North Korea Prepares For Kim Jong Il's Birthday (PHOTOS)

(AP) PYONGYANG, North Korea — Senior North Korean officials are pledging loyalty to new leader Kim Jong Un ahead of what would have been his late father Kim Jong Il's 70th birthday.

SCROLL DOWN for incredible photos of the birthday celebrations.

Kim Jong Un and thousands of military and party officials gathered Wednesday in Pyongyang. Kim Jong Il's birthday is Thursday.

The audience clapped loudly as ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam gave a speech praising Kim Jong Un as the unquestioned successor to Kim Jong Il.

Reuters reports that Kim Jong Il's birthday has been declared a national holiday called the Day of the Shining Star. Additionally, according to the Associated Press, the country has produced Kim Jong Il postage stamps, commemorative coins and golden medals. According to Reuters, the late leader's name was carved on a mountainside with the title 'unequaled patriot.'

The AP adds:

State media have reported a series of supernatural events: Mountains glow crimson, double rainbows, a family of bears weeps by the side of a road, hundreds of shrieking magpies hover over mourning sites.

The fact that the former North Korean leader passed away last December hasn't stopped the party. Below, check out photos of the festivities:

Comments

[amd52]

05:06 AM on 02/20/2012

Honestly, look at those so called men, they look mad all the time. Don't they have any personalities even the woman they look so stone cold. Very strange Country and their way of living seems beyond comprehension, i feel sorry for them for they no nothing else.

[CloudFloatingBy]

11:09 PM on 02/19/2012

After scores of people were sent to labor camps for up to 6 months for not mourning Kim Jong's death enough, I bet they will be celebrating with great joy OR ELSE. They have no choice. Rejoice or you disappear.

[BardsMountainSide]

12:19 AM on 02/20/2012

Shhhhh! Glowing mountains, double rainbows, sad bears and angy magpies will drag you away where stupornatural things will happen to you until you've!... Well, no one is sure.

[CloudFloatingBy]

01:01 AM on 02/20/2012

Sounds interesting!

[amd52]

05:02 AM on 02/20/2012

Look at all those men they look mad all the time.

[wdosolaris]

09:56 PM on 02/19/2012

What a truly pathetic country in every respect. Just a country of mindless robots who do whatever they're told by their superiors. Reminds me of Obama!

[candalou2]

10:37 PM on 02/19/2012

puppets

[Daniel Alman]

07:35 PM on 02/19/2012

Those women in the pictures are dumb and good looking... Anybody know a way i can get over there?

[lex19999]

06:08 AM on 02/20/2012

A slow boat.

[chainsawd1]

07:28 PM on 02/19/2012

Oh man, and I wasn't invited!

Does anyone have Kim Jongs mailing address? Unlike those "fake cryers and mourners" I'd "sincerely" like to send him a card and a gift.

[Gary Lynne]

09:55 PM on 02/19/2012

I do but you'll need to send it in care of:
Kim Jong-Il
% Dante Alighieri
Canto XXIX – Divine Comedy
Furnace Room
Hell Zip Code 666

I'm sure he'll get it in the end here!!!!!

[lex19999]

06:10 AM on 02/20/2012

1 Imperial palace
1 main road
Pyoyongyan, north horea
Thou be welcome.

[smardy]

06:36 PM on 02/19/2012

Do they punish insincere birthday wishers too? Heck the whole bunch of 'em all look alike.

[amd52]

05:08 AM on 02/20/2012

yeah, thats what i thought to, you can not tell them apart they all the same angry and the woman look stone cold although they are very pretty most of them anyway.

[baydolphins]

06:00 PM on 02/19/2012

are they going to have ninjas?

[Myriah007]

05:47 PM on 02/19/2012

ok so who's taking, and sending out these pictures for the world to see? isn't it illegal for them to do that? lol

[lex19999]

06:12 AM on 02/20/2012

IMF is in charge of pictures.

[demigoff1]

05:42 PM on 02/19/2012

Happy Birthday Kim, sorry I could'ent make it.

[Threadsline]

05:00 PM on 02/19/2012

OK, which one of those swimmers just peed in the water?

[lex19999]

06:12 AM on 02/20/2012

The 1 in the middle.

[westcoastprog]

10:24 PM on 02/18/2012

Disneyland! Not a trip to it---he can HAVE it!

[westcoastprog]

10:23 PM on 02/18/2012

A pinata in the shape of a nuclear bomb?

[westcoastprog]

10:21 PM on 02/18/2012

I'm sending a gift card from Casa Bonita. He can eat in any room he wants.

[Mrs Robinsons]

04:28 PM on 02/18/2012

Here's my chance!

Happy Birthday!

[builderman55]

12:58 PM on 02/18/2012

This reminds me of Churchill's commenting that "Democracy is the worst form of government on earth except for all it's alternatives..."