North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Kim) paid his respects at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on Wednesday, marking the 14th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death.
According to the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, Kim visited the mausoleum at midnight. He was joined by members of the Politburo Standing Committee, high-ranking party and government officials, top brass from the Ministry of Defense, and commanders of the Korean People’s Army’s major units.
Kim laid floral tributes before the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. The report noted that attendees then proceeded to the Hall of Eternal Life to pay their respects to the Great Leader Kim Jong Il.
The newspaper emphasized that all participants reaffirmed their unwavering loyalty to Kim’s ideology and leadership, which they claim is ushering in a new era of national resurgence, building upon Kim Jong Il’s patriotic legacy.
The report added that on this solemn anniversary, the entire nation and military personnel are reflecting on Kim Jong Il’s sacred revolutionary life and eternal achievements. It described a nationwide outpouring of reverence, characterized by boundless longing and fervent loyalty.
Since assuming power, Kim has made annual pilgrimages to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun around the anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death, with 2022 being the sole exception.