Kim Jong-un visits his father's mausoleum, determined to fight for a powerful country

North Korean leader visits mausoleum to pay tribute to his father Kim Jong-il on the 6th anniversary of his death.

Leader Kim Jong-un visited the mausoleum of his father and grandfather yesterday. Photo: Yonhap.

According to KCNA, Mr. Kim Jong-un declared that he would "fight with determination" to help North Korea "be politically independent, economically self-sufficient and self-reliant in national defense," during a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun yesterday.

The news agency and Rodong Shinmun, the newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, published photos of Mr. Kim visiting the mausoleum and a photo of a flower basket placed before statues of late leaders Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung today.

No delegation was pictured. Mr Kim visits the mausoleum on each anniversary of his father's death, usually accompanied by a small group of aides.

North Korea watchers are often interested in Mr. Kim's activities on this day. In yesterday's article, KCNA did not mention Mr. Kim's name in the list of officials attending the ceremony at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

Thousands of North Koreans gathered in freezing weather at statues and public places bearing portraits of their leaders to mark the sixth anniversary of Kim Jong-il's death. Many flocked to Mansu Hill in the capital Pyongyang and laid flowers at the foot of the statue. People generally avoid eating and drinking and other entertainment activities before and during the anniversary.

Kim Jong-il died on December 17, 2011, at the age of 69, of a heart attack. He was believed to have had health problems for many years before that.

According to VNE