North Korea's Kim Jong-un and his regime have, for decades, portrayed themselves as steel-fisted individuals and considered themselves as quasi-gods who are incapable of making mistakes.
However, recent events show the country's leader is stepping away from his predecessors' imagery and perspective. Kim is taking on a new approach and has shown himself to be human, capable of errors.
A changed man
According to the Wall Street Journal, with North Korea facing several issues, including the coronavirus pandemic, flooding, and economic sanctions, the nation's leader has begun apologizing for his actions and admitted to making political mistakes.
Kim has recently ordered several officials to put an end to the myth that his family are gods because they are capable of hiding the truth from the people and the world.
Last week marked the country leader's division from the past when he immediately apologized one day after Seoul officials demanded a response for a North Korean individual who killed a South Korean civil servant.
Pyongyang is rarely known for taking responsibility for such actions and more so with such haste and directness.
However, experts believe that Kim's new approach is not a sign of weakness, but rather a show of strength. The North Korean leader sits atop a powerful arsenal of nuclear weapons, which he has previously claimed is capable of striking the United States.
The leader's words also suggest that the Kim regime is not rushing to rekindle nuclear talks with U.S. officials to gain economic relief.
A former South Korean national security official, Cheon Seong-whun, said that he was certain about one thing, and that was North Korea has stopped showcasing its leaders as gods under Kim Jong-un because the nation's leader can afford to make the decision.
Showing kindness and sympathy
Another show of kindness by the North Korean leader is when he sent a letter of sympathy to United States President Donald Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, after both have been revealed to be infected by the coronavirus, as reported by Reuters.
On Saturday, Kim told the North Korean state media that he wished Trump and his wife a quick recovery from their illness.
The state media, KCNA, wrote that Kim was sincerely hoping for their speedy recovery and expressed his optimism that both will eventually get better.
Trump and Kim have developed a unique relationship, first meeting personally at meetings between the two countries and previously stating they "fell in love" while exchanging letters.
In August, the North Korean leader visited flood-stricken areas of the country and ordered officials to provide assistance and food. He announced that his plans for economic growth had been delayed due to unexpected deviations and shortcomings of his government.
Kim's recent actions and statements suggest he is trying to show himself as a relatable and reliable leader to ordinary people. North Korea watchers noted it could also be part of the dictator's attempts to push in building a process-driver government that would rely less on his family's alleged divinity and god-like status.
