On the occasion of Chairman Kim Il Sung’s birthday, North Korea emphasized the principle of people first (以民爲天), urging citizens to demonstrate loyalty to the Party and the state.
The ruling party’s newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, published an editorial on Wednesday asserting that the people first ideology, championed by the great leader Kim Il Sung, remains the enduring political philosophy of the Party and state. The editorial claimed this philosophy embodies a political creed of serving and revering the people as teachers.
The newspaper emphasized that this political philosophy, meticulously implemented by the great leader Kim Il Sung in Party and state affairs, was firmly carried on by the great general Kim Jong Il. It continues to flourish today under the leadership of the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un, underscoring that this philosophy is a political legacy of the Kim dynasty.
The article further stated that their cause of steadfastly upholding the people first ideology as the eternal political philosophy of the Party and state, and as a banner of struggle and progress, is destined for victory. It rallied readers to march forward with renewed courage and confidence to accelerate the realization of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s ideals, which prioritize the welfare of the people as its highest principle.
Since Chairman Kim Jong Il’s leadership, North Korea has commemorated Kim Il Sung’s birthday as the Day of the Sun, celebrating it as a major holiday. However, in recent years, this term has been used less frequently, aligning with Kim Jong Un’s efforts to distance from his predecessors’ legacies or to normalize the state.
Nevertheless, it appears that related events are still conducted with significant importance. The newspaper reported that the Socialist Women’s Union and the Agricultural Workers’ Union held celebratory meetings the previous day. The Korean Children’s Union also hosted a National Federation event in honor of Kim Il Sung’s birthday.
The paper also noted that officials, workers, soldiers, and students visited the Mangyongdae Home, known as Kim Il Sung’s birthplace in Pyongyang. This year, the number of visitors to Mangyongdae reportedly exceeded 120,000, according to the newspaper.
In recognition of Kim Il Sung’s birthday, the newspaper reported that leaders from North Korea’s allied countries sent floral tributes. This year, presidents from Cambodia (April 7), Laos (April 13), Palestine (April 13), and Nigeria (April 14) sent flower baskets.
Additionally, the Vietnamese and Cuban ambassadors to North Korea sent flower baskets and congratulatory letters. The Syrian chargé d’affaires and the Nicaraguan ambassador also sent congratulatory messages, while the Indonesian and Brazilian embassies contributed flower baskets, as reported by the newspaper.