Kim Jong-un Visits Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on 32nd Anniversary of Kim Il-sung's Death

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of his predecessors are enshrined, today (July 8) to mark the 32nd anniversary of the death of Kim Il-sung.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited the palace at midnight.
He was accompanied by a large number of high-ranking officials from the Workers' Party, the Cabinet, and the military, including members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau.
Photos released by the KCNA show that among the hundreds of attendees, senior party officials including Jo Yong-won, Jong Kyong-thaek, Kim Song-nam, Jo Chun-ryong, Ju Chang-il, Kim Jong-gwan, Kim Sung-du, Ri Hi-yong, and An Kum-chol, as well as Premier Kim Tok-hun, stood in the front row with Kim.
Kim Yo-jong, Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party, Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, and Defense Minister No Kwang-chol stood in the row immediately behind them.
Kim Jae-ryong, a former secretary who was dismissed from his post last month, also stood in the second row, while Kim's daughter, Ju-ae, was not seen today.
The KCNA reported that Kim paid tribute to the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il and prayed for the eternal life of the two late leaders.
While North Korean media often report on Kim's activities the day after an event, the news of today's visit was unusually reported on the same day.
The media referred to the anniversary of Kim Il-sung's death today as the "greatest day of mourning for the Party, the state, and the people."
In a report on the same day one year ago, it was described as the "greatest day of national mourning," but this year, "national" was replaced with "the Party, the state, and the people."
North Korean media have been using the phrase "greatest day of mourning for the Party, the state, and the people" instead of "greatest day of national mourning" since reports on the anniversary of Kim Jong-il's death last December.
This is interpreted as a measure reflecting an emphasis on statehood in line with North Korea's "two hostile states" claim.
As this year's anniversary of Kim Il-sung's death is not a "jeongjunyeon" (a year ending in 0 or 5, which North Korea considers significant), it appears that no large-scale commemorative events attended by Kim will be held.
In 2024, the 30th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's death, Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and also attended a central memorial rally held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang.
This year, low-key commemorative events by various groups, such as "virtue presentation meetings" and "virtue storytelling meetings" for youth, students, the working class, farmers, and women's union members, are continuing.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.