The Korea Herald

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N. Korea's Twitter account apparently hacked on successor's birthday

By 이지윤

Published : Jan. 8, 2011 - 11:05

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North Korea's Twitter account was apparently hacked with a string of messages derogatory of leader Kim Jong-il and his heir Kim Jong-un on Saturday, the birthday of the hereditary successor.

The five most recent tweets posted in the morning accused the Kims of exploiting their people to enjoy sumptuous lives, and develop nuclear arms and missiles. One tweet called for an uprising to slay the Kims "with a sword."

"Let's create a new world by rooting out our people's sworn enemy Kim Jong-il and his son Kim Jong-un!" one tweet read. Another sought to convince readers that the removal of the dynasty would lead North Koreans to live "as happily as South Koreans."

North Korea opened the Twitter account @uriminzok in August and has since tweeted about 1,300 propaganda messages idolizing its leader and denouncing South Korea and the United States.

The apparent hacking on Saturday came after North Korea's official Web site, uriminzokkiri -- which is believed to operate the Twitter account -- was reportedly duped last month into carrying a message that called the Kims harsh names for a day.

(Yonhap News)