North Korean leader visits mega market in Ulan-Ude

ULAN-UDE, August 24 (Itar-Tass) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il
continues his visit to Buryatia. On Wednesday morning his motorcade made a
stop in the very heart of Ulan-Ude - the Square of the Soviets where the
residences of the president, the government, parliament and the mayor's
office are located.
The North Korean leader went out of the car and bowed to the monument
of Vladimir Lenin standing on the square.
Lenin's memorial designed as a seven-meter bronze head placed on a
six-meter-high granite pedestal was unveiled in Ulan-Ude in 1971. At the
moment, the memorial is the world's biggest sculpture of Vladimir Lenin.
During the tour of the city Kim Jong Il paid an unexpected visit to
the local supermarket called "MegaTitan". The mega market is located in a
new modern building built specially for retail technologies. The total
area exceeds 8,500 square meters. The food section occupies an area of
about 5,000 square meters. The mega market sells more than 30,000 items.
Kim Jong Il is also expected to visit a new central stadium whose
construction was finished this summer and was timed to coincide with the
350th anniversary of Buryatia's voluntary accession to the Russian state;
a recently built Russian drama theatre - the most modern behind the Urals
and other places of interest. He may also visit a museum in Ulan-Ude.
According to unofficial reports, the stars of the Buryatian opera theatre
are preparing a concert for the visiting North Korean leader.