Kim proves he remains in charge of North Korea

AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/9/09 | Hyung-Jin Kim and Jean H. Lee - ap

[NormsRevenge]

SEOUL, South Korea – A visibly grayer and thinner Kim Jong Il proved Thursday he remains in charge of communist North Korea, presiding over parliament in a triumphant return to center stage after months out of the public eye following a reported stroke.

Limping slightly, Kim arrived at the grand hall housing the 687-seat Supreme People's Assembly to a standing ovation and praise for a weekend rocket launch heralded as "historic" at home though assailed in some nations as provocative.

[NormsRevenge]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il shows his ballot during the 12th Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang, April 9, 2009 in this frame grab taken from footage released by KRT.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il appeared at his first major event since he was suspected of suffering a stroke last year when parliament re-elected him the country's supreme military leader on Thursday.
REUTERS/KRT via Reuters TV (NORTH KOREA POLITICS IMAGE OF THE DAY TOP PICTURE)

[NormsRevenge]

A national meeting to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the leader Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of North Korea's National Defence Commission, held in Pyongyang on April 8. North Korea decided to revise its constitution at a parliamentary meeting attended by leader Kim , his first appearance at a major public event since a reported stroke last August. (AFP/Kns)

[NormsRevenge]

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (C) participates in the 12th Supreme People's Assembly at the Mansudae assembly hall in Pyongyang April 9, 2009, in this picture released by the North's official news agency KCNA on Thursday. Kim Jong-il appeared at his first major event since he was suspected of suffering a stroke last year when parliament re-elected him the country's supreme military leader on Thursday. REUTERS/KCNA