DPRK commemorates Kim Jong Il's election anniversary  

朝鲜举行大会纪念金正日 金正恩未出席

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday held a national meeting to mark the 17th anniversary of late leader Kim Jong Il's election as head of the ruling party, state media reported, with no mention of the presence of incumbent top leader Kim Jong Un.

Among conference attendees were senior party, state and army officials such as Kim Yong Nam, chairman of the Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly, Pak Pong Ju, premier of the cabinet, and Hwang Pyong So, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, according to the official KCNA news agency.

Yet state media did not mention the presence of the country's top leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, delivered a report at the meeting, in which he called for demonstrating the dignity of Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea and building a strong country "under the leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Un."

Top leader Kim Jong Un has not showed up for more than a month since his last public appearance on Sept. 3, when he watched the performance of the Moranbong Band with his wife Ri Sol Ju at the Mansudae Art Theater.

On Sept. 26, a short video clip broadcast on the Korean Central Television said Kim was still busy leading the DPRK people with enormous enthusiasm despite his recent ill health.

However, on Oct. 5, South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-Jae said Kim Yang Gon, a senior leader from the DPRK, told him privately that there was no problem with Kim Jong Un's health, during the visit of three senior DPRK officials to South Korea for the closing ceremony of the 17th Asian Games.