D-1 to North Korea's Largest Holiday 'Day of the Sun'... Ministry of Unification "Event May Be Scaled Down Due to COVID-19"

"Maintaining the National Emergency Quarantine System"

Statue of Kim Il-sung in Pyongyang Cheollima District

Regarding April 15, the birthday of Chairman Kim Il-sung and North Korea's biggest holiday, the 'Day of the Sun,' the government authorities stated that no unusual trends have been detected in North Korea, and due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale events are unlikely to be held or may be scaled down.

An official from the Ministry of Unification said to reporters on the day, "North Korea has decided to maintain its national emergency quarantine system," adding, "Since the events have not yet taken place, it is difficult to make a definitive forecast, but it seems that large-scale events will either not be held or will be reduced."

In North Korea, the birthdays of Chairman Kim Il-sung and Chairman Kim Jong-il are called the 'Day of the Sun' (April 15) and the 'Day of the Shining Star' (February 16), respectively, and both are designated public holidays. Kim Il-sung's birthday was designated a public holiday in 1974, and Kim Jong-il's birthday was designated as such in 1982.

On April 14, North Korea internally heightened the atmosphere by promoting Chairman Kim Il-sung's achievements during his lifetime.

On the same day, the North Korean state media, Korean Central News Agency, reported, "Le Ba Vinh, the Vietnamese ambassador to North Korea; Otl Malhari Gottsrbe, the Indian ambassador to North Korea; Berlian Napitupulu, the Indonesian ambassador to North Korea; and Haisam Safi Attin, the acting Egyptian ambassador to North Korea, sent flower baskets and congratulatory letters to Chairman Kim Jong-un."

It also reported, "The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of Laos, Elias Sekgobelo Magashule, General Secretary of the South African African National Congress, Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, and Johnny Hon, co-chairman of the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il Fund Council, sent flower baskets."

Regarding the background of Ri Man-gun, former head of the Workers' Party Organization and Guidance Department, who was dismissed in February due to involvement in corruption and reappeared in North Korean media during the Supreme People's Assembly on April 12, a Ministry of Unification official said, "When North Korean media reported Ri Man-gun's dismissal, they did not specify which of his multiple positions he was dismissed from," adding, "It can be interpreted that he was dismissed from one of the several current positions he holds."

However, there is no confirmed information about which position Ri Man-gun was dismissed from at that time or what position he currently holds, and the Ministry of Unification has stated that it will observe the situation over time.

The 3rd session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on the 12th, according to a report by Korean Central TV on the 13th. Delegates are holding delegate cards labeled "Supreme People's Assembly Delegate Card."

Meanwhile, Chairman Kim Jong-un sent 216.6 million yen (approximately 2.44 billion Korean won) to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) for ethnic education of children of Korean residents in Japan. The total amount of educational aid and scholarships sent by Chairman Kim Il-sung, Chairman Kim Jong-il, and Chairman Kim Jong-un to Chongryon to date amounts to 48.6633 billion yen (approximately 548.53 billion Korean won).

An official from the Ministry of Unification explained, "North Korea's educational aid to Chongryon has been ongoing since 1957," adding, "It is understood that support is provided about twice a year."

North Korea has been providing about 200 million yen annually to Chongryon from 2013 to the present, with the largest amount sent in 1975, totaling 3.4 billion yen.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.