North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, on July 8. He attended the central commemorative ceremony and a memorial concert.
The party newspaper Rodong Sinmun issued an extra edition on the 9th with an 8-page spread, extensively covering the commemorative trends related to Kim Il Sung’s 30th anniversary with photos.
On pages 1 and 2, Kim’s participation in the Central Memorial Ceremony held at Kim Il Sung Square the previous day was reported. On page 3, there was a memorial speech by Party Secretary Ri Il Hwan. On page 4, news was provided about Kim’s visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and his attendance at a memorial concert.
On page 5, it reported on the commemoration activities of residents, including workers, soldiers, young students, and others across the country, who visited statues of Kim Il Sung and Defense Chairman Kim Jong Il to lay floral baskets in honor of Kim’s anniversary.
Members of the North Korean Embassy in Vietnam also laid floral baskets while Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov sent a condolence message to Kim in honor of his grandfather.
Memorial events took place across the country, marked by a nationwide three-minute moment of silence at noon on the 8th. According to the newspaper’s report on page 6, residents paused their work to reflect solemnly, spending three fervent minutes reminiscing and expressing earnest longing for the exemplary life and enduring patriotic accomplishments of the esteemed leader.
On page 7, it reported that a delegation of military education workers from the Kim Il Sung Military Academy, led by Kim Kum Chol, departed for Russia. It also covered the news of athletes who participated in the 8th Children of Asia International Sports Games returning from Russia.
On page 8, it criticized Japan for conducting large-scale military exercises with the United States, stating, “Russia frequently protests and warns Japan,” and warned that “if Japan continues to play a leading role in igniting the flames of war in the Asia-Pacific region along with the United States, it will be a self-destructive attempt repeating the history of doom.”