"10-day film shows opened in the DPRK to celebrate General Secretary Kim Jong Il's birthday."

Kim Jong Il's birthday season continues. The great day (February 16th) is now less than a week away. I was wondering if the Dear Leader Birthday Season actually lasts beyond the date itself. Perhaps the reference here to "10-day film shows" answers my question. I hope the audiences get to go home sometimes:

10-day film shows opened in the DPRK to celebrate General Secretary Kim Jong Il's birthday.

To be screened at cinemas and cultural halls in Pyongyang and local areas are documentaries including "Care Shown to Make Their Lives Shine" and "Led by Great Brilliant Commander" and feature films including "Inheritance" and "White Gem".

If there is a choice, I think I would go with the feature films. A number of other current articles at Korean News are devoted to the great event, but some are devoted to less cheerful subjects. We learn, for instance, that "Imperialists' Ideological and Cultural Poisoning Aims at Aggression." Boo, Imperialists!

The imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning precedes aggression and plunder, domination and subjugation of other countries, Rodong Sinmun, a major newspaper in the DPRK, says in a bylined article Wednesday.

This is mainly aimed to spread corrupt bourgeois ideology and culture and capitalist lifestyle in anti-imperialist and independent countries, the article says, and goes on:

Through the ideological and cultural poisoning the imperialists seek to break the unity and cohesion in socialist states and harm the socialist way of life.

The imperialist ideology and culture are poison which undermines and degenerates the socialist and anti-imperialist and independent countries and makes people spiritual cripples.

The confrontation with the imperialists in the ideological and cultural front is a serious class struggle and stand-off of ideologies.

Revolutionaries should not make even a step backward in this struggle but stand firm against the imperialists' moves to make their ideology and culture pervade among people.

The Korean people's history for socialist construction is shining as a glorious one in which they firmly adhered to Juche-oriented ideology and culture and steadily strengthened its front by frustrating those moves.

The Korean people will always resolutely foil those reactionary moves of the imperialists and consolidate the politico-ideological position of Korean-style socialism.

The Dear leader also enjoyed yet another performance of the Art Squad of the KPA:

[...] Its colorful performance included numbers like "DPRK in February," "Glory to Our Great Party", "Huichon News" and "We Will Always Protect the General with Our Own Lives".

When the performance was over, he acknowledged the enthusiastic cheers of the performers and audience and congratulated the artistes on their successful performance.

He expressed great satisfaction over the truthful and powerful performance staged by the members of the art squad with the numbers fully reflecting the inexhaustible mental power of the soldiers of the KPA. He highly appreciated their success in the presentation and extended thanks to them.

The members of the art squad are dynamically conducting political and economic agitation in the work sites for a great surge including the construction site of the Huichon Power Station, an outpost for building a thriving nation, as befitting the artistes of the revolutionary army, instilling the conviction of sure victory, optimism and the spirit and courage to wipe out the enemy into the soldiers, he said. [...]

Nice touch.