Last Saturday, North Korea celebrated the 60th birthday of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il, which marked the beginning of four months of festivities. It is hard to imagine what the country is celebrating, apart from survival: The economy is in a mess and shows no sign of improving, and the North Korean government is alienating the few sympathizers it has. Were the consequences not so tragic, the situation would be a farce. Instead, a country of 22 million people continues to teeter on the brink, and its government prefers brinkmanship to genuine steps toward peace.

The festivities that began last week will continue until the end of June as the country marks on April 15 what would have been the 90th birthday of "Great Leader" Kim Il Sung, the constitutionally designated president for life and beyond (who died in 1994) followed by the 70th anniversary of the North Korean military on April 25.

This year witnessed the standard mass celebrations. There were rallies, shows and other events designed to bolster public support for Mr. Kim. Reportedly, an order was sent to all offices, factories and schools requiring that everyone participate in at least one event. The media was saturated with details of Mr. Kim's life, deeds and thought. His name was carved into a cliff in letters 34 meters high.