Seoul (dpa) – Tens of thousands of North Koreans took part in an organized demonstration in Pyongyang on Tuesday to swear loyalty to new leader Kim Jong Un, the son of recently deceased leader Kim Jong Il, state-run media reported. The demonstration took place on Kim Il Sung Square, named after Kim Jong Il's father, the country's founder and “Eternal President.” It was not clear whether Kim Jong Un was present. “We will uphold the legacy of the great leader Kim Jong Il,” one banner upheld by the demonstrators read, according to a picture published by North Korean news agency KCNA. After Kim Jong Un was named supreme commander of the army, estimated to be 1.1 million strong, on Saturday, the Communist regime called for absolute loyalty to him. “The entire army should place absolute trust in and follow Kim Jong Un and become human rifles and bombs to defend him unto death,” said a New Year's editorial carried by the official Korean Central News Agency and printed in the three major state-run newspapers. Under Kim Jong Il, the country followed a strict songun, or “military first,” policy. Military standing is essential for a successful political career. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/T8azr Tags: Kim Jong Un, North Korea Section: East Asia
