North Korean leader Kim Jong Il rallied hundreds of top military commanders as world powers pushed for a U.N. censure of his government amid mounting speculation the North was preparing to detonate an atomic bomb. Media reports have speculated a nuclear test could come Sunday, the anniversary of Kim's appointment as head of the Korean Workers' Party in 1997. Japan said it was stepping up monitoring of North Korea in light of the speculation.| “Officers greeted him with rousing cheers of 'Fight at the cost of our lives!'” |
The meeting was the reclusive leader's first reported appearance in three weeks and the first since Tuesday when his government shocked the world by announcing plans to test a nuclear device on its way to building an arsenal of atomic weapons. It was unclear when the rally took place, or how many attended, but it could show that Kim is trying to polish his credentials with the country's cherished military at a time when international pressure is mounting on Pyongyang.