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Giant sign carved on the North Korean mountain for Kim Jong Il birthday

One more sign has been added to the numerous rock inscriptions dedicated to Kim Jong II

PYONGYANG, February 10 (Itar-Tass) — One more sign has been added to the numerous rock inscriptions dedicated to Kim Jong Il. On the occasion of his 70th anniversary to be celebrated on February 16 as the “Day of a Shining Star” a 120-metre sign reading: “Peerless Patriot General Kim Jong Il. February 16, Juche 101 (2012)" was carved on the side of the picturesque Mount Sokda in Jungsan County, South Phyongan Province.

Each letter reaches a height of 8.5 metres and 4.8 metres in width, and the name of Kim Jong Il is engraved in larger letters - 10 metres in height and 5.5 metres in width.

The opening ceremony of the inscription, which was held this week, brought together representatives of labour collectives and local residents. The country’s leadership was represented by the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) Kim Ki Nam and Chairman of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly Choe Thae Bok. The speakers stressed that the administration and workers “have themselves chosen this beautiful mountain, which is visible from all sides, to perpetuate the immortal revolutionary achievements of Kim Jong Il.” Calls were made at the meeting to “energetically move along the path of socialist construction, to strengthen the defence and to support dear and respected Kim Jong Un,” who became the country’s head after his father died on December 17, 2011 as a result of a heart attack.

The custom of carving inscriptions on rocks had also existed in ancient Korea, where it was done mostly by Buddhist monks who lived in the mountains. They carved different sayings, proverbs, names. The tradition has acquired greater scope in the DPRK, when slogans glorifying the leaders of the republic, its Workers’ Party and the Korea-type socialism were carved on the tops of the Mounts Myohyang-san and Kumgangsan in letters several metres in size.

The largest of these inscriptions – “Heaven-sent Peerless Commander Kim Jong Il” – was made at Peak Pirobong in the Kumgangsan Mountains in the southeast of the country. The size of the letters in the name of the DPRK leader is 34 metres in height and 25 metres in width. This propaganda piece was created in 2002, when the 60th anniversary of Kim Jong Il was celebrated.

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