PYONGYANG, April 15 (Itar-Tass) — North Korea’s failed attempt to launch the Kwangmyongsong-3 (Shining Star-3) satellite is unlikely to mar the atmosphere of celebrations in Pyongyang as North Korea is marking a centenary birth anniversary of its founder Kim IL Sung on Sunday.
A military parade will be held on the central square. North Korean schoolchildren and students dressed in uniforms are laying flowers to numerous mosaic panel pictures and statues of Kim ill Sung.
Assemblies, concerts and art exhibitions have been organized in all parts of the country. Local papers have published articles about Kim ill Sung, and local cinemas are running documentaries about his life.
A monumental sculptural group, including the statues of Kim ill Sung and Kim Jong-il, who had run the country for the past 17 years, was unveiled on the Mansudae height in central Pyongyang on Friday. The country’s leadership, including Kim Jong Un, and a large team of foreign journalists, including reporters from Russia, were present at the unveiling ceremony. The North Korean authorities staged huge fireworks last Friday.
A traditional flower show called “kimirseniya” featuring Kim il Sung’s favorite flower, has opened in Pyongyang. These beautiful flowers are decorating numerous portraits of Kim il Sung and photographs of a model of his house at his birthplace in Mangyongdae.
The festival of Kim IL Sung’s flower has been held annually since 1998 on the occasion of his birthday.
More than 50 artistic collectives from 20 countries will participate in the international “April spring” festival in Pyongyang. Russia will be represented by the Cossacks of Russia dance group, a chamber choir of the Moscow conservatoire, a Russian folk ensemble “Rossia” named after singer Lyudmila Zykina and performers of the Moscow circus of Yuri Nikulin. Russian Culture Minister Alexander Avdeyev is also staying in Pyongyang.
“We have come here at the invitation of the Korean side. We are going to participate in all the main festivities devoted to the holiday,” Avdeyev told Itar-Tass.
The Russian minister is to meet Kim Yong Nam, president of the presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, and Culture Minister An Dong-chun.
“We will get acquainted with the work of educational establishments and theaters. For example, we are interested in their experience in artistic education. On the whole, we will try to use the forthcoming meetings to build up cultural ties between our two countries,” the Russian culture minister emphasized.
A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church has arrived in Pyongyang. It’s led by Father Innokenty of Ussuriysk who will conduct an Easter service at the Church of St. Trinity in southern Pyongyang.
Hundreds of delegations have come to North Korea. They include heads of national organizations for exploring ideas ‘chuchhe’ and representatives of public committees of friendship with North Korea.
Elementary and secondary school pupils and students received new uniforms as a gift.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has allocated 2.32 billion yen (about 2.04 billion dollars) for the needs of education of Korean children in Japan.
He also signed a decree promoting 70 senior army officers to the rank of major general.