Day of the Sun

Day of the Sun
Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl	태양절
Hancha	太陽節
Revised Romanization	Taeyangjeol
McCune–Reischauer	T'aeyang-jŏl
A flower exhibition of Kimilsungias on the Day of the Sun at the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Exhibition House
Also called	Sun's Day
Observed by	North Korea
Significance	Birth of Kim Il-sung (1912)
Observances	Visits to statues of Kim Il-sung and his mausoleum, fireworks, performances, sports competitions, folk dances.
Date	15 April
Next time	15 April 2018 (2018-04-15)
Frequency	annual
First time	After being designated on 8 July 1997
Related to	Day of the Shining Star (16 February), Loyalty Festival (between 16 February and 15 April), Sun Festival (throughout April), April Spring Friendship Art Festival

The Day of the Sun (Chosŏn'gŭl: 태양절; MR: T'aeyang-jŏl) is an annual public holiday in North Korea on 15 April, the birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, founder and former president of North Korea. It is the most important national holiday in the country.

Kim's birthday, which had been an official holiday since 1968, was renamed Day of the Sun in 1997, three years after his death. The name takes its significance from his name; Il-sung is Korean for "become the sun".

North Koreans commemorate the holiday by visiting locations that have a connection with the leader's life, such as thousands of statues scattered across the country, or Mangyongdae, his birthplace in the capital Pyongyang. The most important observances take place in the capital, including visits to Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where Kim Il-sung's body lies in rest, and Mansu Hill Grand Monument, which features a very tall statue of the leader.

The state seeks to provide its citizens with more food and electricity than is normally available, but success is not always guaranteed. Children, in particular, receive candy and other gifts attributed to love shown by the leaders.

Festivities are not confined to the date. Commemorations occur from 16 February, which is the birthday of Kim Jong-il, during what is known as the Loyalty Festival. Celebrations in April around the Day of the Sun are called the Sun Festival. The day itself is followed by two days of rest, making it a three-day holiday.

Kim Il-sung was born on 15 April 1912 in the village of Mangyongdae, which is now a suburb of North Korea's capital Pyongyang. He has been long identified with the Sun and is frequently called "Sun of the nation". He adopted his name Il-sung (Chosŏn'gŭl: 일성; MR: Il-sŏng), meaning "become the Sun" before the early 1930s as one of his noms de guerre.