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KIM JONG-UN has been made “Marshal” of North Korea, a title previously held by his late father, Pyongyang said, as the young successor of the communist dynasty tightens his grip on power.
The move came as Hyon Yong-Chol was confirmed as the new army chief after his recent appointment as vice-marshal. The promotion was widely expected and sees him replace Ri Yong-Ho who was removed from his post at the weekend.
Analysts said the new title underlined Jong-Un’s efforts to reinforce control over the 1.2-million-strong military. The new leader, who is in his late 20s, has made a series of visits to military units since his father died in December.
“A decision was made to award the title of Marshal of the DPRK [North Korea] to Kim Jong-Un, supreme commander of the Korean People’s Army,” the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday.
The title of Marshal was held by both Jong-Un’s father, Kim Jong-Il, and his grandfather Kim Il-Sung, the North’s founding father.
“By donning the mantle worn by the two Kims, Jong-Un is projecting an image as a legitimate successor to the throne and tightening his grip on power,” Professor Kim Yong-Hyon of Dongguk University told AFP.
Il-Sung was promoted to “Generalissimo” in 1992, two years before his death of a heart attack, while Jong-Il was posthumously awarded the same title in February.
With Hyon promoted to vice marshal on Monday, Jong-Un, who was made a general in September 2010, apparently needed a new rank befitting the supreme commander of the military, Cheong Seong-Chang of the Sejong Institute said.
“This is the only title left for Jong-Un to decorate himself with after he assumed almost all party and army positions,” he said.
Senior military officials and thousands of soldiers gathered in Pyongyang to celebrate Jong-Un’s promotion and to pledge loyalty to the new marshal, state TV showed.
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Hope he’s ok. Dublin city centre is safe apparently according to Helen McEntee as she strolls down the street surrounded by Gardaí.
@Conor Kehoe: Helen is living in the realms of fantasy. It’s every day now this type of crime is been reported. Cork is as bad. It’s no wonder people don’t want to be guards with the level of violence out there and been directed at them also. What do you do with a 14 year old who can level this type of violence at someone. There is no deterent. Treat them as adults. Can’t do that because the “ahh sure god luv” us bleeding hearts will be on your case. It’s becoming lawless out there and unless something is done soon I think it will be only a matter of time before we won’t even have a guard on our streets.
@Conor Kehoe: Helen said Dublin was safe as any city in Mexico or Brazil. It’s normal in a Mexican city for cartels to string folk up from bridges. Some comparison in all fairness to her.
@Conor Kehoe: possibly one of the rare occasions where a minister has walked the streets when in office. Everything is safer behind the garda driver of your car. I wonder if the mean streets of county meath are as under resourced as dublin
Helen said it’s all safe in Dublin….the worst justice Minster in a long, long time. Completely out of her depth…nepotism at its finest once again.
Problem here is to many bleeding hearts and no accountability. The Guards hand are tied behind there back as old school Guards would have dealt with these thugs completely different (Lugs Brannigan) if a Guards step out of line it all over social media and group climbing out of the woodwork condemning there action demands accountability of the Guards but no one is demands accountability of their parents/guardian would any right mind person allow their children out late at night to roam the street of our capital or any were in our country. Until these matters are addressed this will continue. In addition to this these underage thugs are laughing at the inadequate court system that are in place to deal with the plus lack of juvenile facilities.
@Larry O Reilly: dead right Larry. Do many do gooders around.
@Larry O Reilly: dead right Larry. Zero accountability. These problems are all over the country and nothing is being done about it.
@Larry O Reilly: Spot on. Once we hear juvenile, we know there will be no serious consequences will happen to them. Once you hear juvenile it should all fall back to their parents. If their parents were made financially responsible for their juvenile childrens actions maybe, just maybe something might happen. And again when the word juvenile is mentioned the Gardai hands are tied. God forbid they put their hands on them. Reports say the Gardai know these juveniles on first name basic as they have detained them on numerous times but the revolving door of our justice system keep spitting them back out. I’m at an age, maybe like a few of you, that if I got in trouble with the Gardai once, my ma or da made sure it was the first and last time.
Another assault in city centre today A woman assaulted I. Temple Bar yesterday The Tanaiste says Dublin City centre is not safe. It’s time for resignations when the Govt admit that they are failing the people who elect them .
Let Ministers Mc Entee and Donoghue walk the streets alone at night and then declare they are safe. Dublin is not safe at night ….if it was these attacks would not be happening. Simple logic but that does not click in with the current Government.
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: The saying
“surround yourself with geniuses you’ll look like a fool, surround yourself with fools you’ll look like a genius ” sounds apt for the current Taoiseach and Tainiste.
You had better be kitted out like Schwarzenegger in Commando walking in Dublin City centre now. What an absolute kip of a place.
Time to put some fear and respect into these gurriers, a hurley and a balaclava might help, as well as parents having to actually pay for damages done by their precious little darlings (for crimes committed by minors).
Also, must stop the continuous “free legal aid” for the repeat offenders. If need be, lend them money for legal aid, but make them pay for it, or work it back.
@George Vladisavljevic: Exactly! Why are we paying taxes to fund this sham?
Normal service resumed…
I will always have thrust in Helen Dublin is a safe when you have your security around you.
GROW UP MCENTEE STAY DOWN IN MEATH
@Paddy Geoghegan: Thrust in Helen?
This is fast becoming normalised by the government and senior gardaì. Meanwhile we are being distracted with other stories of fat lesser importance or significance to the actual ordinary unprotected citizens of Ireland.
This should be THE main story as it is one that has the potential to affect everyone’s life in this country directly or indirectly. Enough is enough. Stop with the political news speak and do something significant for once that actually protects citizens, like punish those involved for real and their parents too. Pay the gardaì properly and enact a zero tolerance NYC approach. Is that so hard?
This is where individualist snowflake culture has got us. We have become an outrageously dumb society in allowing our country to fall apart at the seams. Meanwhile our distracted Minister is more concerned with enacting vague dystopian laws that will polarise the country even further. Is the title of the job, the Minister for Justice or the Minister for Injustice because it really seems like the latter?
My god what is the capital city coming too. Crap p/r that’s for sure. There is no deterants for these yobs. They can do what they like to innocent people. That poor American citizen. Destroyed for life. I squared when I saw a juvenile arrested. Because none of these juveniles never are made to pay for there perceived crimes. Lawless city in the extreme. I pity the garda They are not responsible in my opinion it’s the suits and the wigs who make mamby pamby laws.. It’s been like this for years and will continue so till somebody has the balls to do something about it.
1 guard on in the new o connell st station cannot leave his desk,apparently good for tourist information though.
@sam o brien: yes Sam he can tell them which street to go to to get the crap beat out of u. Good tourist service that. Good old board failte. Discover ireland.
sure didnt hate speech helen tell us dublin is safe as she walked the streets last week surronded by gardai. Tell ya what if dublin is so safe maybe ministers could go for a walk sometime without any security with them down a few streets just as its getting dark and see how safe they feel then
Its the govts job to ensure the safety of all its citizens, to provide housing, health care, education and to make sure each of its citizens can prosper. I believe that our elected officials are out of their debt and are failing at every level. The top civil servants need to be sacked in each of the departments. The only effective debt if the revenue. The rest are just there for the money. This country is getting worse and worse, the only thing this govt will do is double down on the media front and spend more on PR.
Time for the minister to go. She totally out of touch with what’s happening
Unlimited free dole and houses is the biggest contributor to crime in Ireland
He should have had Helen “Safe City” as his companion.
Helen is deluded so much so that she thinks Dublin is safe. there is something wrong with a justice minister that states an untruth or is so deluded that she does not understand what she is saying. Dublin is a kip and I know because unlike Helen and her out riders that we citizens don’t have, the chances of being robbed or attached for no reason is a daily occurrence. Helen I suggest you buy a newspaper or listen to the radio and educate yourself because your an embarrassment to yourself, FFG,and the good people of Meath.
@Adrian Aungier: Helen do the honorable thing and resign, sadly your way out of your depth and your innocence and dismissiveness shows. Grow up and acknowledge facts.
Helen just RESIGN
Burglers drive the wrong way on a dual carriage way trying to escape from the Gardai and end up crashing and killing themselves. The Garda is subsequently penalized for trying to do his job. Is it any wonder things are the way they are.
Been travelling around Poland and Germany the last ten days. Not a hint of menace, no hassle, nothing but just decent people out strolling about, having food. The cops maintain a low but visible presence and do not tolerate gurriers but i am sure the judiciary backs them up when needed. I also get the feeling that the people wouldn’t tolerate it either, not been able go out for a drink in parts of your own city centre! We either make some changes or our cities will wither.
The Wild West in the 19th century in America comes to my mind
@Geoff Bateman: hyperbolic much?
@Geoff Bateman: You are not alone there. I have thought of that analogy many times recently, and not only regarding anti-social behaviour but the general way this place is run. Money going everywhere left, right and centre, except in the right place. Plenty of snake-oil being sold to the public under the guise of progressive politics. High noon, high prices, high crime. Welcome to the modern dystopian Wild West! Yeehaw.
Housing is for the rich.
The hospitals are for the well-heeled.
The city centers are for the violent aggressor.
Basically, stay in your little rented box, stay well, pay your TV license. Oh, and don’t offend anyone.
Ffg in power since the foundation of the state , and every one of our institutions are not fit for purpose after more then a century of cronyism
Just another day in paradise in McEntee’s Ireland.
Mcentee living in her millionaire bubble it’s borderline anarchy in dublin city
If it was her own ministerial pension entitlements that were at stake, Ms McEntee and the Government would be working tout de suite. But a few plebs being kicked to bits around our cities and towns wont be looked into until TD’s return to put their snouts in the trough once more on Sept 20th. Then all sides will grandstand and talk utter nonsense while courts will ensure the perpetrators of these crimes are treated with kid gloves.
Dublin is dangerous, bad for your health, a no-go area but this is still a democracy, McEntee not capable. Won’t be voting her back in. She’s not up to the job. Out if her depth. At this rate she should resign if she has any self-respect. But then, so should Tubridy, but there’s an awful lot of arrogance and denial in Ireland, and an awful lot of people who don’t realise the party’s over.
Why have you not reported on the body found in Dundalk on Sunday?
Alot of cities and towns in Ireland have been lost at night to del roo/justeat, homeless, and anti social youths, since covid. The local government need to get real and help businesses survive and thrive and make the town centres be alive , not like the ghost towns they are now after 6 pm
Helen has more pressing issues at hand with forcing through the thought police bill, safe streets is so last year !
This lawless behaviour has been years in the making. Government removed community policing, close community Garda stations, reduced numbers of Gardai. The results being that existing Gardai are overworked and underpaid. Now, they can recruit enough to make up for the numbers exiting the force so it’s a self fulfilling race to the bottom. Ever since the weirdo right wingers took to the streets during Covid, and now with their Anti-Foreigner nonsense they’ve encouraged criminal elements onto the streets. Things have gotten ten times worse since the degenerates took to the streets and Gardai not doing a tap about it.
Assaults are happening all across the country. According to the CSO, In the last 3 months of 2022 Irelans “Attempts/Threats to Murder; Assaults, Harassments & Related offences (+17%)”
Something seriously wrong with the justice system in Ireland and I don’t mean the Guards.
A child/youth/juvenile is viewed in the courts system as a child(Anyone under 18) needs to be looked at, this youth diversion project and probation reports needs to be revised.
It’s easy judge the Gardai but the frontline Gardai and some Sgts do a great job overall in very difficult situations. Remember that a guard is always the one at an incident to help and is always the one held accountable.
Inspectors, Supers, Chf. Super, Ass. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Commissioner are the ones who are politicians.
Dublin has become highly dangerous in the last 20 years
As Dublin has become a no-go area and the violence of the assaults increases anyone with a titter of wit wll get out. The alternative is to replace this don’t-care government with anyone who will get involved in improving things.
Stick in 2 words “American tourist ” and this story would take on a whole different reaction from the media..assaults are commonplace in the Dublin city area on a daily basis and the minister isn’t on TV suggesting that the city is a safe place (it is if you have a Garda escort with you for the photo op)
The spar at Dame Street and the surrounding lanes in templebar are so crazy when the addicts congregate. Ive been all over eastern Europe, other capitals and Ive never seen the likes of the open crack smoking, dealing and psychotic behaviour. It’s like a mini Seattle or philadelphia.
And it’s not just one or two people, there were around 40 people engaged in lunacy. A lot more young women too, it was terribly sad to see.
But it is dangerous, I was asked/ ordered to go to an ATM to get money which I obviously didn’t but for elderly woman or vulnerable people, these people will prey on them. Desperate stuff, we were warned about a crack epidemic nearly ten years ago and it is here.
Dublin is such a dump
Saint Helen talking crap as usual
Need to carry knife/nunchucks/small sword for self-defence.
But Helen McEntee said Dublin was safe !!
So someone is lying
The Minister of Justice and Holy Truth, or some random lad claiming he was assaulted.
World War Z in Dublin, Roma, Druggies, Trakkies, Eastern European thugs, drunks, skangers, and other assorted loons.
@Monty Carlow: Ya Nig a, played Vice city lately?
Will there be a go fund me and false outrage from the gombeens in Leinster house?
Appears Micheal Burke is Mr perfect
Eastern European thugs are a big problem in the Housing crisis, Limerick especially
I might be wrong. My opinion to the “Lugs Branigan” guard. Everyone knows of him, tough man who took a stand on gurriers. There’s plenty of tough men. Who are unemployed, who could do police work, better. Young student rookie’s can’t handle the real element of a city.
Menace II Society
Eastern European thugs are a big problem in the Housing crisis, in Limerick especially.
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