Kim Jong Un’s May appearances broke away from recent precedent, and featured not only economic appearances, which he has been loath to make in recent months, but a few were also outside of Pyongyang and not on military bases.

In addition, Kim appeared with a number of military officials that had never publicly appeared with the Supreme Leader before, including Jang Jong Nam, the recently appointed Minister of the People’s Armed Forces.

Choe Ryong Hae, the Director of the KPA General Staff (responsible for ideological training in the military, among other things) was the most frequent elite to publicly accompany