North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

Kim Jong Un Visits Ku’msusan on the DPRK’s Birthday

Kim Jong Un and senior DPRK officials line up in the statue hall at Ku’msusan Memorial Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on September 9, 2018 (Photo: KCTV).

KJU’s last observed appearance was his meeting with Valentina Matvienko, chairwoman of the Russian Federation Council, on September 8

Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) and senior DPRK officials visited Ku’msusan Palace of the Sun [KPS] on September 9 (Sunday), the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the country.

WPK Political Bureau Presidium Members Kim Yong Nam, Choe Ryong Hae and Pak Pong Ju line up to greet Kim Jong Un prior to the visit to Ku’msusan to mark Foundation Day on September 9, 2018 (Photo: KCTV)

Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Political Bureau Presidium Members Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium President Kim Yong Nam (Kim Yo’ng-nam), WPK Vice Chairman and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman Choe Ryong Hae (Ch’oe Ryong-hae) and DPRK Premier and State Affairs Commission Vice Chairman Pak Pong Ju (Pak Pong-chu) greeted Kim Jong Un when he arrived.  Also visiting Ku’msusan were WPK Vice Chairmen, WPK Central Committee Department Directors and Senior Deputy Directors, SPA Presidium Vice President and Korea Social Democratic Party Central Committee Chairman Kim Yong Day (Kim Yo’ng-tae), DPRK Vice Premiers, Cabinet Ministers, semi-retired advisers to the WPK Central Committee and Korean People’s Army [KPA] and leading officials of Workers’ and Social Organizations and other national institutions.

Senior DPRK officials gather to greet Kim Jong Un prior to the Foundation Day visit to Ku’msusan (Photo: KCTV)

Also visiting KPS with Jong Un were KPA General Political Bureau Director Gen. Kim Su Gil, Chief of the KPA General Staff Gen. Ri Yong Gil (Ri Yo’ng-kil), Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Gen. No Kwang Chol (No Kwang-ch’o’l), Minister of People’s Security Gen. Choe Pu Il (Ch’oe Pu-il), Minister of State Security Col. Gen. Jong Kyong Thaek (Cho’ng Kyo’ng-t’aek) and other senior officials of the KPA High Command, the KPA Corps Command and the internal security services.

A KPA Honor Guard delivers Kim Jong Un’s floral basket to the statues of KIS and KJI (Photo: KCTV).

Statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Ku’msusan (Photo: KCTV)

Kim Jong Un’s floral basket (Photo: KCTV)

Kim Jong Un and the other visitors entered the hall where the statues that contain the statues of late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng) and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il).  A KPA honor guard delivered a floral basket from Jong Un, a floral basket sent jointly by the WPK Central Committee, the WPK Central Military Commission and DPRK State Affairs Commission and a floral basket sent jointly by the SPA Presidium and DPRK Cabinet in front of the statues.

Jong Un and the other visited “paid high tribute to the statues of the great leaders.”

View of the hallway outside the chamber containing Kim Il Sung’s preserved remains (Photo: KCTV)

Kim Jong Un paying his respects to his paternal grandfather, late DPRK President and found Kim Il Sung, on September 9, 2018 (Photo: KCTV)

Pak Pong Ju, Choe Ryong Hae and Kim Yong Nam bow in front of Kim Il Sung’s body on September 9, 2018 (Photo: KCTV)

Then he and the other visitors went into the chamber containing Kim Il Sung’s preserved remains.  Kim Jong Un “paid homage” to Kim Il Sung “in the humblest reverence for him.”

Kim Jong Un pays his respects to the preserved remains of his father, late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, on September 9, 2018 (Photo: KCTV)

Kim Jong Un and the other visitors went into the chamber containing the preserved remains of his father, Kim Jong Il.  Jong Un “paid homage” to KJI “in the humblest reverence for him.”

An affiliate of 38 North