When is Birth Date of Kim Il Sung Day?
The birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung is a non-working day on April 15th in North Korea.
Also known as the Day of the Sun or Sun's Day, this holiday marks the birth of Kim Il Sung in 1912.
History of Birth Date of Kim Il Sung Day
Kim is reported to have been born in a small village outside Pyongyang on April 15th 1912.
His family fled to Manchuria in the 1920s due to the Japanese occupation of Korea. Kim became involved with the Communist Party of China in the early 1930s and joined a guerilla group to fight against Japanese occupation, taking the name Il-sung (meaning 'become the sun') in honour of a famed guerilla fighter. During World War II, Kim became a Major in the Soviet Army.
At the end of the war, the Soviets needed someone to control the territory of North Korea and Kim was recommended to Stalin. On September 9th 1948, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was proclaimed with Kim as the Soviet-designated premier.
Did you know?
Kim Il Sung was born on the same day that the Titanic sank.
Kim remained leader until his death in 1994. He was Premier from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to 1994. He is Kim Jong Un's grandfather and despite his death, he remains the country's 'eternal president'.
Today, this public holiday to mark his birthday is seen as the most important national holiday in North Korea. Kim Il Sung's birthday was first recognised as an official holiday in 1968, coinciding with his 56th birthday. The holiday gained its official title, Day of the Sun, in 1997, three years after his passing on July 8th, 1994.
Additionally, Kim Il Sung’s birth marks the commencement of the new Juche year, a distinct calendar system exclusive to the DPRK.
This holiday is one of the most important national holidays in North Korea. From early in the morning tens of thousands of people in the capital Pyongyang and other cities visit memorials to participate in the celebrations. Events will take place in Pyongyang during the day, at Mansudae hill where there are giant bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-Il, and also in the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the leaders are buried within a transparent sarcophagus.
Government and business offices, banks, and retail outlets will close for the Day of the Sun.
Every five years, the celebrations are on a larger scale than usual. In 2022, the holiday was marked by a massive military parade.
