DPRK Celebrates Foundation Day: The Sequel

Youth promenade commemorating Foundation Day in front of The Arch of Triumph on September 9, 2016 Photo: KCNA/Rodong Sinmun

 

A variety of public ceremonies and cultural events were held throughout the DPRK on September 9 (Friday) to mark the 68th anniversary of the foundation of the country.

Floral wreaths from Kim Jong Un at the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery. Photo: KCTV

 

Senior officials of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK], the DPRK Government and the Korean People’s Army [KPA] visited Ku’msusan Palace of the Sun, where the late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng) and late leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il) lie in state.  Floral baskets from Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n), the WPK Central Committee, the WPK Central Military Commission, the State Affairs Commission, the Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium and DPRK Cabinet were placed in front of the KIS and KJI statues.  The central leadership visitors “paid high tribute to the great leaders before their statues.”  Then the visitors visited the chambers where the preserved remains of KIS and KJI lie in state and “made bows” to the deceased leaders.  Then, they visited rooms where state titles and orders and honorary degree diplomas they received and their personal affects, the Mercedes Benz S-class sedans, the boat and railway coaches are displayed.

Floral wreath from Kim Jong Un, left, and central leadership delivering a joint floral wreath at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery on Mount Taesong in Pyongyang on September 9, 2016 (Photos: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

 

Floral wreath laying ceremonies were held at revolutionary hero and war memorial cemeteries throughout the country.  In Pyongyang, wreath laying ceremonies were held at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery on Mount Taesong, at the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetary and at the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War) Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Among those visiting the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery were: Kim Yo’ng-nam [Kim Yong Nam], Ch’oe Ryong-hae [Choe Ryong Hae], VMar Ri Myo’ng-su [Ri Myong Su], General Kim Wo’n-hong Kim P’yo’ng-hae [Kim Phyong Hae], Kwak Pom-ki [Kwak Pom Gi] and Kim Cho’ng-im [Kim Jong Im].  Among those visiting the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery were:  Pak Pong-chu [Pak Pong Ju], Yang Hyo’ng-sop [Yang Hyong Sop] General Pak Yo’ng-sik [Pak Yong Sik], Choe T’ae-pok [Choe Thae Bok], Ri Su-yo’ng [Ri Su Yong], General Chooe Pu-il [Choe Pu Il] Kim Yo’ng-ch’o’l [Kim Yong Chol], An Cho’ng-su [An Jong Su], Kim Yo’ng-su [Kim Yong Su] and Ri Il-hwan [Ri Il Hwan].  Those visiting the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs’ Cemetery included: VMar Hwang Pyo’ng-so’, Kim Ki-nam; Ri Man-ko’n [Ri Man Gon],  O Su-yong [O Su Yong], Ro Tu-ch’o’l [Ro Tu Chol], Ri Yong-ho [Ri Yong Ho] Kim Yo’ng-tae and Cho Yo’n-chun [Jo Yon Jun].

Senior DPRK Government officials place floral bouquets in front of the memorial grave marker of Kim Jong Suk at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery in Pyongyang on September 9, 2016 (Photo: Korean Central TV)

At the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery, visitors placed floral bouquets and paid their respects at the memorial marker of Kim Jong Suk (Kim Cho’ng-suk), KJI’s mother and Kim Jong Un’s grandmother.  Floral wreathes from Kim Jong Un were delivered at all three cemeteries.  Floral wreathes jointly sent by the WPK Central Committee, the State Affairs Commission, the Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium and the DPRK Cabinet were placed at the main wreath-laying pedestals at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery and the Patriotic Martyrs’ Cemetery.  A wreath jointly sent by the WPK Central Committee, the WPK Central Military Commission and the State Affairs Commission was placed at the “Soul of Heroes” pedestal at the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Floral wreathes from KPA and security agencies, workers and social organizations, Cabinet Ministries and commissions, state institutions, KPA and Korean People’s Internal Security Forces [KPISF] units, academic institutions, WPK and DPRK Government organizations and production and agricultural units were also delivered to the cemeteries.  Visitors paid “silent tribute to the fallen fighters who dedicated their lives to the country’s liberation, people’s freedom and happiness and to the struggle for achieving national reunification and accomplishing the cause of the Chuch’e revolution.  After the wreath laying ceremonies, visitors walked around the cemeteries.

Foundation Day performance at the Ponghwa Art Theater in Pyongyang on September 9, 2016 (Photo: KCNA).

An art performance “Story told by ‘Arirang'” took place at Ponghwa Art Theater on September 9.

In attendance were Kim Yo’ng-nam [Kim Yong Nam], VMAR Hwang Pyo’ng-so’ [Hwang Pyong So], Ch’oe Ryong-hae [Choe Ryong Hae], VMAR Ri Myo’ng-su [Ri Myong Su], General Pak Yo’ng-sik [Pak Yong Sik], Choe T’ae-pok [Choe Thae Bok], Kim Ki-nam [Kim Ki Nam], Yang Hyo’ng-sop [Yang Hyong Sop], Kim P’yo’ng-hae [Kim Phyong Hae], Kwak Pom-ki [Kwak Pom Gi], O Su-yong [O Su Yong], Ro Tu-ch’o’l [Ro Tu Chol], Ri Yong-ho [Ri Yong Ho], Kim Cho’ng-im [Kim Jong Im], Ri Ch’o’l-man [Ri Chol Man], Cho’n Il-chun [Jon Il Chun] Kim Yo’ng-su [Kim Yong Su], along with various central party cadres, leading functionaries of KPA and security agencies, the DPRK Government and national institutions.  Also in attenance were “overseas Koreans, the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, diplomatic envoys and representative of international bodies here and their spouses, military attaches and their spouses and other foreign guests.”

Dancers play the gum during a Foundation Day performance at Ponghwa Art Theater on September 9, 2016 (Photo: KCNA).

The performance included folk songs, instrumental pieces, dancing and a musical revue that “comprehensively and impressively dealt with the time-honored history of the Korean nation created along with Arirang.”  According to KCNA and KCTV “such numbers as female solo and grand kayagum ensemble ‘Arirang’ the performers gave artistic presentation to the past and present of the DPRK when a definite end was put to the history of twists and turns and the dignity of the country and nation were put on the highest level thanks to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.”  The performance was “highly acclaimed by the audience for reflecting the iron-will of all service persons and people to glorify the DPRK as the eternal state of the great leaders and dynamically advance along the path of building a socialist power indicated at the Seventh Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.”