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After a summer filled with flaming rockets and an earth-shaking nuclear blast, North Korea's state media is portraying Kim Jong Un as a leader who has temporarily traded weapons for workshops. The new portrayal appears designed to build domestic support by delivering on promises to develop the economy alongside the nuclear programme and to reassure citizens amid tightening international sanctions. A series of photos released by their state media showed Kim examining equipment at a tractor factory, test driving one of the vehicles and laughing with workers. (Image: Reuters)
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Between June 21 and September 20, Kim did not conduct a single public activity related to the economy, instead focusing almost exclusively on appearances at events including missile tests or tours of weapons factories. (Image: Reuters)
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The resumption of public, economic-related activities has coincided with a lull in missile testing. North Korea has not fired a rocket or tested a nuclear weapon since it launched a ballistic missile over Japan on September 15.(Image: Reuters)
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The break in testing matches lulls at similar times in past years and North Korea is almost certainly continuing its push for more capable nuclear weapons, South Korean officials say.(Image: Reuters)
Kim Jong Un has been simply doing what he does best – encouraging his people to achieve rapid economic growth and boost production. (Image: Reuters)
