Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) and his wife Ri Sol Ju (Ri So’l-chu) attended a concert at Mansudae Art Theater in central Pyongyang on Tuesday (16 February) to mark the Day of the Shining Star, the birth anniversary of KJU’s father and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il). Also in attendance were senior officials of the Party, State and Army. According to state media, the fabulous Mansudae Art Theater was “wrapped in great enthusiasm and excitement of the audience who were to enjoy the grand performance with the General Secretary in the time-honored theater closely associated with the leadership of Kim Jong Il, who opened up the flowering period of the Chuch’e-oriented art.”
When Kim Jong Un and Ri Sol Ju appeared, the audience “burst into thunderous cheers of ‘Hurrah!’ extending the greatest respect to the General Secretary, who is ushering in a new period of development of building out own-style socialism with noble responsibility for the Party, revolution, country and people.”
The State Affairs Commission Band (a.k.a SAC Band), the Merited State Choir and other art troupes performed at the concert which was divided into two parts.
The performance that started with the Patriotic Song was divided into two parts in which “performers sang highly of the undying feats performed by the peerless patriot who was born at the Shining Star of Mt. Paektu with the spring warmth of February and recorded the noble history of making total dedication to the people in the long course covered by the Chuch’e revolution.” The audience “looked back on the noble revolutionary career of Kim Jong Il who laid a firm foundation for building a powerful socialist country with his self-sacrificing dedication beyond imagination with a pledge to glorify the country of the great sun all over the world.” It “showed their immense self-confidence and pride of having made revolution led by the great man born of heaven, the great leader” with applause.
The first part of the concert ended with “Snowstorm over Jong Il Peak” and the pangchang “A Dear Name.” The second part of the concert began with “There Are People by the Marshal” and hymns “our people heartily sing in reverence for the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who is confidently leading our own-style socialism to a new victory in the noble idea of believing in people as in Heaven, single-minded unity and self-reliance associated with the lifetime intention of Kim Jong Il.”
According to DPRK state media, the concert venue was “overflowing with emotion amid a series of songs showing the faith of the people to uphold and follow the General Secretary as the sun of their destiny as he is opening up the new era of our state-first principle and cultivating the great flower garden on the people-first principle while making energetic efforts for the prosperity of our socialist state, the greatest patriotic legacy bequeathed by Kim Jong Il.” The concert ended with “Fly High, Our Party Flag” and “People Are of a Single Mind.”
The DPRK central leadership attending the concert “hardened their pledge of loyalty to dedicate their all to and devotedly strive for successfully implementing the grandiose fighting program of our Party, while looking up to the General Secretary repeatedly bestowing great loving care and warmly encouraging them so that they could deeply cherish their heavy yet honorable mission and responsibility for the Party, revolution and people and fulfill their duty and role as the organizer and standard-bearer in the struggle for implementing the decisions made at the Party Congress.”
A floral basket from the WPK Central Committee was given to the performers at the end of the concert. Kim Jong Un “expressed great satisfaction over the successful performance which made an excellent artistic depiction of the strong longings of the people for Kim Jong Il and their firm pledge to remain true to the guidance of the Party Central Committee.”