North Korea marking second day of Kim Jong-Il's birthday.

17/2 Tass 90

PYONGYANG, February 17 (Itar-Tass) - North Korea has been broadly
marking the second day of Kim Jong Il's birthday who turned 69 on February
16.
Pyongyang, decked with state flags, flowers and bright posters, stages
concerts, exhibitions, sport events and dance evening parties of young
people, expressing love and loyalty to the country's leader. The birthday
of the country's leader is regarded here as one of the main national
holidays.
The central committee of the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), the KWP
Central Military Committee and the North Korean State Defence Committee
arranged a banquet in honour of Kim Jong-Il. The KCNA news agency reports
that party functionaries, statesmen and the military of North Korea who
attended the banquet, "warmly congratulated their leader and expressed him
their deep gratitude on behalf of the party, the army and people".
In turn, Kim warmly thanked banquet participants that included his
junior son Kim Jong-Un, "for loyalty to the party leadership as well as
for efforts to ensure the country's defence and for building a prosperous
state".
The State Merited Chorus rendered a concert for Kim who expressed
confidence that performances of this group "will serve, as before, as a
source of inspiration for people and the army".
Heads of diplomatic missions and international humanitarian
organisations, represented in the country, were invited to a concert by
another prominent group - Mansude Fine Arts Troupe. Its chorus and
soloists rendered with great enthusiasm patriotic songs "Leader will be
always with us", "What a wonderful country!" "My love, my happiness" at
the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre. The songs accentuated merits of the
country's supreme leader.
-0-bur/gor