North Korea is celebrating a major holiday today — Here's a guide to its other important holidays

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Though North Korea is widely seen as a regime notorious for its human-rights violations and bellicose rhetoric, like other countries, it observes several national and traditional holidays.

North Korea's official holidays range from the birthday of its leaders, to its Thanksgiving Day based on the lunar calendar. Despite placing greater importance on national holidays, traditional holidays in North Korea are still observed and are comprised of cultural activities that are also recognized by South Korea.

North Korea's major holidays are considered a day of rest, however; for traditional holidays, North Koreans are believed to make up the missed work on a Sunday before or after the holiday, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry.

Here's a look at some of North Korea's major holidays that are observed as a day of rest:

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February 16: Lunar New Year's Day

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Arguably more significant than New Year's Day on January 1, the first day of the Korean lunar calendar, or "Seollal," is celebrated by both North and South Korea.

Though the holiday was briefly passed over under Kim Il Sung's rule, the practice was revived in 1989. The country places greater importance for national holidays, but it allows its citizens to take part in certain customs, such as visiting ancestor's graves.

Source: Unification Ministry of South Korea

February 16: Kim Jong Il's birthday, "Day of the shining star"

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Kim Jong Il, the son of North Korea's first leader, is believed to have been born on February 16, 1941.

He implemented the "Songun," or military-first, policy for North Korea and implemented changes that prioritized military spending over other other domestic necessities.

He died in December 17, 2011.

Source: CBS News, CNN

April 15: Kim Il Sung's birthday, "Day of the sun"

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Kim Il Sung, the first leader of North Korea, is believed to have been born on April 15, 1912.

Fluent in Russian and rising through the Soviet Union military ranks, he was eventually nominated to lead North Korea. Kim Il Sung implemented a "juche" ideology that focused on self-reliance at the exclusion of any foreign influence.

He died on July 8, 1994.

Source: BBC, New York Times