's dying wish to have a collection of trees planted in the area

Dying wish: The North Korean despot (pictured, left, crying at a memorial service for his father) thanked officers for fulfilling his Kim Jong Il's (right) dying dream to plant a lot of trees

It was a marked change from the thunderous mood he was seen in last when he publicly scolded the national weather service for giving incorrect forecasts and using out-of-date equipment.

In a rare public dressing down of a government body, Kim urged the Hydro-meteorological Service to update its equipment and improve its work.

'There are many incorrect forecasts as the meteorological observation has not been put on a modern and scientific basis,' Kim said, telling the agency to 'fundamentally' improve its work and equipment.

Kim Jong-Un has issued a rebuke to a government agency in North Korea, criticising the weather service for giving 'incorrect' forecasts and using out of date equipment

Kim Jong-Un has issued a rebuke to a government agency in North Korea, criticising the weather service for giving 'incorrect' forecasts and using out of date equipment

Public criticism is rare in North Korea, with Kim usually keen to praise government agencies in an attempt to pass his regime off as a success

Public criticism is rare in North Korea, with Kim usually keen to praise government agencies in an attempt to pass his regime off as a success

Accurate forecasts are needed to protect the 'lives and properties' of people from disasters caused by 'abnormal climatic phenomenon', he said.

Calling the weather service 'very important work directly affecting the overall economic affairs', Kim also underscored the need to 'modernise meteorological observation equipment at a high level', KCNA said.

It was not clear when Kim visited the agency, but public criticism of government officials during field trips by North Korean leaders is extremely rare.

Usually Kim's official visits are marked by broad smiles and adoring crowds while Kim praises the work people are doing, in an attempt to pass his regime off as a success.




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