North Korea Kicks Off Celebrations for Kim Jong Il’s Birthday

North Korea has begun various celebration events ahead of Chairman Kim Jong Il’s birthday (February 16)

The Rodong Sinmun reported on the 6th, “The Great Leadership, Immortal Achievement, a central photo exhibition celebrating the 82nd birthday of Chairman Kim Jong Il was opened on the 5th.”

The opening ceremony at the People’s Palace of Culture was attended by party secretary Lee Il Hwan, Pyongyang City Party Committee secretary Lee Myong Chol, workers from related sectors, and city workers, with Minister of Culture Sung Jong Gyu giving the opening speech.

“Various photo documents such as “the Great Leader Kim Jong Il, who declares the Kim Il Sungism of the entire society,” are on display at the exhibition,” the newspaper reported.

The newspaper also reported that “preparations for the 2nd Brilliant Star Festival Celebration People’s Art Festival are being actively carried out.”

The newspaper conveyed this through a conversation with the leaders of the festival organization committee ahead of the 2nd Brilliant Star Festival Celebration People’s Art Festival.

Park Kyong Chol, the Deputy Minister of Culture, said, “To heighten the celebration atmosphere, festival promotional paintings have been posted in various places in Pyongyang from early February, and festival flags have been raised.”.

Kim Eun Chol, the director of the bureau of the Ministry of Culture, explained, “We have detailed the festival organization guidelines, including the themes and formats of the works to be presented on the festival stage and conducted preliminary screenings to select participating units”.

“In addition, the current participating groups are refining their works under close coordination with the festival organization committee,” he added.