As the clock struck midnight, Kim as well as other senior leaders visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.
It is where the bodies of his father and grandfather - the previous rulers of North Korea - lie preserved under glass.
The dictator also marked the New Year with a letter to the country's citizens.
In the letter, he is believed to have offered thanks to the people for having trusted and supported the ruling Party even in the "difficult" times.
There was no immediate sign he would give a speech as he has in past years.
