Kim Jong-un honors Kim Il Sung at Kumsusan ahead of Workers’ Party’s 80th anniversary

Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun at midnight on July 8 to mark the 31st anniversary of the death of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, according to Rodong Shinmun.

The state-run newspaper reported that Kim Jong-un was accompanied by top officials, including Premier Pak Thae-song, Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium President Choe Ryong-hae, and Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. The group paid tribute before the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il, with Kim delivering what the paper described as “the most reverent greetings of eternal life.” Notably, only a single image was released, showing the current leadership without the statues.

The visit to Kumsusan Palace, a symbolic site of the Kim family cult of personality, comes just five months after Kim’s appearance there for Kim Jong-il’s birthday on February 16, also known as Gwangmyeongseong Day. That February visit was his first for the occasion since 2021.

Since taking power in 2012, Kim Jong-un has mostly continued annual commemorations of his predecessors’ deaths. However, he has not visited Kumsusan for Kim Il Sung’s birthday (April 15, known as Sun’s Day) for the past three years, nor for Kim Jong-il’s birthday from 2022 to 2024. Additionally, official media outlets had stopped using traditional exalted terms like “Sun’s Day” and “Gwangmyeongseong Day” but have recently resumed doing so.

Analysts view this shift as part of Kim’s efforts to distance himself from his predecessors in ideology and leadership image. He has discontinued references to Korean unification and nationalism, phased out the Juche calendar, and introduced badges bearing his own image for officials.

However, experts note that this rapid departure from the legacy may have caused public unease, prompting a recalibration. The recent emergence of Kim Ju-ae, believed to be his daughter, and renewed emphasis on the Paektu bloodline, indicate a strategic effort to reinforce the family’s symbolic authority.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, set for October 10—a major milestone. North Korea is expected to host a large-scale celebration, with invitations extended to senior officials from key allies like China and Russia. Experts believe reaffirming historical ties and showcasing regime stability may require emphasizing the achievements of former leaders.

Oh Kyung-seop, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, stated that the leadership appears to be “strategically leveraging select legacy events to reinforce Kim Jong Un’s political foundation ahead of key occasions such as the party’s 80th anniversary.”

BY LEE YUJEONG  [uuu@joongang.co.kr]