▲ This image, published on Jan. 30, 2025, by the Korean Central News Agency, shows North Koreans visiting the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung (L) and Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

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N. Korea begins celebrations for late former leader Kim Jong-il's birthday

SEOUL, Feb. 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has begun celebrations for the anniversary of late former leader Kim Jong-il's birthday, a national holiday, by opening a commemorative photo exhibition, according to state media on Tuesday.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the photo exhibition commemorating Kim opened the previous day at Pyongyang's People's Palace of Culture, ahead of his birthday on Feb. 16.

Both his birthday and that of late national founder Kim Il-sung, on April 15, are observed as national holidays in North Korea.

The exhibition displayed photos and videos of not only Kim Jong-il but also his son and current leader Kim Jong-un, with the KCNA emphasizing the achievements of both.

At the end of last month, North Korea published postage stamps commemorating the 83rd anniversary of the late leader's birth, kicking off celebrations for the occasion.

This year, however, North Korean state media have not used the reverent term "the Day of the Shining Star" for Kim Jong-il's birthday.

For Kim Il-sung's birthday last year, North Korea also withheld the similar term "the Day of the Sun", instead referring to it simply as "April 15."

South Korea's unification ministry has assessed that such moves may have been an effort to reduce the current leader's reliance on his ancestors for authority and strengthen his status as a standalone leader.

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]