North Korea to issue commemorative coins marking late leader's birth anniversary

Seoul, Feb 15: North Korea will issue commemorative coins to mark the upcoming birth anniversary of its late leader, Kim Jong-il, state media reported on Tuesday, in a move to kick up a festive mood for the national holiday.

The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided to issue the gold and silver coins in celebration of the 80th birth anniversary of Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un, which falls on Wednesday this year, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

The coins are engraved with an image of the former leader and the other side has that of what the North claims to be his birthplace located at the foot of Mount Paekdu, the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The move comes as the North is holding various events for the milestone anniversary, with keen attention being paid to whether it will stage a large-scale military parade. The North has often released commemorative coins on the occasion of landmark anniversaries and events.