북한의 김정은 체제 2기의 권력지도가 베일을 벗었다.
북한은 김정일 국방위원장 사망 2주기인 17일 오전 11시부터 평양체육관에서 김정은 국방위 제1위원장이 참석한 가운데 중앙추모대회를 개최했다. 장성택의 부인인 김경희는 불참했다.
특히 김정은은 아버지의 추모대회 자리인데도 불구, 왼쪽으로 삐딱하하게 앉아 눈길을 끌었다. 이와관련 전문가들은 “위대한 영도자의 반열에 오른 김정은이 한껏 거드름을 피우면서안하무인의 모습을 보였다"면서 ”최고권력자의 권위를 과시하는 것으로 보인다"고 밝혔다.
지난해와 비교했을 때 가장 눈에 띄는 변화는 최룡해 인민군 총정치국장이 김정은 바로 왼편에 자리한 것이었다. 장성택 국방위 부위원장 숙청을 주도한 것으로 알려진 최룡해는 지난해 김정일 사망 1주기 중앙추모대회 때는 김정은 왼쪽 두 번째에 자리했다. 이와 함께 장정남 인민무력부장이 최룡해 바로 옆에 앉아 장정남의 권력이 크게 강화될 것을 예고했다.
리영길 군 총참모장, 장정남 인민무력부장, 조연준 당 조직지도부 제1부부장, 김원홍 국가안전보위부장 등은 모두 지난 김정일 1주기 주석단에선 모습을 보이지 않았었는데, 장성택 숙청이후 새로운 권력서열의 반열에 올랐다.
김정은의 오른쪽으로는 북한의 헌법상 수반인 김영남 최고인민회의 상임위원장과 박봉주 내각총리가 나란히 자리했다. 이 같은 서열 순위는 김국태 전 당 검열위원장 국가장의위원 명단 공개를 통해 어느 정도 예상된 것이었다. 김국태 장의위원에는 김영남이 위원장을 맡은 가운데 박봉주, 최룡해 순으로 이름을 올렸다.
추모대회는 김기남 대남비서의 사회와 김영남 상임위원장의 추도사 순으로 진행됐다.
한편 이번 중앙추모대회는 북한의 2인자였던 장성택 국방위 부위원장 처형 직후 처음으로 주석단 배치가 공개된다는 점에서 내외에서 큰 주목을 받았다. 김정은의 부인 리설주는 지난해 1주기에 이어 이번 중앙추모대회에서는 모습을 드러내지 않았다.
북한 노동당 기관지 노동신문은 김정일 국방위원장 2주기인 이날 ‘백두혈통 계승’을 강조하며 김정은 국방위원회 제1위원장을 중심으로 단결해 유일 영도체계를 굳게 세울 것을 거듭 촉구했다. 신문은 이날 1면 사설 ‘위대한 김정일 동지는 우리 인민의 영원한 태양이시다’에서 김 국방위원장을 기리면서 “백두의 혈통은 우리 혁명의 영원한 피줄기”라며 “그 어떤 천지풍파가 닥쳐와도 백두의 혈통을 순결하게 계승해나가며 대를 이어 꿋꿋이 이어나가야 한다”고 밝혔다.
이어 “전당, 전군, 전민이 경애하는 김정은 동지의 두리(둘레)에 단결하고 단결하고 또 단결하여 백두에서 시작된 주체의 행군길을 꿋꿋이 이어나가야 한다”고 강조했다. (신대원 기자/shindw@heraldcorp.com)
<관련 영문 기사>
N.K. leader’s aunt absent in key anniversary
By Shin Hyon-hee
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s aunt did not appear at an all-important ceremony Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of the death of Kim’s father and former ruler Kim Jong-il, further fanning speculation about her health and influence following her husband’s shock execution last week.
Kim Jong-un’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, accompanied her husband later in the day to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of Kim Jong-il and North Korea founder Kim Il-sung, in an indication that she was not affected by the purge of Jang Song-thaek despite their presumably close relationship.
Kim Jong-un presided over a massive ceremony at a Pyongyang gymnasium in the morning, flanked by top officials including Choe Ryong-hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the (North) Korean People’s Army, who is believed to have gained in clout following Jang’s removal.
Many of Jang’s associates and old friends turned up despite speculation that they had also been purged, including Deputy Prime Minister Ro Du-chol, United Front Department Director Kim Yang-gon, People’s Security Minister Choe Pu-il and party secretary Mun Kyong-dok.
A throng of senior aides and thousands of soldiers attended the event, which was broadcast live on state television, vowing loyalty to Kim Jong-un. They were seen sitting stoically before standing up to greet the young commander-in-chief with thunderous applause as he walked in and took the podium.
“The ideological, spiritual and material foundation and the noble creations to which the great general (Kim Jong-il) devoted his entire life have become eternal seed money for the infinite prosperity of the glorious Kim Jong-un era,” the official (North) Korean Central Television said.
The ceremony drew global attention as it offered a glimpse into the reclusive state’s leadership reconfiguration following the demise of Jang.
On Kim Jong-un’s left were Choe Ryong-hae; Ri Yong-gil, chief of the general staff of the military; and Jang Jong-nam, minister of the People’s Armed Forces. Prime Minister Pak Pong-ju and Supreme People’s Assembly president Kim Yong-nam were seen on Kim Jong-un’s right.
Also on the podium were Kim Won-hong, minister of state security, and Jo Yon-jun, senior deputy director of the ruling Workers’ Party’s organization guidance department, who were believed to have devised the idea of Jang’s execution.
Twelve officials accompanied the first couple on its trip to the mausoleum including Kim Yong-nam, Pak Pong-ju, Choe Ryong-hae, Ri Yong-gil, Jang Jong-nam and Kim Won-hong.
Kim Jong-un’s aunt Kim Kyong-hui, who went there last year together with her husband Jang Song-thaek, was not in this year’s delegation. She is believed to have been ill for a while and received medical treatment in Moscow, Singapore and elsewhere.
But Kim Kyong-hui, a four-star general, was nominated to a steering committee for the funeral on Sunday of Kim Kuk-thae, former chairman of the party’s control commission.
“No clear signs were detected of a shift in the North’s power structure regarding Jang’s execution as those known to be close to him showed up at the ceremony and were named to the funeral panel,” Seoul’s Unification Ministry said in its analysis.
The ceremony was apparently designed to calm public sentiment in the aftermath of Jang’s death and to rally the military, party executives and the public behind Kim, promoting the feats of the late and incumbent leaders such as major construction projects.
Thousands of North Korean soldiers also reaffirmed their loyalty to the leader during a mass rally in front of the palace on Monday.
“We revolutionary forces have no one but our dear supreme commander, comrade Kim Jong-un, and will only revere the supreme commander despite any hardships on the earth and in the sky,” Choe said during his speech.
The location, scale and program of this year’s event were the same or similar to that of last year, the ministry said.
But unlike last year, state media did not mention Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons state as one of Kim Jong-il’s achievements.
