Chosun Central TV of North Korea announced yesterday that restaurants in the downtown Pyongyang will serve eel to Pyongyang citizens in celebration of the 66th birthday of Kim Jong Il on his birthday holiday of February 16 and 17. Pyongyang is now bustling with preparations for Kimโs birthday.
Chosun Central TV also announced that the authorities are preparing many other presents for citizens. Pyongyang Botonggang Footwear Factory was reported to be producing extra winter boots, childrenโs shoes, and ladies high heel shoes as gifts for people.
In provinces, food factories are producing cookies and candies, which will be handed out for children under middle school age, Chosun Central TV reported.
Pyongyang is now getting in a festive mood and is adorned with banners, flowers and fluorescent lights. To mark the 20th anniversary of the naming of the “Kim Jong Il Flower”, a hybrid cultivar of begonia, a national scientific research forum was held at Grand People’s Study House (Hall). Literally meaning โthe flower of Kim Jong Il,โ Kim Jong Il Flower is an icon intended to arouse a sense of reverence towards Kim Jong Il among people.
Upon hearing the news that restaurants in Pyongyang will serve eel in celebration of Kimโs birthday, North Korean defectors from Pyongyang said, โDue to the limited supply of eel, only those entitled to special benefits from the state will enjoy the fish on Kimโs birthday such family members of factory managers, nationโs revolutionary heroes or those special agents engaged in intelligence activities against South Korea.โ
The North Korean authorities provide pheasant or deer meat for people through restaurants in Pyongyang on the nationโs major holidays (Liberation Day, Birthdays of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, Founding of the Democratic Peopleโs Republic of Korea)
