North Korea
North Koreans Celebrate Birthday of Kim Jong Il Just Days After Son's Death
Pyongyang celebrated the 75th birthday of the late North Korean dictator who died in 2011.
Despite news that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un's half-brother may have been poisoned, Pyongyang was in full celebration mode with fireworks and galas marking the official 75th birthday of their father, Kim Jong Il.
Above: A man poses for a photo as people watch a fireworks display celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday in central Pyongyang on Feb. 16, 2017.
Children carry flowers as they visit the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to pay their respects on the official 75th birthday of Kim Jong Il at Mansudae hill in Pyongyang on Feb. 16.
North Korea calls the birthday the "Day of the Shining Star," although accounts differ as to where and when Kim Jong Il was born.
A woman carries flowers during a visit to the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's grandfather and father, at Mansudae hill in Pyongyang on Feb. 16.
Kim Jong Un is the third member of his family to rule the unpredictable and reclusive communist state.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sits in the center during a national meeting to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on Feb. 15.
Kim Jong Un became leader in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, and his consolidation of power has included purges and executions of top officials, South Korean officials have said.
Swimmers perform in a synchronized swimming event in Pyongyang on Feb. 15, part of a series of events held to celebrate the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
Related: Boyfriend Held in Suspected Murder of Kim Jong Un's Half-Brother