'Giant North Korean soldier' pays respects to Kim Jong-il
صور من جنازة زعيم كوريا الشمالية تظهر جندي كوري طوله 3 أمتار
At first glance it appears to be just
another photograph of immaculately
turned out troops paying their last
respects to North Korea’s former leader
Kim Jong-il.
A hearse carrying the coffin of the late
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (C, red
color) is seen during his funeral
procession in Pyongyang in this photo
taken by Kyodoq
This photograph was taken by North
Korea’s official Korean Central News
Agency (KCNA) and is one of several
pictures which all appear to show the
same giant soldier from different angles
Photo: REUTERS
James Orr
By James Orr
9:11AM GMT 30 Dec 2011
But a closer inspection of the back row
of one block of mourners reveals a far
from ordinary sight - a soldier who
appears to be well over 8ft tall.
The remarkable image was captured as the
funeral procession of the late leader
passed near the Kumsusan Memorial Palace
in the capital Pyongyang.
It was taken by North Korea’s official
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and is
one of several pictures which show the
same giant soldier from different
angles.
Thousands of troops paraded in Kim
Il-sung Square this week in a display of
military might following the death of
Kim Jong-il on Dec 17.
Yesterday evidence emerged that the
carefully choreographed mourning was not
necessarily as it seemed as some images
appeared to have been doctored.
A television crew visible in one picture
taken of the funeral had somehow
vanished in a second, near identical
image, leading the international news
agency Reuters to claim it had been
deliberately altered by KCNA.
The "giant soldier" photograph looks
less likely to have been manipulated
given he can be seen in different images
from several angles.
A close crop of the image, and with its
exposure enhanced, shows the strikingly
tall figure quite clearly.
The photo's emergence has led to
widespread speculation as to who the
soldier might be with, some online
commentators suggesting the mystery
figure is the 7’ 8” tall North Korean
basketball star Ri Myung Hun.
The 7’ 8” tall North Korean basketball
star Ri Myung Hun (Getty Images)
The well-known player, who once held the
title as the world’s tallest man, is
also known as Michael Ri after his
favourite basketball player, Michael
Jordan.
He attempted to play in the National
Basketball Association (NBA) in America
during the 1990s but eventually settled
on staying in North Korea.
The current, tallest man living is
Sultan Kösen who measured 8’ 3” in
Ankara, Turkey, in February this year.
The part-tme farmer was the first man
over 8 ft tall to be measured by
Guinness World Record in more than 20
years.
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safsaf.org - 01-01-2012
