14 June 2018
- RSIS
- Media Highlights
- Selfie with Kim Jong Un? #notsquadgoals
While we want to be a warm and welcoming host to Mr Kim, snapping a selfie and posting it on social media takes the relationship one step further – and too far, according to Senior Political Correspondent Yasmine Yahya from The Straits Times.
However, veteran diplomat Ong Keng Yong is among those who feel that the selfie should, in fact, be seen in a positive light.
“We do have diplomatic relations with North Korea and we host many leaders from around the world whose policies people may find objectionable, but we have to show them all our hospitality,” he says, sharing his views with me.
The selfie is also a warm touch that subtly shows Mr Kim “this is how daily life is elsewhere”, he adds. The fact that Mr Kim was willing to do something as spontaneous and relaxed as taking a selfie should also be read as an encouraging sign of his new attitude of openness and cooperation.
RSIS / Online / Print
Last updated on 14/06/2018