North Korea held a large-scale commemorative event for late military official Hyon Chol Hae on Friday, and for analysts like myself, the spectacle presented in state media was nothing short of astounding.

Photos published in the Rodong Sinmun on Saturday showed a grand hall adorned with a portrait of Hyon positioned on the stage — an honor typically reserved exclusively for members of the Kim family. State TV later aired a 39-minute video of the event.

But even more significantly, the front page showed Kim Jong Un kneeling before Hyon’s grave. This unprecedented act marks a notable departure for North