North Koreans urged to defend Jong-Un 'to the death'

North Korea has called
on the country to
defend the new leader,
Kim Jong-un, to the
death, in a New Year
message.
The army, ruling party and
people should be prepared
to act as "human shields"
for the son and successor
of Kim Jong-il, the message
released by state media
said.
The message also said the
"burning issue" of food
shortages was one the
nation's leaders must work
to solve.
Kim Jong-il, who had ruled
since 1994, died on 17
December.
His son, Kim Jong-un, took
over after his death and
has in recent days quickly
consolidated his power in
the country.
On Friday, he was
appointed supreme
commander of the country's
1.2 million-strong armed
forces, according to state
media.
Scrutinised
"Glorify this year 2012 as a
year of proud victory, a
year when an era of
prosperity is unfolding,"
the message released by
the official Korean Central
News Agency said.
"The whole Party, the
entire army and all the
people should possess a
firm conviction that they will
become human bulwarks
and human shields in
defending Kim Jong-un unto
death."
The message also said US
troops should be removed
from South Korea,
describing them as the main
obstacle to peace.
North Korea has
consistently stipulated that
the US must abandon its
hostile policy for there to
be any improvement in ties
with Washington.
The message said members
of the ruling Workers'
Party should "implement to
the letter the party's policy
of agricultural revolution"
in order to solve the issue
of food shortages.
The United Nations
believes nearly three
million of North Korea's 24
million population will need
food assistance in 2012.
The traditional first state
editorial of the year in
Pyongyang is scrutinised
by officials and analysts in
the region as it sheds light
on the country's New
Year's policy goals, says
the BBC's Kevin Kim in
South Korea.
Analysts note that this year
there was no mention of the
country's nuclear weapons
programme, an issue which
has featured heavily in
previous New Year's Day
editorials.
The coming year will be
seen as an auspicious one
by North Koreans as it
marks the centennial of the
birth of Kim Jong-un's
grandfather and national
founder, Kim Il-sung, who
ruled for nearly 50 years.
Kim Jong-il died of a heart
attack, aged 69, state
media has said.
On Wednesday, a huge
funeral procession was
staged for the late leader
in the snowy streets of the
capital, Pyongyang.
A Japanese newspaper has
reported that Kim Jong-il's
eldest son, who lives in
Macau, secretly visited
Pyongyang to pay his last
respects.
Yomiuri Shimbun, quoting an
unnamed source in North
Korea, said Kim Jong-nam
had flown home "for a few
days" but was now back in
Macau.
He has lived abroad for
several years after
reportedly falling out of
favour with his father for
trying to enter Japan on a
false passport in 2001 to
visit Tokyo Disneyland.