North Korea’s Kim reclaims ancestors’ legacy with rare mausoleum visit

Observers note a potential shift in Kim’s approach – reviving the personality cult of his ancestors to strengthen his own authority

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (fourth from left, bowing) visits the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang to mark the 83rd anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-il on Sunday. Photo by KCNA via KNS / AFP

Published: 8:00am, 18 Feb 2025

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a rare visit to his ancestors’ mausoleum on Sunday, marking the first time in four years he has paid tribute to the tomb on his father’s birthday.

Analysts suggest the gesture may have been an attempt to reinforce his regime’s legitimacy amid growing international calls for it to denuclearise.

On Sunday, Kim, accompanied by top military officials and his influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to honour their late father Kim Jong-il, and grandfather Kim Il-sung.

The visit coincided with the Day of the Shining Star, a national holiday in North Korea on February 16, Kim Jong-il’s birthday.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the younger Kim expressed a “solemn will” to dedicate himself to the “sacred struggle” for the nation’s eternal prosperity, the safety of its people and the promotion of their well-being.

He vowed to remain faithful to the revolutionary ideals of both his father and grandfather, whose embalmed bodies are housed at the mausoleum. It marked the first time since 2021 that he had visited the mausoleum on his father’s birthday.