North Korea on Monday celebrated the 60th anniversary of Korean Peninsula's 1945 liberation from Japan's colonial rule.

Wreaths in the name of the North Korean top leader Kim Jong-il, Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, the Presidium of the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) and the North Korean Cabinet, were placed at the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery in Mt. Taesong.

President of the SPA's Presidium Kim Yong-nam, Premier Pak Bong-ju and other senior Party, state and army officials attended the wreath-laying ceremonies.

Millions of people went to Mansudae Bronze Statue of Kim Il-sung and the Soviet Red Army Liberation Tower to lay wreaths for their late leader and martyrs of the Soviet Union, who were considered as liberators by the North Korean people.

A large evening gala attended by thousands of young people was held at the Kim Il-sung Square. The sponsor made royal fireworks performance to push the festival atmosphere to culmination.

Arirang Festival, a large-scale gymnastic performance that has been practiced for five months by more than 100,000 people, will take place on Tuesday at the famous 50,000-seat May 1 Stadium, the largest one in Pyongyang.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2005)