North Korea's unusual 'reduced' of this year's Day of the Sun event

Anchor : It is known that  North Korea canceled some of the events prepared for the  111th anniversary of the Day of the Sun  , the birthday of President Kim Il-sung, who is said to be the 'founding father and foundation of the republic'  . It is very unusual that a national political event that was held regardless of the severe winter or deep at night was reduced . Insider news from North Korea Reporter Kim Ji-eun reports .

A resident source in North Hamgyong Province said on the 16th,  “ Most  events commemorating the 111th anniversary of ‘Day of the Sun’, the nation ’s biggest holiday, have  been canceled or  reduced.” It will be the first time since it was founded,” he told Radio Free Asia .  

In North Korea, the Day of the Sun is the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the  nation's sun who liberated the country after ending the past 36 years of Japanese colonial rule, and is the nation's largest holiday and the most important national holiday established in the Kim Jong-il era in the sense of highly praising him as the lifesaver of the Korean people. It was a national celebration celebrated with great grandeur .

But for some reason, the authorities canceled this biggest celebration this year and let the Day of the Sun be celebrated in a quiet atmosphere. However, the source said that the people's individual laying of flowers on the Kim Il-sung statue of the sun, the mosaic board , and  the teaching board went ahead .

This Day of the Sun event was originally  prepared with a 'Song of Loyalty' meeting in each province , a 'Celebratory Dance ( Crowd Dance ) ' where local residents gathered in the square to liven up the atmosphere  ,  a sports game by unit , and a street singing march ,” he said. The event was almost canceled at the direction of the central government,” the source testified .  

The  source continued  , “It is known that the event was canceled because it was raining  . ”, he pointed out .

He said  , “When the celebration event prepared a month ago was canceled, most residents were in a great shock.”  ”he added .

In this regard, a resident source in Yanggang Province said on the same day,  “All organizations  canceled all events to celebrate the ‘Day of the Sun’  because it was raining.” It was reported to Radio Free Asia . 

The source  said, “As the celebration of the Day of the Sun was canceled, the streets were deserted with few people walking on the street.  ” It was clearly visible,” he said . 

“It is very unusual that  most of the celebrations honoring Kim Il-sung as the sun of the nation have been canceled,”  he said. There is,” the source added .

Previously, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not appear at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to celebrate the 111th birthday of President Kim Il-sung this year . On the 16th , there is no news that Kim Jong-un visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where the bodies of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are enshrined, in North Korea's state-run Chosun Central News Agency and the Labor Party's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun .

Regarding this, some point out that the atmosphere of praise for the former leader is being reduced in order to promote the current living power.  

He was only one political prisoner among the more than 3,000 released by the military council

U Tun Kyi, a member of the steering committee of the Former Political Prisoners' Association, told RFA that among those released on New Year's Day by the military council's amnesty, U Kyaw Win, the former Minister of Planning and Finance under the NLD government, was a political prisoner.

"He is also over 75 years old. He was arrested three years ago, and it has been two years since he was arrested there, so he is free, so it can be considered that he was released with amnesty."

U Kyaw Win was arrested on February 4, 2021. After that, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD Government Economic Adviser Prof. Professor Shao Tanel NLD Government Planning and Finance Minister U Soe Win; He was jailed for three years under Section 31/C of the State Secrets Act after working with Deputy Minister U Set Aung.

The rest of those in the case have been released on amnesty by the Military Council, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Deputy Minister U Set Aung are still under arrest.

Among the more than 3,000 prisoners released by the military council yesterday, only U Kyaw Win was a political prisoner, and the rest were deserters and deserters. fleeing the police drugs U Tun Kyi also said that they are those who are in prison for theft and robbery.

"We consider that they are not released with the intention of finding a solution or political will. We do not release those who are beneficial to society, but only release those who will harm society and benefit them. We all need to be especially careful."

Family members of political prisoners who were arrested after the coup d'état went to wait in front of prisons around the country because the military council would release the prisoners on New Year's Day.

Among them is the wife of Dr. Klam Samson, a Christian religious leader of the Kachin Baptist Federation who was recently sentenced to six years in prison.

"My men didn't come We didn't want to, so we came back to send food. They said they would let me go, but if they didn't let me go, it was their part. We want my men to be released as soon as possible. Because they are religious people, they shouldn't stay there for long. Thank you for releasing me as soon as possible."

Dr. Clam Samson was charged with Unfair Association Communication Act Section - 17 (1); Penal Code Section - 505 (a); He was sentenced to six years in prison on April 7 for the three charges under Section 52 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and Myitkyi will listen.

Yesterday, 33 people were released from Myitgyi Mangung, but there were no political prisoners.

In front of Yangon's Insein prison, some family members had been waiting since before dawn yesterday.

Ma Khin Sanda Win, the wife of NLD Yangon Region Minister U Khing Lin, who was arrested, was among those who waited in front of Insein Prison.

Although he knew that his men could not be released, he waited to encourage the political prisoners who would be released. However, there are no political prisoners among those released from Insein prison.

"This is the truth. They don't want to release political prisoners. They don't release them. They don't release people with 505. They only release those arrested for drugs."

Is there any hope for women to escape? .

"I don't expect it. They arrested me because they wanted to. People are arrested by laws that don't exist in any country and they are imprisoned after they get to jail. It's obvious that they want it. There's only one thing that I didn't expect. If the people win today, they'll be free tomorrow. I hope they'll win this match. I believe and believe."

NLD Minister U King Lin was arrested on the day of the coup and sentenced to 15 years in prison on corruption charges.

Ma Khin Sanda Win also said that among the 3,015 prisoners released by the military council, only those imprisoned for theft and robbery were more concerned about security.

"It's getting really bad now that they don't want to stay in their own homes. They're not safer. They're not safer now that they're released."

After the coup, the military council arrested and imprisoned those who opposed him. Crime is rampant because criminals are being released from prison.

According to the lists of AAPP, the Association for the Support of Political Prisoners, more than 3200 people were killed and more than twenty-one thousand people were arrested and imprisoned after the military coup.