Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has paid his respects at the mausoleum of his father, late leader Kim Jong-il, on the anniversary of his birthday, state media reported Monday, marking his first reported visit to the family mausoleum on the late leader's birth anniversary in four years.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun the previous day, on the late leader's birthday, known as the Day of the Shining Star, accompanied by his powerful sister Kim Yo-jong, party secretaries, Defense Minister No Kwang-chol, and others. A floral basket was laid in his name before the statues of the late leader and national founder Kim Il-sung, and he paid "homage of immortality and best wishes" to his father, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The KCNA further stated that Kim expressed his solemn will to devote himself to the struggle for the country's prosperity, the people's security, and their well-being, remaining faithful to the revolutionary ideas and cause of the two late leaders. This visit marks the first time since 2021 that Kim has visited the family mausoleum on his father's birth anniversary.

The Day of the Shining Star and the national founder's birthday, the Day of the Sun, are the biggest national holidays in North Korea. North Korea has often avoided using the term the Day of the Shining Star, instead often referring to the former leader's birthday simply as Feb. 16, as the current leader has sought to reduce his dependency on his ancestors for authority and solidify his stand-alone status. However, the KCNA and other state media used the reverent term for the late leader's birthday this year.