In contrast to these two, the Juche calendar begins with the birth of the founder of the Democratic People's Republic, Kim Il Sung.

[2] The decree on the Juche calendar was adopted on 8 July 1997, on the third anniversary of the death of Kim Il Sung.

The same decree also designated the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung as the Day of the Sun.

[3] On that date, newspapers, news agencies, radio stations, public transport, and birth certificates began to use Juche years.

"[10] During the system's period of use between 1997 and 2024, the Juche calendar was a popular souvenir among tourists visiting North Korea.