North Korea celebrated the 80th birthday of its former supreme leader, Kim Jong-il, in freezing temperatures of -15 degrees Celsius, according to US-based NK News. He died in 2011.

Concerts, fireworks and a rare open-air ceremony took place in the town of Sanchiyuan near the Chinese border.

On the eve of Kim’s birthday, images from local media showed his son and current supreme leader Kim Jong Un wearing a dark winter coat, waving as people applauded and braved extreme weather outdoors.

The ceremony demonstrated the firm determination of the participants to support Kim Jong-un. Similar events were held in the Hermit Nation to celebrate the former supreme leader’s birthday.

However, the enthusiasm of North Korean citizens is often forced because they fear imprisonment or death if they do not fully praise their leaders.

This can be explained by the fact that dozens of North Koreans were in tears over the deaths of Kim Jong Il and his father Kim Il Sung (the founder of North Korea).

Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung’s birthdays are one of the most important festivals in the country.

The Associated Press reported that citizens of Pyongyang climbed Mount Longevity to lay flowers and bow to the giant statues of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung. Elsewhere in Pyongyang, signs with celebratory messages such as “A National Event” were erected on the streets.

Kim Jong-il was born on February 16, 1942, in the secret camp of Mount Paektu near Samjiyon. However, Soviet records show that he was born in 1941 near Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East, the NK report also states. He died of a heart attack in late 2011.

During his tenure, Human Rights Watch said North Korea had one of the most repressive governments in the world. Human Rights Watch also called Kim Jong-il a dictator and accused him of human rights abuses.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times