February 16 is the most auspicious and sacred day for the Korean people and all revolutionary peoples of the world. It is the Day of the Shining Star, a day when the heavens blessed humankind with the birth of the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il, the peerlessly great man who devoted his entire life to the eternal prosperity of the socialist fatherland.
Born as the sun of Mt. Paektu, Comrade Kim Jong Il (1942-2011), eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was the supreme incarnation of love for the people, the guardian of the destiny of the country, and the lodestar guiding humanity towards the glorious victory of socialism.
Comrade Kim Jong Il was the benevolent father of the people, forever sharing their joys and hardships. Always clad in simple attire, he visited every corner of the country—from underground coal mines to cooperative farms, from frontline posts to construction sites—embracing the workers, peasants, and soldiers as his own flesh and blood.
He traversed the rugged mountains and snow-covered roads, braving the fiercest storms, armed with boundless devotion to the well-being of the people. His warm and paternal care touched the hearts of all, as he personally named newborn children, ensured that every citizen had warm homes, and led the nation with an indomitable revolutionary spirit that no hardship could break.
With his extraordinary wisdom and ever-victorious leadership, Comrade Kim Jong Il defended the dignity of the nation and turned the DPRK into a mighty socialist fortress. Amidst the grave trials imposed by the imperialist aggressors, he held high the banner of Juche and Songun, consolidating the revolutionary armed forces and ensuring the eternal security of the socialist motherland.
His foresight paved the way for the scientific and technological revolution, leading to the introduction of CNC technology in the machine-building industry, igniting flames of industrial innovation, and laying the foundation for the DPRK’s position as a self-reliant power. Under his leadership, vast land realignment projects, modern power stations, and gravity-fed waterways were constructed through the boundless creative enthusiasm of the heroic Korean people.
Thanks to his immortal guidance, the DPRK today stands as an invincible socialist state where the people enjoy genuine happiness and prosperity under the wise leadership of Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who carries forward the revolutionary cause of Juche to even greater heights.
The great Comrade Kim Jong Il lives eternally in the hearts of the Korean people and all progressive peoples of the world. His noble image as the eternal leader of the Korean nation will shine brilliantly for all time, guiding humanity toward the ultimate triumph of the socialist cause.
Long live the Day of the Shining Star! Long live the immortal exploits of the great Comrade Kim Jong Il!
