North Korean leader King Jong-Un was pictured climbing a sacred mountain on horseback in a symbolic second visit to the site in a month.
Photos show Kim and his wife climbing the country’s snow covered Mount Paektu on white horses, a trip hailed as having ‘remarkable historic significance’ by state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The mountain is celebrated as the symbol of Korean revolution and the birthplace of Kim’s father.
Kim visited historic sites on the mountain aimed at instilling a ‘revolutionary spirit’ in the people, amid tensions between North Korea and the United States over denuclearisation talks.
KCNA reported on Wednesday: “His march on horseback in Mt Paektu is a great event of weighty importance in the history of the Korean revolution.
"Sitting on the horseback atop Mt Paektu, [he] recollected with deep emotion the road of arduous struggle he covered for the great cause of building the most powerful country, with faith and will as firm as Mt Paektu.
“Riding a steed across the vast area of Mt Paektu together with the commanding officers who accompanied him, he recollected the bloody history of the guerrillas who recorded dignity on the first page of the history of the Korean revolution by shedding their blood in the vast plain of Mt Paektu.”
The ride could signal a tougher stance with the international community, following a warning to the United States that it had until the end of the year to offer more concessions to restart denuclearisation talks before North Korea takes a ‘new path’.
Kim set a year-end deadline for Washington to come up with new proposals to restore nuclear diplomacy approaches.
North Korea issued a threat to Donald Trump yesterday that it could start long-distance missile tests in the next few weeks if he doesn’t change stance on the regime’s nuclear disarmament.
He warned “it is entirely up to the US what Christmas gift it will select to get”.
The trip was his second to the mountain’s peak this year, following a similar tour in October.
Peter Ward, a writer and researcher focused on North Korea’s economy and politics, said “another trip to the sacred mountain in rather quick succession comes as relations on the U.S. front appear to be heading toward cliff’s edge.
“There is a chance that the U.S. and North Korea will find a way to a deal, but the symbolism and rhetoric is very much of a leader sending a message to his own people and the outside world that he’s ready for confrontation.”
Mr Ward noted that North Korea is a “tremendously” secretive state and the photos could have been kept for internal use had Kim desired.
“The fact that it wasn’t is a clear sign that it is meant at least partially to send a message to the outside world,” he added.
Last week North Korea test-fired missiles from what it described as its “super large” multiple rocket launcher that South Korea’s military said landed in the waters off the North East’s coast, AlJazeera reported.
Donald Trump encouraged Kim to make good of his promise to denuclearise the country yesterday. He previously claimed the United States is the most powerful country in the world and warned he would authorise military intervention if needed.
Talking about whether he thought he would prevail in the two countries’ nuclear discussion, he said “My relationship with Kim Jong Un is really good, but that doesn't mean he won't abide by the agreements ... he said he will denuclearise.”
