North Korea on Sunday invoked state founder Kim Il-sung as a "historic hero" of Korea's liberation and urged loyalty to his grandson, current leader Kim Jong-un, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule.
The North's state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper invoked the state founder's role in the liberation struggle, praising him as "a legendary hero in fighting Japanese (colonial) rule" and a "historic patriot."
The article subsequently shifted its focus to the current leader, emphasizing that Kim Jong-un inherited the spirit of independence fighters, including Kim Il-sung, and claiming the country will remain invincible under his leadership.
The newspaper also recalled the current leader's horseback march to snow-covered Mount Paektu in December 2019, comparing it to the state founder's independence struggle, which is said to have been based on the mountain.
In a separate article, the newspaper also called for loyalty to Kim Jong-un, describing him as a "presence like the sky, whom the people should uphold with their whole heart and single-minded devotion."
The articles were published ahead of the 80th anniversary on Aug. 15 of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule. The subsequent 1950-53 Korean War left the peninsula divided into South and North Korea. (Yonhap)
