N. Korea’s Kim leads mass ceremony for late leaders—TV

Profile of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. AFP

PYONGYANG—North Korea’s new leader Kim Jong-Un led a mass ceremony in the capital Pyongyang to commemorate the country’s two late leaders, state TV showed Friday.

Jong-Un was seen waving at tens of thousands of people crowding a central area in Pyongyang to honor new large statues of the nation’s founding president Kim Il-Sung and his son and longtime ruler Kim Jong-Il.

North Korea is celebrating the April 15 centenary of the birth of Kim Il-Sung with major events including the launch of a long-range rocket on Friday morning, which ended in failure.

“We are holding our late great leaders in high esteem with these statues on the Mansudae hill… to mark the Day of the Sun,” Kim Yong-Nam, the ceremonial head of state, told cheering crowds, referring to the April 15 anniversary.

Jong-Un was seen standing with top party and military cadres including military chief Ri Yong-Ho and his aunt, four-star general Kim Kyoung-Hui.

The ceremony began with fireworks after hundreds of balloons were released into the air.