SEOUL, South Korea -- The nation's young leader tours a new amusement park
with his beautiful bride on his arm,
smiling and waving to adoring crowds. An everyday image of domestic bliss in high places?
In North Korea, it was a carefully choreographed appearance aimed at showing Kim Jong Un as a friendly,
modern leader, no different from the heads of other countries.
It also provided a sharp contrast to the intensely private face his father Kim Jong Il had portrayed
during his 17 years in power.
Kim Jong Un's marital status was confirmed almost as an afterthought by state TV
in an understated report on Wednesday about the opening of the amusement park:
"As a welcoming song resonated, dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un,
supreme commander of our party and people,
appeared at the inauguration ceremony together with his wife, comrade Ri Sol Ju."
North Korean media showed Kim and Ri smiling broadly at each other, Kim leaning slightly toward her,
as they inspected the newly opened Rungna People's Pleasure Ground, at one point watching a dolphin show…
The news anchor spoke briefly, almost off-handedly,
in identifying Ri, but gave no details, including how long she and Kim have been married.