North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has paid his respects at a family mausoleum to mark the birthday of his late father and former leader Kim Jong Il, state media KCNA said on Monday. Kim Jong Il's birthday, which falls on Feb. 16, is widely celebrated as a major holiday in North Korea, called the Day of the Shining Star.

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, paid tribute to his father for the first time in four years. Kim Jong Il, who is revered in North Korea, was born on February 16, so his son visited the mausoleum of his predecessors—his father and grandfather—to commemorate this anniversary.