Kim Il-sung died 20 years ago today. To mark his passing, there will be a string of memorial events. Daily NK reports

North Korean authorities have declared a 10 day period of mourning to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Kim Il-sung today.

According to sources inside the country, state-run organisations and workplaces are organising various memorial events for the period, which runs until 10 July.

“This year is the twentieth since the passing of the Suryeong [Kim Il-sung], and it is an important year,” a source from the North Korean border town, Hyesan, told Daily NK. “Therefore, they are preparing larger events here. It includes the organisation of a ‘memorial chorus ensemble’”.

Kim Il-sung led North Korea leader from 1945 to his death at the age of 82 on 8 July 1994, though he is still revered as the country's "Great Leader". His son, Kim Jong-il, took up the mantle of Supreme Leader, and his son, Kim Jong-un, succeeded him in 2011.

This time of year always sees lectures and study sessions to reiterate the greatness of Kim Il-sung, as well as remembrance events to commemorate his death. However, as this year is an important year in the cycle, the source said that North Korean people knew that there would be more events than in other years.



The chorus ensemble in Hyesan has been practicing, while enterprises all around the city have been holding memorial events at the end of the working day, which comes at a cost to ordinary North Koreans.

“Nowadays people are having a hard time,” she said. “As events related to the passing of the Suryeong are going on every single day in the Democratic Women’s Union and work places alike. People really need to be out there trading and earning a living.”

“Nobody is complaining about it, maybe because ever since the purge of [current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's uncle] Jang Song-thaek last year, if you picked a fight they'd just drag you away,” the source said.



“If you were to raise objections at a time like this it would become a political problem and you could get punished,” she went on. “So people keep quiet. Even old people... are taking [an] active part, saying that although they can't sing any more they can still watch the young ones.”

At the other end of the age spectrum, plenty of young children are being mobilised to take part in performances of commemorative songs, the source said.

“If this were any other kind of event they would already be complaining,” she said. “But they are out there saying ‘it’s ok’ and getting on with it.”

The source said analysis the presence of people who would probably have sought to excuse themselves from these activities in most other years [such as the older generations] is result of the more repressive surveillance and controls that have been felt in North Korean society throughout 2014.