Kim Jong Un thanks North Koreans for their support ‘in difficult times’ in his first New Year cards to the public

North Korean leader Kim Jong UnKim Jong UnOvernight Defense: Biden team expresses concern over ‘sudden halt’ in Pentagon collaboration | Chief of Defense pushes back | Legislators question whether major cyber attack could build a war act in North Korea’s plant core components, Barr finds out with a ‘love letter’ to Trump MORE. sent his first New Year’s Day cards to citizens on Friday and thanked them for their support ‘in the difficult times’.

The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim wrote that he ‘will work hard to bring the new era sooner in which the ideals and desires of our people will come true. ”

“I thank the people for always trusting and supporting our party, even in difficult times,” he added. “I wish all families across the country greater happiness and loved ones, good health.”

The news agency reported, however, that the letter was written by Kim The Associated Press Given the North Korean government’s limited nature, it is almost impossible to confirm this independently, as well as whether all 25 million citizens in the country have received copies.

While Kim usually delivers a televised speech to citizens on January 1, he was expected to withdraw it for 2021, as he plans to give a speech to the Labor Party Congress earlier this month.

According to the AP, the congress, which serves as the party’s largest decision-making body, is the first since 2016, although many of the country’s decisions are made by Kim himself, as well as his close allies.

North Korea is facing an economy further weakened by the coronavirus pandemic and US-led sanctions on the country’s nuclear program.

In November South Korean lawmakers, informed by members of the country’s intelligence agency, said the North Korean government had ordered the execution of at least two people, locked up the capital of Pyongyang and applied other measures. to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

The Wall Street Journal reported in early December North Korean actors tried to hack at least six pharmaceutical companies developing COVID-19 treatments in the US, UK and South Korea.

One of the businesses targeted by the hackers was AstraZeneca, based in the UK, which the UK health authorities approved for emergency use this week.

North Korea has continued to argue that it has not yet had a single COVID-19 case, although this has been disputed by several outside experts.