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There are many anecdotes of the charisma of Kim Il Sung, telling about his
distinguished personality as an extraordinary man, Kim Il Sing loved the
masses and consider them as his teacher. He has been always in permanent
contact with ordinary people breaking all ceremonial and bureaucratic
obstacles; he made countless field visits and on-site guidance. He met with
workers at the factories, peasants on the villages, farmers on the farms,
and soldiers on the field.
Kim Il Sung is associated with many anecdotes told in the DPRK, praising his
lofty popular traits.
Tonics for the just married
old man
One day in 1946, an old man working for a democratic political party visited
his office and made a rare request to him. The man told Kim Il Sung that he
married a woman shortly ago only to be "maltreated" as he was old. So he
asked the president to help him get some tonics such as wild Insam (Ginseng)
and young antlers of the deer. Laughing hearty laugh, the President promised
to help him so that his wife might not despise him. A year later the 70
years old man became father of a son. Later the president spared time to
attend a feast given in celebration of his son's 100 days after birth.
Apartment house built higher than a building of a power organ
When he visited Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, in March 1970 he went
round the city together with officials. Making a stop in the center of the
city, he pointed to an unoccupied ground before saying that is a good space
for building a high-rise apartment house. At that moment an official told
the president that though the ground is a good housing lot, the apartment
house, when completed, might rise higher than the building of the power
organ opposite to it. On hearing this, the president said it was not bad
that the building of the power organ stood lower than the apartment house
for working people, the master of the country, and that if the apartment
house rises higher than the building of the power organ, it is better. The
construction of the high-rise apartment house began in that ground soon, as
instructed by him.
Two breaks in a meeting
While visiting north Phyongan Province in August 1969 the president called a
consultative meeting of officials of a county on the people's living.
Shortly after the meeting began, he suddenly requested them to have a break,
and then he told a woman official present at the meeting to take care of her
baby. He was concerned for the time to give the breast to her baby. There
were two breaks in the not so long meeting.
Taste of bean curd
While giving on-the-spot guidance to north Hwanghae province one year, he
told an official to buy bean curd at a grocer's shop. Attentively examining
bean curd bought by the official, the president was not pleased with it,
saying that the quality was not good and that it was very bad to make it in
a slipshod manner simply because people do not complain of its quality.
Tasting boiled bean curd at a supper time, he underscored the need to
improve the quality of foodstuffs for the people.
Mealtime
One day in autumn 1982, the President left his lodgings early in the morning
to give on-site guidance to a certain unit and came back at 2:50 p.m. When a
waiter was guiding him to a dining room, the president said that he had no
time as there were many people waiting for a meeting to start at 15:00.
Asking only for one cup of water, he said, "The meeting time should be
observed, though my lunch is skipped." And he soothed the impatient feeling
of the waiter, saying he would take his meal after the meeting.
Babies’ habit
In August of a year the president visited a nursery of a factory while
giving on-site guidance. Babies began to cry perhaps as it was the time to
give the breast to them. Nurses were at a loss while carrying them in arms.
At that moment, the President told the nurses not to do so frequently,
saying that babies would cry when they feel pleasant and unpleasant or
sleepy. It is a habit of babies to cry, he added
400 Million Won for copper prospecting
Premier Kim Il Sung met with an official in charge of copper prospecting in
Autumn of 1953. Copper prospecting started in the northern part of the DPRK
from the period of the Fatherland Liberation War (1950-1953). But the result
of prospecting was not so good. When the official asked for an additional
allocation of 100 million won, the premier said that the state would
additionally spend 400 million won for the job. And he added that if copper
deposit was not found even after spending all the money, prospecting workers
had better erect a monument inscribed with letters "younger generations,
don't touch here as there is no copper deposit here " so that coming
generations might not suffer any loss though prospecting in those times
might bring losses. The nation's leading copper mine made its appearance in
this area later.
Kim Il Sung not above the law
An important meeting was held in summer of 1957, presided over by Premier
Kim Il Sung. When the meeting was about to close, an official of the mine
requested the premier to provide the mine with trucks for supply service. As
regards this, the premier told him to transport supplies by use of
refrigerator Wagons according to a decision of the cabinet. The official,
however, begged the premier to supply several trucks, explaining the
conditions of the mine. On hearing this, the premier with a smile on his
face said: You insist that I violate the law. But even the premier cannot be
above the law of the state.
Missing a dear friend
It happened when he gave on-site guidance to villages in the area of Onchon
County, South Phyongan Province, early in the spring of 1970. When the car
reached the entrance to Okdo-ri, he told his chauffeur to go round the
village. Seeing his chauffeur embarrassed at his words, the president told
him in a husky voice that he did not want to pass through Okdo-ri. It was
the village where Rim Kun Sang worked as chairman of its management board
with whom the president had maintained close relationship for nearly 20
years. he president praised him as a real farmer. Whenever he visited there
he sat knee to knee with rim to discuss the farming. It was a pleasure for
the president to meet with him. But, Rim died of incurable illness in 1969
to his sorrow. It greatly pained him to pass through Okdo-ri where rim was
no longer alive. The president made a detour round Okdo-ri for 3 years
during his journey for on-site guidance.
Padded shoes
It happened in a hot day of August 1951. President Kim Il Sung examined the
trial products of military uniform for winter use and chose a pair of padded
shoes. He had used the shoes for more than one week since the next morning
to estimate their quality. One day he visited an engineering work site to
hear soldiers' comment on the shoes. He told them not to simply say that the
shoes were good but point to their defects to help produce better ones. He
was pleased to hear their opinions and assured them that the shoes liked by
them would be produced.
Recovering the ri dynasty records
Early in July 1950 the president assigned officials in the field of
education a task to recover the true records of the ri dynasty (government
diary of the feudal state of the ri dynasty that existed for 519 years). He
instructed them to recover the precious national treasure at any cost. A
course to recover the books was drawn on the operational map of the supreme
headquarters, and orders were issued to institutions concerned and units of
the Korean people's army to carry out the operation. This was how the true
records of the ri dynasty were recovered amid the turbulences of the war.
Building a factory in South Korea
One day in the autumn of 1964 the president received an overseas Korean
businessman. The businessman told the president that he was wrong when he
intended to build a factory in South Korea, adding that he would like to
build it in the north. But the president noted with smile that there was no
need to do so and it would not be bad but good for the Korean people if even
one more factory was built in South Korea. And he said that the construction
of the factory in South Korea would be helpful to the future development of
the country. Deeply moved by his noble compatriotism and broad-mindedness,
the businessman lauded the president as a god of Korea who takes care of all
the people.
Clergyman's prayers before meal
On July 3, President Kim Il Sung hosted a luncheon for the old clergyman
from abroad. The president guided him to the table and told him to pray
before the lunch. He was at a loss what to do. In fact, his intention was
not to have prayers at that time despite the obligation as a believer. The
president repeatedly urged the hesitating clergyman to pray as it was his
life-long obligation. Deeply moved by the president's broad magnanimity and
charisma, he prayed for the president's longevity.
Rejected menu
It happened one day when the Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953)
was at its height. At lunch time, General Kim Il Sung examined the menu. He
told the cook to rewrite the menu. The cook prepared a new menu as advised
by the general's adjutants but it was rejected again. In the evening, the
general asked the cook why he planned the daily quantity of meat for the
supreme commander two times as much as that for soldiers on the menu. And he
told the cook to write the same menu as that for the soldiers in the future.
It was not until he heard this that the cook realized why the menu was
rejected. The third menu was thus accepted.
General Kim Il Sung
One day in May 1946 general Kim Il Sung had an opportunity to have an
emotion-charged talk with his schoolmate after the lapse of scores of years.
Unexpectedly Kim Il Sung was displeased with his manner of speaking. He
reproved his schoolmate for repeatedly addressing him as general and
earnestly asked to call him by his name, saying that he felt awkward as his
schoolmate was talking to him in that way. The schoolmate was so deeply
moved by his unchanged friendship and noble personality as the hero of the
nation that he again addressed him as general unawares.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary at a coal mine
It was in April 1977 that President Kim Il Sung was giving on-the-spot
guidance to coal mines in Kaechon area. Officials ardently hoped that he
would go back to Pyongyang to spend his birthday, April 15. On the evening
of April 14, they told him it was time to leave for Pyongyang. But he said
how he could celebrate his birthday now when he was very busy. He also said
he would stay there for work, while taking a rest, and that increased
production of coal would be just a good rest for him. So, Kim Il Sung spent
his 65th birthday at the production site of a coal mine together with
workers.
School barber
One summer day in 1960, he happened to meet an angler by the side of the
Sunhwa River flowing at the foot of Mangyong Hill. Praising his angling
skill, he asked about his occupation. Feeling ashamed, the man told the
president that he was working as a barber at a school. Saying that his job
was very good, the president told him how gratifying he would feel to stroke
down pupils' hair as a barber as he himself has no time to pat all the
pupils on the head. He repeatedly asked him to take good care of pupils, the
treasure and future of the country.
Statesman’s qualities
It happened in June 1975 when President Kim Il Sung visited an East European
country. Learning that the president was well versed in agriculture, the
leader of a political party in the country praised him as a veteran farmer.
He asked the president when he got mastery of farming method. The president
thanked him for describing him as such. He said that a statesman can pursue
correct politics only when he becomes a good smelter at an iron works, a
fisherman at sea and a veteran farmer on a farm.
Education for Chongryon’s children
President Kim Il Sung was presiding over a cabinet session in January 1957.
He asked an official which part of the state budget included educational aid
fund and stipends for sons and daughters of Korean residents in Japan. The
official told him that financial situation was so difficult that it would be
involved in an extraordinary plan of foreign currency. At that time a large
amount of money was needed to catapult the economy which was devastated
during the war. The president earnestly told the official that money should
be continuously sent to Koreans toiling in an alien land for education of
their children even though one or two factories were not built. A new item
"educational aid fund and stipends for sons and daughters of Korean
residents in Japan" has since been put in the state budget.
Evening-primrose
It happened during the president's field guidance to Kyongsong County, North
Hamgyong Province, in May 1957. On a farm he was told that pigs were bred
with grass found in abundance there. The president asked its name. A farmer
told him that the plant was called "evening-primrose" as it bloomed only at
night. On hearing this, the president wrote down the name of the plant on
his handbook, saying that the people are his teacher and so he always mixes
with them.
Working from dawn till night
One day in April 1962 an aide to President Kim Il Sung asked him to refrain
from working from dawn as he worked till late at night. On hearing this, the
president said that he had got used to getting up early since the period of
the anti-Japanese armed struggle. Saying that always busy with the building
of a new homeland after the liberation of the country followed by war and
rehabilitation, his life never allowed him to relax even a moment, he told
him that probably he would not be able to drop the habit of rising early in
the morning all his life.
Kim Il Sung’s residence design
It was one day in November 1955, 2 years after the war ceased; officials
visited him and showed blueprints of his residence. The president, turning
them one by one, instructed them to build a small and simple house of
Korean-style instead of building a big luxury one with imported materials,
reproaching them for going to separate him from the people. A revised design
shown to him a few days later was also rejected as he was not pleased with
too large space of some parts of the house. He, with a smile on his face,
told officials to build as large and magnificent a building as they please
when building a schoolchildren's palace in the future. The design was thus
revised three times.
Orphans guests
On May 1 1960 there was a state banquet in celebration of the holiday of the
working class in the presence of the president. After a while he asked the
officials to permit him to leave the hall as dear guests were awaiting him.
They were none other than Choe Yong Ok and her sisters who ran to greet him
when he arrived at his residence. They were orphans whom he knew only a few
days ago. Worried that they might spend the holiday lonely, the president
called them to his residence.
Doctor's advice
The president always listened to his doctor's advices and met his requests.
One day his doctor told him not to enter any place where there was gas
during his field guidance, as he was aged. On hearing this, he said that he
should not avoid the places full of dust or gas but inspect those places to
indicate ways of clearing them. At that time even his doctor was at a loss
for words.
Chairman Kim Il Sung of the People's Committee of North Korea
It happened in July 1947 when Kim Il Sung visited Pyongyang primary school
no.2 at that time. Upon entering the school, he slowly walked toward its
corridor. A schoolgirl on duty asked him to register his name on the
visitor's book, unaware who he was. After writing about the person who he
would like to meet and the purpose of his visit, etc. on the book, he put
below that: "Chairman Kim Il Sung of the People's Committee of North Korea."
It was not until that moment that the girl knew he was President Kim Il
Sung. He praised her for her high sense of responsibility.
Public and private affairs
It happened right after Ri Po Ik, grandmother of the president, passed away.
Officials agreed to give to the press an obituary of Ri Po Ik and accord a
public funeral to her for she dedicated all her descendents to the
revolution and remained true to her firm constancy and devoted herself to it
all her life. Informed of this, the president said that even his grandmother
should not be made an exception in abiding by the state rules. He advised
the officials repeatedly making requests to draw a clear distinction between
the public and private affairs. So a simple funeral service was held by her
family and relatives.
Paying the bill
One day in November 1946, general Kim Il Sung dropped in at a farmer's house
during his field guidance to South Phyongan Province and had a lunch there.
Before leaving the house, he asked his aide whether he paid for the noodle.
The aide said that he left for the journey in such a great hurry that he
forgot to take money with him and he would certainly pay for it later. On
hearing this, the general told him to drive the car and bring money while he
would be waiting for him. When the aide was about to pay for the lunch after
covering tens of kilometers, the farmer refused to receive the money, saying
how he could receive money from the general. At that time the general said
that he should also pay for the lunch as he was one of those serving the
people. He got on the car only after seeing the farmer to receive the money.
Generalissimo with the guard
The president posed for a photograph in his generalissimo uniform for the
first time on April 22 1992, complying with requests repeatedly made by
officials. Saying that he would like to have a photo taken with a guard, he
let the guard be relieved from his duty and stood with him under an apricot
tree with flowers in full bloom. Officials were deeply moved to see the
president having a picture taken with the guard.
Removing the pavilion
He visited again Okpho-ri, Changsong County, North Phyongan Province, in the
summer of a year and attentively saw a new pavilion built there. At that
time a senior official told him that the people in the county built the
pavilion so that he might have even a short rest on his ceaseless trip for
field guidance. Asking the official why they did such a thing and what would
happen if such a pavilion was built wherever he went, the president advised
him to think of what should be done to enable the people to be well off,
instead of doing such useless things. Then he instructed the official to
remove the pavilion at once.
Coverage of the Korean War
It happened one day during the Korean War (1950-1953) when it was at its
height. A foreign journalist visited the supreme command and asked for an
interview with General Kim Il Sung. The journalist wished to know about the
prospect of the war as the U.S. imperialists were carrying out a large-scale
"new offensive" at that time. The journalist saw something quite different
from what he had imagined when he entered the room of the general, guided by
an official shortly afterward. The general was looking at something before
an operation table and a soldier telling about something beside him. The
journalist was surprised to hear from the official that the general was
talking to the soldier expected to study in a foreign country for post-war
rehabilitation. The journalist asked the official to permit him to leave the
room without any word. The former said in an excited tone to the latter that
he had already finished his news coverage.
Cap and gloves for the soldier on duty
It happened in one winter day of 1950 when the general was on his return
trip to the supreme command from his inspection of the front. The general
told his chauffeur to stop the car all of a sudden before a sentry post and
got down from the car. The general approached the soldier on sentry duty and
asked him if he could stand such a cold weather before closely examining his
uniform. The conditions at that time were so hard and complicated that
winter caps could not be supplied to the soldiers on time. The general told
his adjutant to bring his own fur cap and gloves from the car and give them
to the soldier. After a while, the sentry leader was quite surprised to see
the soldier on duty wearing the supreme commander's cap when he came to him
with others to relieve sentry.
Handshake with the welder
While visiting a factory one hot summer day he stopped before a worker at
welding. Hearing someone standing before him, the welder stopped working and
rose to his feet, quite at a loss. When the president offered a handshake to
him without reserve, appreciating what he has done, he stepped back
hesitating to respond to it. But the president warmly shook the welder's
hand, saying that there was no need for him to care as his hands were also
stained with oil.
Barrel’s weight
One year President Kim Il Sung came out to the spot to see a new type of
mortar. He asked a soldier as if its barrel was not heavy. The soldier told
him it is lighter than the old one. Saying that he would like to carry the
barrel on his shoulder, the president asked the soldier to let him put it on
his shoulder. The president walked along a dusty road, jerking the barrel on
his shoulder or turning it. He did so to see if it was not inconvenient for
the soldier to carry the barrel on his shoulder during the march. After
walking some time with the barrel on his shoulder, the president instructed
ordnance officials to make the barrel lighter.
President’s certificate of citizenship
It happened on October 8 1962 when the elections of deputies to the third
Supreme People's Assembly took place in the DPRK. That day President Kim Il
Sung was supposed to go to an election district to vote together with
workers. Before leaving, he asked his aide if he took the president's
certificate of citizenship with him. On hearing that it was not with him,
the president said that he, too, should abide by the law of the country as a
citizen of the DPRK. And he told his aide to bring the certificate though it
might cause a delay. When the aide came back, the president put the
certificate into his inside pocket after carefully examining it. Upon
reaching the voting place, he showed his certificate to officials there and
received a voting card to vote.
Arabic figures
Kim Il Sung looked around the inside of a small railway station in a
mountain area at sunset of February 6 1963 when he was giving on-the-spot
guidance. At that time, a table showing railway fares vertically written in
Chinese characters was hanging on a wall there. He met the station-master
and told him that the fares on the table should be written in Arabic figures
horizontally to make it easy for the passengers to read the table. He left
there after promising the master to come there again and see a new table.
Early in the morning of the next day he visited the station again and saw
the new table. Praising officials of the station for what they did, he
instructed that all the railway stations should have such horizontally
written tables. Later easily readable tables of railway fares appeared in
all railway stations of the country.
Masses are the teacher
One day in August 1975 President Kim Il Sung received the managing editor of
the news agency of a country on a visit to the DPRK and arranged a luncheon
for him. At the luncheon he asked about the issues on industry, agriculture,
mining industry and other sectors of the national economy. The president
cited concrete examples to answer his questions. He was struck with
admiration at the immense erudition of the president. With a light smile on
his face the president warmly said that the popular masses taught all the
knowledge to him, he can learn much from among them, and they are his
teacher.
Visiting schools
President Kim Il Sung visited the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School on
December 14 1958. Also there were 50 children from the Nampho Revolutionary
School who dropped in at it after visiting Mangyongdae. The president posed
for photographs with pupils of the two schools and appreciated an art
performance and had meals with them. Before leaving the school he was so
kind as to ask them if they had any request. A girl from the Nampho
Revolutionary School asked him, taking his hand, to visit her school, too,
adding that it was the ardent wish of all the teaching staff and pupils of
the school. The president accepted her request with pleasure and visited the
school a week later to keep the promise he had given to pupils.
Happy birthday
On May 10 1958 he took the tribune of a mass rally held on Hyesan square
during his on-site guidance to Ryanggang Province. Two first-year girls of
the primary school presented him with bouquets. After making his speech he
invited the two girls to get on his car. He had a pleasant conversation with
them asking their names, ages and birthdays and had photographs taken with
them. Later he, recalling the name of a girl and reminding an official that
tomorrow will be her birthday, told him to send two photos to her that day
so that she might receive them on her birthday. The girl was greatly excited
to receive the precious photos on her birthday.
Saving oxen
It happened one day in November 1950 when the temporary strategic retreat of
the Korean People's Army was made. While inspecting its unit, he learned
that soldiers of the unit slaughtered an ox. As far as the ox was concerned,
it was one of the several oxen whose owner was unknown with which the
soldiers took while retreating. One of his legs was broken. But he regarded
it as an "emergency case". He made sure that a servicepersons' meeting was
held to struggle against absolute ideas, saying that not a single ox would
remain alive if we slaughtered oxen under this or that pretext, while the
enemy was slaughtering them and eating beef as they pleased. Upon coming
back to the supreme headquarters, he issued a telegraph order of the supreme
commander that night to the combined units to strictly ban the ox slaughter.
Free health care
It happened on January 20 1952. He received an official of the ministry of
public health who asked him for not a small amount of money in a report sent
to him as regards measures to be taken against the barbaric germ warfare
committed by the U.S. imperialists. The official felt very sorry for causing
anxiety to the president who was shouldering upon himself the heavy burden
of the war. But the president took a step to provide necessary funds, saying
that there is nothing to spare for the good of the people. Upon learning
about the medical fees paid by people in those days, he earnestly told
officials to enforce free health care, saying that there was nothing more
valuable than the people's life though the conditions of the country were
hard. Decision no. 203 of the cabinet "on enforcing the universal free
medical care" was thus released on November 13 1952.
Shares
Over 102,000 won was paid to President Kim Il Sung by the Wonhwa Cooperative
Farm, Phyongwon County, South Phyongan Province in November 1993 as his
share of distribution in cash for ten years. He exerted all his efforts for
the prosperity and agricultural development on the farm for about 40 years
as its honorary member. The farm decided to save his every-year-share of
distribution in cash equivalent to the average share of a farmer from 1983.
Informed of this, he said that he became rich and would like to give the
farm a treat. After personally calculating the prices of farm machines, he
bought several tractors and trucks for the farm. In this way the money he
received from the farm was sent back to it.
Party building turned into nursery
Early in February 1956 he went to a mine. He first dropped in at a nursery
of the mine and learned about the actual condition. It was not long after
the end of the war, so that hygienic and cultural conditions of the nursery
were not so good. He admonished the officials not to boast of the mine's big
prospect only but to value children who would shoulder the future of the
mine. He instructed the officials to change the newly built office rooms of
the party committee into the nursery. Therefore, the bright and vast office
rooms were turned into a nursery.
Humble assistance
One autumn day in 1958 President Kim Il Sung mounted the Ulmil pavilion on
Moran Hill with a head of state of a foreign country to enjoy a bird's-eye
view of Pyongyang. A cameraman who was accompanying him went up a high stone
wall to have a better position to photograph. The president hurried to
support him. The cameraman, much embarrassed, intended to come down. But the
president told him to stay there until he finished his job. He advised the
cameraman not to mount such a dangerous place without any helper in the
future.
Showing something once is better than teaching something several times
One day in July 1958 he visited the Yaksu Senior Middle School in Changsong
County, North Phyongan Province. While carefully examining stuffed specimens
of various animals at a biological study room the president found that there
was no specimen of a heron. After his field guidance to several units of the
county he went for hunting with a hunting gun, saying that showing something
once is better than teaching something several times. Climbing up and down
the valley for a long while, he succeeded in hunting a heron. A wonderful
specimen of a heron was thus put on display at the Yaksu Senior Middle
School next day.
Cancer diagnosis prevented New Year address
President Kim Il Sung came to know that the then first vice-premier Kim Il
was diagnosed as cancer on December 31 1965. The president could not calm
himself down as he could hardly believe that he would lose a soldier he
loved so much. This prevented him from performing his official duty and
making a New Year address. He took a step to send the patient to a country
developed in medical science and technology to get accurate diagnosis.
Several minute medical examinations proved that his sickness was not cancer.
Thus his life was prolonged for nearly 20 years. Therefore, 1966 was
recorded in the history of the DPRK as a year with no New Year address in
the lifetime of the president.
With Carter at the Taedong river
In June 1994 he went sightseeing of the River Taedong with former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter on a visit to Korea. When the excursion boat was
passing by a place out of the city, he suddenly called a suite member and
told him to have the speed of the boat decreased. Carter wondered at the
decreasing speed and asked the president why the speed was going down. The
president, pointing his finger at the riverside where working people were
angling fish, said the waves by the boat would disturb them and the boat was
made to go slowly lest it might break their interesting. Carter was deeply
moved to see what was unexpected.
Toast to the memory of a national hero
It happened on September 23 1989 when the president met and gave a luncheon
for the widow and the bereaved children of hero of the Republic An Tong Su,
deputy divisional commander in charge of political affairs who performed
feats in the battles to liberate Seoul and Suwon during the Fatherland
Liberation War. Looking at those sitting at the table, the president
proposed to bring a cup for An Tong Su to be filled. The widow and other
bereaved family members were surprised by his proposal because An had died
tens of years ago. The president stood up and made his cup touch An's cup
and then proposed all present to do the same and drink in his memory. Tears
of emotion were endlessly rolling down the cheeks of the widow and An's sons
and daughters, son-in-law and grandson when they were responding to his
proposal.
From memory
It happened in September 1990 when President Kim Il Sung visited china while
the banquet was under way. Kim Il Sung told General Secretary Jiang Zemin
that one official was a quite familiar face. Jiang introduced to the
president the official as the deputy director of the general office of the
Communist Party of China. Searching his memory, the president said with a
smile on his face in a moment that he was a stenographer. Then the president
called the official and asked if he participated in the talks with Mao
Zedong as a stenographer. He told the president that he participated in the
talks as a stenographer in 1963. The president said it was not 1963 but 1964
and he saw the stenographer sitting at one corner of the conference hall.
The president recollected with deep emotion that a stenographer at that time
grew up to be a cadre.
Song of Mt. Kumgang
One day in March 1974, President Kim Il Sung summoned an official to ask
about the gifts prepared for the members of the Korean art troupe in Japan
who were expected to visit the homeland soon. He told the official he
thought the revolutionary opera "Song of Mt. Kumgang" would be the best gift
for them who had been missing the homeland. He also said it would be good
for them to learn how to perform the opera during their stay.Thanks to his
recommendation, the Korean artistes formed the "Kumgangsan Opera Troupe" and
rehearsed the opera before going back to Japan.The revolutionary opera "Song
of Mt. Kumgang", which impressed Japanese audiences, was a special gift the
president had provided to Koreans in Japan.
Korean army building a school in time of hostilities
He visited a village in Kangdong County, South Phyongan Province (at that
time) in a summer day of a year when the Fatherland Liberation War was at
its height. There he learned that pupils were studying in a classroom in a
remote mountain village as there was no school there. Instructing officials
to build a school by taking into good account labor force, building
materials and transport means, he proposed to choose its site in a sunny and
safe place and build floor-heated rooms so that pupils might not feel cold
in winter. At a time when even a combatant was badly needed on the front
where hard-fought battles were going on, many soldiers of the people's army
were engaged in the construction of the school and military trucks
transported building materials instead of running to the front. It was under
this deep care of the president that the school appeared at the foot of the
mountain overgrown with chestnut trees and schoolchildren in the village
could study in the sunny classrooms. |
