Kim Jong Il Fast Facts
Photos: Happy birthday? North Korea celebrates Kim Jong Il's legacy
Day of the Shining Star – Crowds gather to dance in Pyongyang to mark Kim Jong Il's birthday on February 16, 2014. The former dictator died in 2011. His birthday is a national holiday known throughout North Korea as the Day of the Shining Star.
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Photos: Happy birthday? North Korea celebrates Kim Jong Il's legacy
Birthday flower show – Families frequently pose for photos with the portrait of regime founder Kim Il Sung (left) and his son, Kim Jong Il (right) at a flower show in Pyongyang celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday. Commemorated in similar fashion, the birthday of Kim Il Sung is known as the Day of the Sun and falls on April 15.
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Photos: Happy birthday? North Korea celebrates Kim Jong Il's legacy
Foreigners welcome – Tourists are welcome to dance with locals in celebration of the Day of the Shining Star.
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Photos: Happy birthday? North Korea celebrates Kim Jong Il's legacy
Flowers and missiles – Yep, those are missiles in front of a portrait of Kim Jong Il surrounded by a display of Kimjongilias, the colorful flowers named after him.
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Photos: Happy birthday? North Korea celebrates Kim Jong Il's legacy
Tourist trap – Yanggakdo Hotel is one of the few places where tourists are allowed to stay in Pyongyang. Signs announce the occasion of Kim Jong Il's birthday. Of the 1,000 rooms, about 30 were occupied during the holiday in 2014.
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