Kim Jong-un and Officials Skip Memorial Visits on Kim Il-sung’s Birthday

· Unprecedented in His 13 Years of Leadership

· Focusing on His Own Birthday Over Previous Leaders'

It has been reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un skipped visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on his grandfather Kim Il-sung's birthday (April 15) for the second year. This unusual move, mirrored by the absence of key officials at the commemoration, has sparked curiosity. In his 13th year of rule, Kim seems to be downplaying his predecessors' birthdays to emphasize his own, possibly to consolidate his power.

The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, resting place of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il / Korean Central Television

The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun holds the remains of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Kim Jong-un has previously attended this site on major anniversaries. Since taking power, he had even declared the palace a sacred place by law in 2013, the year following his inauguration.

North Korean media, including Korean Central Television, did not report any visits by Kim Jong-un or senior officials to the Palace up until the evening of April 16th, the day after Kim Il-sung's birthday. This delay in reporting suggests that if the visits had occurred, they would have been covered by now, indicating likely non-attendance.

For the second consecutive year, Kim Jong-un did not visit the Palace on Kim Il-sung’s birthday, breaking a tradition maintained since his rise to power. This year, for the first time, key officials also skipped the visit, marking an unprecedented deviation from past practices.

There is speculation that Kim Jong-un is intentionally avoiding memorial visits on the birthdays of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il to diminish their historical significance. Interestingly, he skipped the visit on ‘Day of the Shining Star’ (Kim Jong-il’s birthday) two months ago but attended memorials on their death anniversaries last year. This suggests he is making strategic choices about the events he chooses to honor.

Some analysts believe that Kim Jong-un’s decision to focus more on himself and less on idolizing North Korea's founding leaders might be a strategic move to subtly reduce their legacy, which traditionally justified the three-generation rule. Reflecting this shift, Kim Jong-un emphasized in a 2019 letter to the National Party Propaganda Workers' Contest, 'Mystifying the leader’s revolutionary activities and characteristics obscures the truth.'

The new practice of not relying on ancestral fame could be seen as an expression of confidence from Kim Jong-un, now over 13 years into his rule. This aligns with the recent phrasing changes in state propaganda, which has started to downplay the traditional ‘Day of the Sun’ celebration in favor of more neutral terms like ‘April Holiday’ or ‘Spring Festival.’

Kim Jong-un has significantly cut back on his visits to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a site he once regularly attended for important anniversaries. In 2022, he showed up only for New Year's Day, Kim Il-sung's 110th birthday, and the 28th anniversary of his death. Last year, his appearances were limited to a few select dates, and this year, he has not visited at all, missing even the New Year's Day and Kim Jong-il's birthday celebrations on February 16th.

Initially, Kim Jong-un frequently visited the Kumsusan Palace to legitimize his leadership by honoring his lineage. However, having consolidated his power over more than a decade, he now makes fewer ceremonial visits, reflecting his increased confidence in his rule.

Kim Jong-un’s recent departure from his predecessors' principles is evident in his actions. He notably ordered the removal of the 'Three-Point Charter for National Reunification' monument established by his father, Kim Jong-il, marking a significant policy shift.