 2015/01/08 17:27 
 
 (ATTN: UPDATES throughout with quotes, details; AMENDS headline) 
 
 BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- China said Thursday that it has sent a message of congratulations to North Korea on the birthday of its young leader Kim Jong-un, expressing its hope Kim can oversee a "new achievement" in socialism. (Photo: Korean Central News Agency) 
 
 BEIJING — A year ago Thursday when Dennis Rodman sang Happy Birthday to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, the Pyongyang crowd at the ex-NBA star's controversial "basketball diplomacy" game hesitated to join in, then clapped with him to the end. The third generation of the Kim dynasty to dominate the isolated northeast Asian state, Kim may have been born in 1982, 1983 or 1984, according to the South Korean government. Kim, who inherited power after the death of his father in late 2011, was born on Jan. 8 and is believed to be in his early 30s, but his age has not been officially confirmed. The Kyodo News reported last year that the current North Korean leader's birthday is not likely to be celebrated as a national holiday this year, after it reviewed five North Korean calendars for 2015. In previous years, Kim has distributed sweets to children on January 7 which was a tradition held by his grandfather and father during their birthdays. The "Day of the Sun" for Kim Il Sung's birthday, and the "Day of the Shining Star" for Kim Jong Il, are major events in North Korea, said Simon Cockerell, managing director of Koryo Tours, who has experienced both festivals during 140 trips to North Korea since 2002. "(His) power grip is relatively secure, and he's been very successful in consolidating his power for the past three years" since Kim Jong Il's death in 2011, Park said.
– In case you've somehow managed to erase this detail from memory, USA Today reminds us that exactly one year ago, Dennis Rodman was singing "Happy Birthday" to "best friend" Kim Jong Un. Today is indeed believed to be the North Korean leader's birthday, but it's unclear whether he's 31, 32, or 33. Kim's birth year, per the South Korean government, was likely 1982, 1983, or 1984. And while Yonhap reports that China sent him birthday wishes, USA Today notes there is no elaborate public celebration to mark the day, as was the case with his father's and grandfather's birthdays. "There's a lot of speculation why that's the case," a South Korean professor tells CNN. "Kim could be trying to put out this image as a humble guy," or he could just be trying to downplay the fact that he's young. "When you start marking his birthday, then the whole North Korean people will start to wonder, then what's his age?" USA Today speculates that when his age is finally revealed, 1982 will be the year named, perhaps regardless of whether that's the truth: His grandfather was born in 1912, and his father 30 years later. Forty years after that is ... 1982. (Meanwhile, Kim's eyebrows are shrinking.)