Kim Jong-un visits Kumsusan Palace for the first time in 4 years on Kim Jong-il’s birthday

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on February 16 to mark the birthday of his late father, Kim Jong-il, for the first time in four years, state media reported on Saturday.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited the palace and laid a wreath before statues of his grandfather and founder of North Korea Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

During the visit, Kim reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the revolutionary ideology and legacy of his predecessors and pledged to dedicate himself to the prosperity of the nation and the well-being of the people, KCNA stated.

Accompanying Kim were top officials, including Park Jong-chon, Ri Hi-yong, No Kwang-chol, Kim Jae-ryong, and Kim Yo-jong, his influential sister and deputy director of the ruling party.

North Korean state media published photographs showing Kim and six senior officials paying tribute before the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

This marks Kim’s first public visit to Kumsusan Palace on his father’s birthday, known as “Gwangmyeongseong Day”, since 2021. Although Kim had consistently visited the palace on this occasion every year since taking power, he notably skipped the visit from 2022 to 2024.

Kim Jong-il’s birthday, celebrated as Gwangmyeongseong Day, is one of North Korea’s most important national holidays, along with Kim Il-sung’s birthday in April.

This year, North Korean media frequently referred to the occasion as “2•16” rather than Gwangmyeongseong Day, indicating a shift in terminology. However, KCNA and other state-run outlets reinstated the traditional name in their reports on Kim’s visit.

BY YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]