‘Kimjongilia’ display celebrates late N Korea leader

North Korea has opened an exhibition of Kimjongilia – a flower named after the country’s late leader Kim Jong Il –  at Pyongyang’s Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia Exhibition Hall to celebrate the 74th anniversary of Kim’s birth.

More than 30,000 Kimjongilia begonias were display at the exhibition on Tuesday to commemorate Kim Jong Il’s birthday, known as the “Day of the Shining Star”.

The celebration of Kim’s birthday is a revered national holiday. 

The late leader died of an apparent heart attack in December 2011 after ruling North Korea for 17 years.

Respects were also paid to Kim Il-Sung, the country’s previous leader of 46 years, who died in 1994 and after whom the exhibition hall is partly named.