Kim Jong Un Honors Late Father with First Mausoleum Visit in Four Years

The North Korean leader's visit coincided with a national holiday celebrating his father's birthday and included a vow to advance the country's prosperity.

• Kim Jong Un visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay respects to his late father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung, on February 16, 2025.
• The visit marked the first time in four years that Kim has attended the mausoleum on the Day of the Shining Star, a major North Korean holiday celebrating Kim Jong Il’s birthday.
• Kim was accompanied by top officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, and expressed a commitment to the ideals of his predecessors while pledging to ensure the nation's prosperity and security.
• State media highlighted Kim’s participation in a groundbreaking ceremony for the final phase of a project to build 50,000 new homes in Pyongyang, part of his five-year economic plan.
• Analysts view the visit as an effort to reinforce Kim's regime's legitimacy while balancing his attempts to establish a distinct leadership identity.

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