Senior party and military officials visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang to pay their respects to the regime founder and the former leader the previous day, the country's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday, without mentioning Kim junior, suggesting he was absent.
Instead, Kim ushered in the new year by attending celebrations featuring fireworks and performances, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae.
Since taking power in December 2011, it has been an annual ritual for Kim to visit the mausoleum where the embalmed bodies of his father and grandfather lie in state, except in 2018 and 2023.
But he has also missed major occasions and other ceremonial events such as their birthdays and death anniversaries in recent years, in what appears to be a move to consolidate his grip on power.
Meanwhile, KCNA reported that Kim received New Year's greetings from many heads of state including Chinese President Xi Jinping, but did not provide further details or mention his name, reflecting a rift between the two neighboring countries. This contrasts with the previous extensive coverage given to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
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