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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Dwarf's Birthday Wins Out Over Lunar New Year |
| 2010-02-16 |
| Lunar New Year's Day in North Korea took second place this year to leader Kim Jong-il's 68th birthday, which falls on Tuesday. North Koreans have taken three days off on Lunar New Year's Day since 2003. But on Sunday, Lunar New Year's Day, the official Rodong Shinmun newspaper was full of stories about Kim's birthday celebrations and an ice The first broadcast on Sunday also began with a program wishing Kim good health. Korean Central Television Station and Radio Pyongyang blared, "The general's good health is the joy and happiness of our army and people. We wish him good health." The official KCNA news agency on Saturday reported that the regime presented children nationwide with candy and cookies to celebrate Kim's birthday. On Saturday, about 100,000 Pyongyang citizens joined a mass rally to implement "joint slogans" of the Workers Party Central Committee, the official media reported. On Lunar New Year's Day morning, senior officials of the party, the government, and the army, as well as ordinary people laid wreaths at statues of nation founder Kim Il-sung across the country, the official media said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |