North Koreans pay tribute to Kim Jong II on his sixth death anniversary, march towards Mansu hill monument

Pyongyang: Crowds of flower-bearing North Koreans on Sunday streamed passed statues and portraits of their leaders to pay respects on the sixth anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong II [caption id=“attachment_4262377” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] North Koreans bow to bronze statues of their late leaders Kim II Sung and Kim Jong II at Mansu hill on Sunday. AP[/caption] With somber, recorded music playing in the sub-zero air, thousands upon thousands of people marched up Pyongyang’s Mansu Hill to bow and place flowers at the feet of two giant bronze statues of Kim Jong II and national founder Kim II Sung, who is North Korea’s “eternal president” and Kim Jong Un’s grandfather. Kim Jong Il died on 17 December, 2011. Although the sense of national mourning is less intense than in previous years, North Koreans are expected to avoid drinking, entertainment and inappropriate displays of enjoyment on the day before and the day of the anniversary. At midnight, senior ruling party officials visited a mausoleum on the outskirts of the city where the elder Kims lie in state, according to state-run media reports.