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Kim Jong-un: North Korean dictator turns heads with severe new haircut and tiny eyebrows

The North Korean dictator has done away with his boyish curtains

Lizzie Dearden
Friday 20 February 2015 11:20 GMT
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Kim Jong-un's new look features a bouffant hairstyle and over-plucked eyebrows
Kim Jong-un's new look features a bouffant hairstyle and over-plucked eyebrows (KCNA)

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Kim Jong-un has stepped in front of the North Korean fash pack once more with a striking new hairstyle.

The dictator has kept his trademark shaved sides but ditched the floppy curtains for an angular up-do.

To set off the trapezoid-shaped style, the Supreme Leader’s ever-shrinking eyebrows appear to have had another trim and are now noticeably shorter than his eyelids.

The change could be sending North Korean hairdressers scrambling for their scissors following reports last year that men had been instructed to adopt a “Dear Leader” haircut in his honour.

Kim debuted the new look at the start of the year but turned heads during Wednesday’s meeting of the North Korean politburo.

It coincided with his call on subjects to emulate the late Kim Jong-il in all areas of their lives. The re-style could be the dictator’s personal tribute to his father, harking back to his more bouffant look.

The South China Morning Post had already speculated that Kim’s eyebrow shaving may be an effort to look more like his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, the first leader of North Korea.

Kim ordered officials to “wage an all-party intensive campaign against abuse of power, bureaucratism, irregularities and corruption,” at Wednesday’s meeting, according to state media.

Kim Jong-un's new look drew attention at the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea
Kim Jong-un's new look drew attention at the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (KCNA)

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the catchy resolution “On Holding Fast to Behests of the Great Comrade Kim Jong Il as Eternal Guidelines for Our Party and Revolution and Carrying Them out to the Last”.

A report praised Kim for “bringing about a shining victory in the struggle for building an economic power and improving the standard of people's living” even as North Korea faces continuing investigations over horrific human rights abuses reported by defectors.

The dictator reportedly told the politburo that under Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism a “rich and powerful country” could be built in spite of the efforts of “the US imperialists and their followers”.

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