North Korean leader Kim Jong-un dedicated a large portion of his speech on Saturday to the citizens of North Korea in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
As reported byThe Korea Times, Jong-in mentioned "three hardships" in his speech - international sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
During the speech, the North Korean leader took off his glasses to wipe away tears. The Korea Times report explains that the tears are "a sign of the level of pressure he is facing".
As seen in the video, the crowd joined the leader in tears.
"Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily. I am really sorry for that" Kim Jong-un said and added, "My efforts and sincerity have not been sufficient enough to rid our people of the difficulties in their lives."
According to some of the analysts who spoke with The Korea Times, the show of emotions had a goal - to show the international community that he is a compassionate, global leader, as he even offered consolation to the entire world suffering from COVID-19, including South Korea.
The report also noted that no one was wearing masks at the event, despite the severe quarantine efforts in the country. Several times during his speech, Kim Jong un claimed that there are zero COVID-19 patients in his country.
The main message of the event was much less 'compassionate' however, as the North Korean leader unveiled new weapons, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the parade. According to experts, the missile is capable of reaching the US and is considered a "monster".