Whenever April comes, the Korean people celebrate the Day of the Sun (birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung) as their greatest national holiday.

With growing yearning for him, they visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where he lies in state and his statues in different parts of the country to pay homage to him. They also hold colourful political and cultural events in Pyongyang and local areas, including meetings, seminars and artistic performances to praise his exploits and take an oath to translate his desire into reality.

Kim Il Sung was born in Mangyongdae of Pyongyang on April 15, Juche 1 (1912). He waged the two-decade-long arduous revolutionary struggle to win back Korea deprived of by the Japanese imperialists and achieved the historic cause of building the Party, the state and the army after national liberation (August 1945). He turned the DPRK into a socialist power independent in politics, self-supporting in the economy and self-reliant in national defence and provided his people with a dignified and happy life.

He devoted himself for the sake of people with great love for them throughout his life.

He made ceaseless guidance trips to different parts of the country, including Onsong County in the northern tip, a farm village near the Military Demarcation Line, a tideland reclamation site in the west coast and a small fishing station in the east coast. In this course, numerous impressive anecdotes were produced.

The following happened when he was on a guidance trip to a local area.

As he was too engrossed in his work, an official earnestly asked him to rest even a day. But he was pressed for time. He told the official in the following vein: There is a saying that a king feels at ease if his vassal works hard. I am a vassal of the people and they are my king. So, I should work hard to make them live in comfort. Working hard is a rest for me and nothing is more pleasant than this.

It was his unique outlook on happiness that he would never feel physical fatigue in working for the good of the people and getting pleasure from their happiness would make up for his rest.

He continued his guidance trips even on Sundays and national holidays when all the people had a good time.

From the day of Korea’s liberation until the last moment of his life in July 1994, he spent 2 530-odd Sundays and holidays, equivalent to seven years, for the wellbeing of the people.

The Korean people say that Kim Il Sung is their eternal father, in reflection of their strong yearning for and fervent loyalty to him.

It was the lifetime wish of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il to provide people with better living. It is also the greatest desire of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

Whenever he visits the units associated with the great leaders’ exploits, he recollects them in deep emotion and makes efforts to translate their intentions of affection for the people into reality. Under his wise leadership, the Korean people always carry on all their activities on the basis of the great leaders’ ideas and intentions, enjoying a happy life as desired by them.