North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits Samjiyon, known to be the birthplace of his late father, the North's state media reported Thursday. Yonhap

Visiting Samjiyon is Kim's ritual before making an important decision

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a northern county known to be the birthplace of his late father, state media reported Thursday, amid speculation that he could soon announce his next steps after the breakdown of his February summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kim inspected Samjiyon County of Ryanggang Province bordering China, according to the Korean Central News Agency. North Korea claims that Samjiyon, near Mount Paekdu, the sacred highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, is the birthplace of Kim Jong-il.

Kim has visited Samjiyon ahead of major announcements or decisions.

A visit in November 2013 came about a month before the execution of his once-powerful uncle Jang Song-thaek. Kim traveled there late in 2014, months before he expressed his intent to hold an inter-Korean summit in his New Year's speech.