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Kim Jong Un visits anti-U.S. museum ahead of war anniversary

The North Korean leader told the museum to strengthen its programs.

By Elizabeth Shim
Kim Jong Un visiting the Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities in November. The museum has exhibits and propaganda that Pyongyang claims is evidence of U.S. military culpability for the death of 35,000 Korean civilians. File Photo by Rodong Sinmun/Yonhap
Kim Jong Un visiting the Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities in November. The museum has exhibits and propaganda that Pyongyang claims is evidence of U.S. military culpability for the death of 35,000 Korean civilians. File Photo by Rodong Sinmun/Yonhap

SEOUL, July 22 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a new museum of war atrocities, where he blasted "cunning U.S. imperialists" for the massacre of North Korean civilians ahead of a major war anniversary on July 27.

North Korea's state news agency KCNA said Thursday the Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities had been newly constructed per Kim Jong Un's instructions.

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Kim had returned to provide field guidance eight months after his last visit, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. KCNA said Thursday Kim had expressed his satisfaction with the completed building that "met the demands of a military-first era."

North Korea's Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities is filled with exhibits and propaganda that Pyongyang claims is evidence of U.S. military culpability for the death of 35,000 Korean civilians during 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea claims U.S. soldiers killed civilians, including women and children who were doused with gasoline, then set on fire.

Kim said during his visit that no matter how much the "U.S. imperialists try to play tricks, the traces of blood left on this land cannot ever be erased."

"Blood must be avenged with blood, and accounts with the U.S. imperialists must be settled with, at all costs," he said.

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North Korea said Tuesday that Washington has threatened Pyongyang for half a century with nuclear weapons and that it rejects Iran-style nuclear talks.

In the course of his museum tour, Kim said the administrators should strengthen the anti-imperial and anti-U.S. education programs, as they are "crucial issues related to the fate of the country" and for North Korea's younger generations who never experienced war.

South Korean newspaper Hankyung Business reported construction began on Feb. 26 and was completed in four months – with workers working overtime to reach Kim's deadline.

Kim called the new museum a revolutionary stronghold and took a souvenir photograph with museum staff.

Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong was present, as well as Hwang Pyong So, a military official regarded as Pyongyang's No. 2 man.

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