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Saturday, May 02, 2020, 14:31
DPRK leader Kim makes first public appearance since April 11
By Xinhua
Saturday, May 02, 2020, 14:31 By Xinhua

In this May 1, 2020, photo provided by the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, center, cuts a tape during his visit to a fertilizer factory in South Pyongan, near Pyongyang, the DPRK. (KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY/ KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP)

PYONGYANG - Kim Jong-un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a phosphatic fertilizer factory on Friday, making his first public appearance since April 11, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday.

READ MORE: DPRK's Kim holds ruling party's plenary meeting

"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!', extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change" in the development of fertilizer industry, according to the report.

Now it has become possible for the agricultural workers to concentrate all their efforts on attaining the grain goal set forth by the party with assurances

Kim Jong-un, DPRK leader

A completion ceremony of the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory, which has been built as the production base of fertilizer, was splendidly held on May Day, the international holiday of the working people of the whole world, according to the report.

During the ceremony, Kim inspected different areas of the factory, including the processes of raw material processing, yellow phosphorus production, ammonium phosphatic fertilizer production, and packing.

"Now it has become possible for the agricultural workers to concentrate all their efforts on attaining the grain goal set forth by the party with assurances," KCNA quoted Kim as saying with satisfaction.

In this May 1, 2020, photo provided by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK leader Kim Jong-un, center, visits a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, South Pyongan province, near Pyongyang, the DPRK. (KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY/ KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP)

Kim was joined by his sister Kim Yo-jong as well as other senior officials, including Pak Pong-ju, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to the report.

It was Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a meeting to discuss the coronavirus

Pak made an inauguration speech, saying the completion of the factory becomes a great auspicious event which has brought great delight to all the agricultural workers and other people of the country.

It was Kim's first public appearance since April 11, when he presided over a meeting to discuss the coronavirus.

Kim's recent disappearance has triggered much speculation. Rodong Sinmun, an official newspaper of the DPRK, on Saturday published photos of Kim at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

ALSO READDPRK leader vows to beef up national defence capabilities

The pictures posted by Rodong Sinmun were dated May 1. The whole front page and the second page carry a story with a dozen color-printed photos of Kim, showing the leader cut the ribbon for the completion of the Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory and talk to workers. 

A large photo of Kim smiling and looking healthy is displayed in the center of the front page, with eight pictures of Kim attending the event printed down below. 

The second page continues with the story and several other photos. 

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