No foreign dignitaries invited to Kim’s funeral… except for a Japanese magician
The official mourning period for late leader Kim Jong Il has begun in North Korea, which will culminate in a state funeral on Dec. 28. Foreign representatives have been banned from visiting Pyongyang to pay their respects. I can’t imagine the guest list of world leaders would be particularly long, but China and Russia might ...
The official mourning period for late leader Kim Jong Il has begun in North Korea, which will culminate in a state funeral on Dec. 28. Foreign representatives have been banned from visiting Pyongyang to pay their respects. I can't imagine the guest list of world leaders would be particularly long, but China and Russia might want to send mid-level functionaries and Hugo Chavez may want to say a final farewell to his dear "comrade." It seems like an odd decision, but then again, this is North Korea.
The official mourning period for late leader Kim Jong Il has begun in North Korea, which will culminate in a state funeral on Dec. 28. Foreign representatives have been banned from visiting Pyongyang to pay their respects. I can’t imagine the guest list of world leaders would be particularly long, but China and Russia might want to send mid-level functionaries and Hugo Chavez may want to say a final farewell to his dear "comrade." It seems like an odd decision, but then again, this is North Korea.
Not that there aren’t any foreign VIPs on the invite list. Japanese magician Tenko Hikita, better known as Princess Tenko, has reportedly been invited:
Ms Hikita, who has performed several magic shows in North Korea, received the invitation over the phone and via e-mail from one of Kim’s relatives, the manager said, adding that the magician has not yet decided whether to attend.[…]
The magician was invited to North Korea in 1998 and 2000 to perform magic shows and attend Kim’s private dinners, the manager said.
Kim was apparently a big fan of her act, and there are even (totally unsubstantiated, most-likely complete British tabloid fantasy) rumors of a romantic relationship between the two. Of course, Kim had some magical powers of his own. North Korea’s official news agency has been reporting strange natural phenomena including landslides and an eerie glow around Mt. Paektu — Kim’s supposed birthplace — since the Dear Leader’s death.
If you’re interested, here’s Princess Tenko’s famous water tank escape (Don’t try it at home kids!):
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
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