MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2020) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the national mausoleum on Sunday to mark the 78th anniversary of birth of his father and late country's leader Kim Jong-Il, North Korean state-run media reported.
According to the Korean Central news Agency (KCNA), Kim Jong Un, accompanied by high-ranking officials, paid tribute to the statue of former leader Kim at Pyongyang's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. February 16, the birthday of Kim Jong-Il, is the national holiday in North Korea celebrated as the Day of the Shining Star.
Other media reports said that this was the first public appearance of the North Korean leader in 22 days amid the ongoing outbreak of the new type of coronavirus originating in China.
The new strain of coronavirus - COVID-19 - was first detected in China's Wuhan, located in the province of Hubei, in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. In mainland China, the virus has already resulted in 1665 fatalities, with 68,500 people having been infected. No officially confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported in North Korea.
