The Day of the Sun is the most important date in the North Korean calendar. There are plenty of public holidays in the DPRK (North Korea) marking everything from the founding of the Korean People’s Army on April 25 to the conclusion of the Korean War on July 27.
Day of the Sun however, is different. This holiday, known as 태양절 Taeyangjol in Korea, marks the anniversary of the birth of the founder of the country, the President Kim Il Sung, born on April 15th, 1912. The day is marked with celebrations across the country, mass dances in the major cities and often parades in the capital’s central square.
As with all things North Korea there is a lot more to this holiday than you might expect. So, without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the Day of the Sun!
History
In a small village near Pyongyang called Mangyongdae on April 15th 1912, a child was born with the name Kim Song Ju. At the time, the birth of a child to parents Kim Hyong Jik, a Korean independence activist, and his wife Kang Pan Sok was not an event to garner any unusually great celebrations.
Song Ju grew up in the village of Mangyongdae, not far from his mother’s hometown of Chilgol. Both are now officially designed Revolutionary Sites and are part of Pyongyang.
However, the next 4 decades would see the young boy join the anti-Japanese revolution against the Japanese occupation of Korea, found a new socialist nation in northern Korea and lead his forces in the Korean War. During his time fighting the Japanese, Kim Song Ju took on a new name, Kim Il Sung (김일성) meaning ‘of the Sun’.
As Premier of the DPRK (North Korea), April 15 had been designed a provisional public holiday. It was updated to an official holiday in 1968, the same year Kim Il Sung became General Secretary of the Worker’s Party of Korea.
In 1974, two years after the creation of the Presidency of the DPRK, the holiday was updated once again to officially become the most important public holiday in the North Korean calendar.
The President passed away in 1994, three years later April 15th was officially designated ‘The Day of the Sun’ and it has been celebrated in this form since 1997. It remains the most significant annual holiday in the country and always sees major celebrations across the country whether in the heart of the capital or in local villages deep in the mountains of the northern provinces.
Celebrations
There are numerous different ways for Koreans to mark this important holiday. Perhaps the most well-known custom is to lay flowers at the statues of the President Kim Il Sung and the General Kim Jong Il. Almost every major city in the country is centred around bronze statues of the country’s foremost leaders and so, from early in the morning on the Day of the Sun, Koreans turn out to pay their respects. In towns without statues, there will be a monument of some description dedicated to the Great Leaders.
Koreans may also pay a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the resting place of the Great Leaders. Every year, top officials pay a visit to the palace on April 15th to mark the holiday.
Perhaps the clearest display of celebration is the ubiquitous mass dances which take place in cities around North Korea. Hundreds of students in traditional dress and/or their university uniforms meet up in large groups to perform choreographed dances in the many squares and public spaces around their city.
Other important events include the Pyongyang Marathon, officially the Mangyongdae International Prize Marathon, the Kimilsungia Flower Festival which celebrates the Kimilsungia orchid which was cultivated specially and named after the President.
Children across Korea can often expect to receive gifts, sweets and other goodies to mark the holiday and so, whilst the Day of the Sun may be highly anticipated by adults around the country for its ideological importance, the children of Korea likely look forward to the sweeter side of the holiday! Children are also often admitted to the Korean Children’s Union on the Day of the Sun, alongside a handful of other important dates.
Visiting for Day of the Sun
If you’re planning to visit North Korea, we recommend visiting during a public holiday. The atmosphere in Pyongyang will always be buzzing and the decorations emblazoned on the facades of buildings and lining the streets add a whole new layer to the beauty, and intrigue, of the country.
The Day of the Sun is the paramount holiday in the country and so you can expect the paramount celebrations!
Foreign visitors are not only allowed to participate in Mass Dances alongside locals, but it’s actively encouraged. Running the Pyongyang Marathon (or a shorter distance alongside the marathon) is also something which foreign travellers often indulge in.
Visits to the various festivals such as the Kimilsungia Flower Festival or the April Spring Friendship Art Festival may also be added to the itinerary to mark this special holiday. On top of all that, locals will congregate in the parks and open spaces of Pyongyang to enjoy a beer with their friends, have a dance and generally celebrate the Day of the Sun, and that’s something we can certainly enjoy alongside the locals. Celebrating with Koreans is a great way to experience a small part of everyday life in the DPRK!