DPRK commemorates birthday of Kim Jong Il

CRI, February 17, 2013

North Koreans marked the 71st anniversary of the birth of their former leader Kim Jong Il on Saturday.

Thousands of people climbed Mansu Hill in the center of the capital, Pyongyang, to lay flowers before giant statues of Kim Jong Il and his father, Kim Il Sung.

Since his death, North Korea has dubbed Kim Jong Il's birthday the "Day of the Shining Star."

For Pyongyang resident Kim Kum Hwa, laying flowers was a chance to pay respect to her former leader.

"Today we are visiting these statues on the occasion of the Day of the Shining Star. Here, I felt once again how happy and honorably I lived under the care of our respected general. This morning my whole family came to these statues with flowers for the Day of the Shining Star."

It is customary for North Koreans to offer flowers at images and statues of their past leaders on major holidays and anniversaries.

But this year, apart from the traditional floral offerings, groups of people gathered to take part in exercises to mark the occasion.

North Korea detonated a nuclear device just four days before the anniversary of Kim's birth which drew international condemnation.

In December last year, North Korea launched a long-range rocket which put a satellite into orbit.

At the time, North Korean state media stated clearly that the launch was aimed at carrying out the wishes of their deceased leader.

North Korean authorities have not made any link between the timing of their latest nuclear test and the birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il.