Amid heightened tensions over its nuclear weapons program, North Korea is holding a series of festive events to celebrate the birthday of its leader, Kim Jong-Il.

Kim, known to the North Korean public as the "sun of the 21st century," turned 63 on Wednesday. His birthday is one of the communist state's four major holidays.

Earlier on Tuesday, top-ranking government officials, including the North's number-two official and parliamentary leader Kim Yong-nam, attended a celebratory ceremony in Pyongyang. Celebrations also included an international figure skating competition.

The Unification Ministry in Seoul said that this year's gala birthday celebrations seemed to run in parallel with Pyongyang's efforts to ease public uneasiness stemming from the impoverished state's serious economic straits.