N Korea celebrating Day of the Sun - Kim Il-Sung birthday

PYONGYANG, April 15 (Itar-Tass) - North Korea on Friday is
commemorating Kim Il-Sung on the occasion of the national holiday - the
birth of the first president of the country. Tens of thousands of
Pyongyang residents, as well as representatives of foreign delegations
began the day with laying wreaths of flowers at the numerous memorials and
monuments to "the great leader of the Korean people." A giant statue of
"the Sun of the Nation," which is located on the Mansu Hill in the DPRK
capital, as well as Kumsusan memorial complex, where the tomb of Kim
Il-Sung is located, have become the venues of mass pilgrimage in
Pyongyang. Labour collectives and the country's youth there pledged
allegiance to the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and its leadership.
The local newspapers on Friday write about the "immortal merits" of
Kim Il-Sung, calling him "the founder of socialist Korea," a "beacon of
liberation of humanity" and "steel-conquering warlord." An exhibition of
Kimilsungia - the Korean leader's name flower - opened in Pyongyang. These
beautiful plants decorate the stands with countless portraits of Kim
Il-Sung, or photographs of the sites in Korea linked with him. Almost
every composition includes a model of the house in Mangyongdae, where the
president was born and spent his childhood. Kimilsungia is a hybrid
cultivar of orchid, Dendrobium 'Kim Il-Sung.' Another flower, the
Kimjongilia, is named after Kim Il-Sung's son, Kim Jong-il. Contrary to
popular belief, neither the Kimilsungia or the Kimjongilia are a national
flower of North Korea. The national flower of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea is the Magnolia. The North Korean government says that
Kim Il- Sung's peerless character is "fully reflected in the immortal
flower" which is "blooming everywhere on the five continents."
To give special solemnity to the holiday, the international art
festival "April Spring" with the participation of nearly 400 artists from
17 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, China, France, Germany,
Austria and Australia, is held in Pyongyang. Russia is represented by the
Bolshoi Theatre soloists, the troupes of the Moscow Classical Ballet and
Moscow Circus and Honoured Artist of Russia Varvara (E.V. Susova).
Revolutionary songs are sung by Cuban artists at Pyongyang concert halls.
The Chinese Symphony Orchestra is very popular with the audience.
In the evening, the Korean youth will mark the holiday with mass
dancing in the capital and other cities of the country.
There are over 500 statues of Kim Il-Sung in North Korea. The most
prominent are at Kim Il-Sung University, Kim Il-Sung Stadium, Kim Il-Sung
Square, Kim Il-Sung Bridge and the Immortal Statue of Kim Il-Sung. Some
statues have been reported to have been destroyed by explosions or damaged
with graffiti by North Korean activists. Yeong Saeng ("eternal life")
monuments have been erected throughout the country, each dedicated to the
departed "Eternal Leader," at which citizens are expected to pay annual
tribute on his official birthday or the commemoration of his death. It is
also traditional that North Korean newly weds, immediately after their
wedding, go to the nearest statue of Kim Il-Sung to lay flowers at his
feet. Kim Il-Sung's image is prominent in places associated with public
transportation, hanging at every North Korean train station and airport.
It is also placed prominently at the border crossings between China and
North Korea. His portrait is featured on the front of all recent North
Korean won banknotes. Thousands of gifts to Kim Il-Sung from foreign
leaders are housed in the International Friendship Exhibition.