Reaction to the Funeral of Korean Leader Kim Jong Il

Lisa Mullins talks to The World’s Mary Kay Magistad in Beijing about the funeral of Korean leader Kim Jong-il and the reaction to it in Korea and beyond.

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Lisa Mullins: The World’s Mary Kay Magistad is in the capital of North Korea’s closest and perhaps only ally, China. Mary Kay watched the funeral procession on TV in Beijing today. What were your impressions?

Mary Kay Magistad: Well, it was very somber with the snow falling and the North Korean announcer saying in mournful tones that this was the sky weeping for the dear leader. There certainly was an outpouring of grief. It almost felt like the reciprocal pep rally where different sections of the crowd were trying to outdo each other in how loudly they could weep, how much they could jump up and down and bend over double as the hurst went past them. It was meant to mark the passing of a leader the people were meant to revere as a god and to allow them to see his son, Kim Jong Un, walking beside the hurst as the heir apparent. Sort of a moment for North Koreans to just concentrate their minds and recognize that they’re moving into a new era. And at least to that extent it accomplished its purpose.

Mullins: Let’s talk about the new era in a second, but you also saw the funeral, you were in South Korea at the time, of Kim Il Sung, this was Kim Jong Il’s father. He did in 1994. That was broadcast at least in South Korea, but what were the differences from that funeral to this one?

Magistad: Well, one of the similarities is that it was almost the same funeral, the same route moving the body from the same place to another place, and it was Kim Jong Il, the son, who choreographed his father’s funeral. So in a sense he also choreographed his funeral, but what was different is that for Kim Il Sung I think people still really believed in him as this supernaturally great leader. I had been in North Korea in 1989 and then again in 2005 and it was really dramatic to me how much of a difference there was in how people talked about the leadership. In 1989 it really was like they were talking about someone they believed in as though he were a god.

Mullins: This is Kim Il Sung.

Magistad: Kim Il Sung.

Mullins: The founder of modern North Korea.

Magistad: In 2005 they were still saying the words, but it almost seemed like there was an edge of cynicism as they said them. And one reason for this could be that there had been a famine in the 1990s during which between one and two million North Koreans died or believed to have died. The economy had contracted and by the time Kim Jong Il died the average North Korean lifespan is now 3-1/2 years shorter than it was when he came to power.

Mullins: Well, bearing all of that in mind could it be that the grief that we saw during this funeral procession today, could it be that it really was genuine?

Magistad: I’m sure some of it was, but the likelihood that that many people standing out in the cold for that many hours could turn it on like that when the hurst went by with that much intensity, I think some of it was probably done for theatrical effect.

Mullins: Did anything about today’s events tell you who is in control in North Korea? If it is indeed Kim Jong Il’s son, Kim Jong Un?

Magistad: Well, certainly, Kim Jong Un was walking next to the hurst and the funeral cortege. Near him were his uncle, Jang Song Taek, who is considered to be sort of a regent or at least a guide for him in his new role, and also the army chief of staff, Ri Yong Ho. So it’s sort of the old guard who are expected to give Kim Jong a fair bit of guidance as he takes up the role of leader of North Korea.

Mullins: What about South Korea, what’s the reaction been there?

Magistad: In South Korea as when Kim Il Sung died people are sort of shrugging and getting on with life. I mean I think there is a little bit of alertness to see what might Kim Jong Un do to try to earn his stripes. And just in the past year or so he’s taken a more prominent role in the party, it appears that he has clamped down a bit on North Koreans who are trying to escape to get to China, to South Korea. And there have been purges within the party that he is said to have been behind. So it’s unclear what his leadership style is going to be and how much of it is going to be him and how much of it will be those behind him, but South Koreans are certainly interested in finding out as time goes on and of course, so is China.

Mullins: The World’s Mary Kay Magistad in Beijing, thank you.

Magistad: Thank you, Lisa.

Mullins: Mary Kay has been updating her Twitter stream with the latest on North Korea. You can follow her @marykaymagistad. To get the latest news about the changing of the guard in North Korea from our partners at the BBC, extensive coverage at theworld.org.

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