North Korea on Monday celebrated the 60th anniversary of Korean
Peninsula's 1945 liberation from Japan's colonial rule.
Wreaths in the name of the North Korean top leader Kim Jong-il,
Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, the Presidium of
the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) and the North
Korean Cabinet, were placed at the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery
in Mt. Taesong.
President of the SPA's Presidium Kim Yong-nam, Premier Pak
Bong-ju and other senior Party, state and army officials attended
the wreath-laying ceremonies.
Millions of people went to Mansudae Bronze Statue of Kim Il-sung
and the Soviet Red Army Liberation Tower to lay wreaths for their
late leader and martyrs of the Soviet Union, who were considered as
liberators by the North Korean people.
A large evening gala attended by thousands of young people was
held at the Kim Il-sung Square. The sponsor made royal fireworks
performance to push the festival atmosphere to culmination.
Arirang Festival, a large-scale gymnastic performance that has
been practiced for five months by more than 100,000 people, will
take place on Tuesday at the famous 50,000-seat May 1 Stadium, the
largest one in Pyongyang.
(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2005)