North Korea ushers in New Year with public performance, fireworks

North Korean people watch fireworks during the country's New Year's celebration at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Friday. / AP-Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

North Korea, plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, damage from typhoons and floods, as well as international sanctions throughout last year, began the New Year with a large-scale, crowded congratulatory event, Friday, despite its tough coronavirus restrictions.

Pyongyang watchers believe the authoritarian country intended to show its regime was still holding up against the "triple whammy" and could control COVID-19 unlike other countries succumbing to the pandemic.

The 50-minute show, broadcast live on state television, featured singing, dancing and fireworks, with crowds gathering at Kim Il Sung Square in the capital city. In addition, it also held a flag-hoisting ceremony at midnight when a bell rang to signal the start of the New Year.

Although the North has celebrated the start of each year with such events since 2013, two years after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took power, the latest edition carried extra weight as the nation has been engaged in a hard battle against the coronavirus.

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Many countries across the globe canceled or curtailed their New Year's Eve celebrations, with South Korea ringing in the New Year virtually, for example.

"By holding the celebration as in other years, the North tried to show its regime is not being shaken by current challenges," said Shin Beom-chul, the director of the Center for Diplomacy and Security at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

Since January, the North has had its borders closed to prevent a coronavirus outbreak, while enforcing strong domestic restrictions nationwide.

"Through the celebration, we can also find that anti-virus measures can be subject to the authority's bid to strengthen Kim's grip on power," Shin added.

North Korea still remains a self-proclaimed coronavirus-free country thanks to its preemptive quarantine efforts, despite lingering speculation that the country is hiding the real number of COVID-19 cases.

"Through the New Year's celebration, the North displayed its confidence that it can contain the spread of COVID-19 despite other countries struggling to do so," Shin said.

Meanwhile, the North Korean leader skipped his New Year address for the second straight year, raising speculation he may deliver a message regarding relations with the United States and South Korea during the upcoming party congress, scheduled to take place early this month.

Instead, he sent a handwritten letter to all the people, the first time since he took power in 2011.

"I offer thanks to the people for having invariably trusted and supported our party even in difficult times," Kim said in the letter, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), "pledging once again that I will always remain faithful to the great people."

The KCNA also reported that the North Korean leader started the New Year with a visit to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay tribute to his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il whose bodies lie in state there.

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