NK quietly observes anniversary of founder's birth

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and members of the country’s top military brass visit the "Kumsusan Palace of the Sun" to mark the 101st anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, the founder of the communist state and his grandfather, in Pyongyang, Monday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

North Korea quietly marked the 101st anniversary of the birth of its late founder, Monday.

April 15, known as the “Day of the Sun” in the North, marks the day the communist country’s first leader Kim Il-sung was born.

As Pyongyang makes it a norm to associate key national anniversaries with high-profile military tests, there were high expectations it would launch at least one missile, but no signs of a test were observed.

Instead, the North showcased its people’s “adoration” of its late founder, who died in 1994, by hosting a sporting event and art exhibitions.

The celebration opened with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun at midnight to pay “high tribute and humblest reverence” before the embalmed bodies of his grandfather and father, Kim Jong-il. The latter died in December 2011.

Also present were members of the country’s top military brass including Jang Song-thaek, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea, and Gen. Hyon Yong-chol, chief of the General Staff in the Korean People’s Army, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

In addition, the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, reported that new statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il were erected in front of the Ministry of People’s Security over the weekend.

North Korea watchers say the young leader, believed to be in his late 20s or early 30s, is focused on taking full control of the country by emphasizing the military.

In the past, civilians from the party and the government were present for such events, but this year, the entourage was made up almost exclusively of military personnel.

“By strengthening the military and internal security forces, the leadership may be moving to stabilize Kim’s rule, which has entered its second full year,” a North Korean researcher said.

“The North’s hard-line stance toward South Korea and the United States may be an extension of this policy.”

The North Korean regime had recently threatened to launch nuclear strikes against South Korea and the United States.

A missile launch by the North was expected, most likely between April 10 and 15, but the South’s Ministry of National Defense said on the day that the expected launch may be delayed for quite a while.

“There was speculation that the North could fire off missiles after April 10,” defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing.

“Five days have already passed, and any launch could be delayed as there might be several conditions that affect the decision.”

“The North can launch at any time, and our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military’s moves,” he said.

“If the North has finished fueling the missiles, it can fire them according to a political decision.”