When is Day of the Sun?
In 2026, Day of the Sun falls on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. It is classified here as a North Korean public holiday.
History of Day of the Sun
The Day of the Sun is observed on April 15, the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung. It is among the DPRK’s central state holidays and has long been associated with formal commemorations, cultural performances, exhibitions and public celebration in Pyongyang and elsewhere.
Its title and public meaning belong specifically to the DPRK’s political culture and official historical narrative. The date is a nationwide holiday, and travel, access to public spaces and programmes may be affected by special arrangements around major anniversaries.
April 15 commemorates Kim Il Sung, the DPRK's founding leader, who ruled from 1948 until his death in 1994. The Day of the Sun title was conspicuously reduced in some official coverage during 2024, prompting reports that it might be phased out. That uncertainty should not be frozen into the calendar: DPRK-linked reports again explicitly called April 15 the Day of the Sun in 2026. The page therefore retains the current documented identity while noting that naming and programme emphasis can change. Floral tributes and official performances are evidence of state observance, not evidence of voluntary personal reverence.
How Day of the Sun is observed
A major nationwide state holiday fixed on Wednesday, April 15, 2026; DPRK reporting again used the Day of the Sun title in 2026.
Traditions of Day of the Sun
Official floral tributes
Organised groups lay flowers at Kim Il Sung statues, portraits and Kumsusan Palace in ceremonies documented by DPRK media.
Performances and exhibitions
State institutions present concerts, art exhibitions, sport or military events that reinforce the official account of Kim Il Sung's leadership.
Careful reading of public scenes
Images of decorated streets or crowds verify organised programmes, not voluntary reverence or identical participation across the population.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official North Korean official and calendar guidance. Lunar-calendar and annual state schedules should be confirmed against authoritative current-year guidance.
History sources: North Korea 2026 public-holiday calendar, KCNA: Lunar New Year’s Day celebrated in the DPRK, Russian Embassy in the DPRK: country information and holiday list, KCNA reporting: Day of the Sun name used in 2026.
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