Kim Jong Un Takes to the Streets with Baseball Bat to Suppress Dissent

By Xi Hong, International Correspondent

January 19, 2025

PYONGYANG—In a shocking turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reportedly seen personally taking to the streets of Pyongyang wielding a baseball bat in an attempt to suppress growing dissent among the city’s residents. Eyewitnesses claim the Supreme Leader, dressed in his signature black coat and surrounded by a panicked security detail, chased down groups of children and teenagers who had taken to the streets in search of food following yesterday’s mysterious aerial food drop.

According to multiple sources inside the capital, Kim appeared visibly enraged as he stormed through the city’s neighborhoods, shouting slogans about loyalty and discipline while swinging the bat at those who dared to scavenge for remaining supplies. Several citizens reportedly fled in terror as the leader confronted crowds near Kim Il Sung Square, where small protests and gatherings had begun to form in defiance of the regime’s tight control.

“We couldn’t believe our eyes,” said one anonymous resident who managed to witness the chaotic scene. “He was running after children and yelling that they were traitors for taking the food. We never thought we’d see our leader acting like this.”

International analysts suggest that this unusual public appearance signals the regime’s growing desperation amid worsening food shortages and increasing public unrest. North Korea has long relied on a carefully curated image of Kim as a composed and strategic leader, but today’s events indicate cracks in the facade.

Security forces were reportedly caught off guard by Kim’s sudden decision to personally intervene. Several members of his entourage attempted to persuade him to return to his armored vehicle, but sources claim he pushed them aside, determined to “restore order” himself. Footage circulating clandestinely among residents appears to show him chasing a group of children down a narrow alley, swinging the bat wildly as they scrambled for safety.

Despite the government’s efforts to contain the situation, reports indicate that whispers of rebellion are growing louder within Pyongyang’s tightly controlled streets. Observers note that this public meltdown could undermine Kim’s grip on power at a time when North Korea faces some of its worst economic conditions in decades.

“Kim’s appearance on the streets with a baseball bat is unprecedented,” said Professor Daniel Hwang, an expert on North Korean leadership. “It suggests a leader losing control and resorting to desperate, erratic measures to maintain authority.”

State media has remained silent on the incident, instead broadcasting old footage of Kim inspecting military sites and touring factories. However, foreign intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the situation, with concerns rising over the possibility of internal unrest escalating into broader conflict.

As the sun sets over Pyongyang, residents remain on edge, unsure of what tomorrow will bring. Whether Kim Jong Un’s hands-on approach will quell the growing frustration or further incite the population remains to be seen.