Natural wonders occurred in North Korea to greet the unanimous nomination of the reclusive leader, Mr Kim Jong-Il, as the sole candidate for parliament, Pyongyang's media said yesterday.
A double rainbow appeared for half-an-hour on July 2nd above the statue of Mr Kim's Stalinist father, Kim Il-Sung, who died in 1994, in the northern city of Hamhung, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
Another rainbow also formed in cloudy and rainy weather, and hung above the tower of immortality for the president erected at a coal mine, as Mr Kim was nominated as the only candidate for the 680-member Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in all constituencies across the country, it said.
"People witnessed the natural wonders at a time when they were very pleased that the Great Leader Kim Jong-Il was nominated," KCNA said.
The North's media claimed similar miracles last year when Mr Kim (56) became general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party, the second of the top three posts held by his father.
The KCNA's report culminated the week-long process of electing delegates to the 10th Supreme People's Assembly on July 26th, which was seen here as preparations for Mr Kim's coronation as head of state, South Korean monitors of North Korean affairs said.
Mr Kim may decide soon to accept just one electoral district even though all constituencies unanimously nominated him as the only SPA candidate, they said. He would then let other constituencies nominate their own candidates.
South Korean officials have agreed he is very likely to become President around September 9th when the North celebrates the 50th anniversary of its government.
The assembly, formed in April 1990, ended its five-year term in 1995. The North has failed to form a new assembly because of Kim Il-Sung's sudden death in 1994.
A diplomatic row erupted yesterday between South Korea and Russia over the expulsion of a Seoul diplomat accused of spying in Moscow, amid warnings the incident could deal a blow to relations.
South Korean officials summoned Russia's charge d'affaires to protest the detention of the political counsellor, Mr Cho SungWoo, and for the "unilateral" order giving him three days to leave Russia, officials said.