North Korea will hold a six-day festival next month on the occasion of the 84th birth anniversary of the country's late leader Kim Jong-il.

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency said Saturday that the "3rd February 16 People's Arts Festival" will be held from February 13 to 18 in the East Pyongyang Grand Theater and Hamhung Grand Theater in Pyongyang. 

The North has been holding the event every two years since 2022. In the two previous festivals, the North had included the term "Kwangmyongsong Day" in the festival's name but this year, such term was replaced with Kim's birth date "February 16."

Kwangmyongsong Day means Day of the Shining Star and is the term used for Kim Jong-il’s birthday. 

Along with Kwangmyongsong Day, the Day of the Sun on April 15 which marks the birth of founder Kim Il-song, are considered to be the North's biggest holidays.  

The North’s state media has also largely phased out the term “Day of the Sun” in references to the founder’s birthday since April 2024. The label was still used fairly consistently last year, though less frequently than in the past.

Seoul's unification ministry has suggested the reduced use of the phrase may reflect leader Kim Jong-un’s efforts to elevate his own standing while scaling back the traditional personality cult surrounding the former leaders.