Kim Jong Il : People’s leader

The core of the traits of Kim Jong Il, leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, can be said to be affection for his people. He always says that the revolution is aimed at bringing love for people to fruition, that the feeling of patriotism is displayed and the revolution is started because of ardent affection for people, and that the revolution realizes the independence of man is the highest form of affection that makes him perfect. As he loves his people so ardently, he administers benevolent politics which is unique in the world. He once dispatched a plane to save a few workers who were in the jaws of death, and at another time, when a hydropower station of national significance was under construction, he ensured that wonderful houses were built for the people who were living in the area to be submerged as he was more concerned with their living than the dam of the station.

In the end of the last century, when the US schemes to stifle the DPRK went to extremes, he held higher the banner of Songun just to safeguard socialism, a people’s society, and to defend the security and supreme interests of his people. To save his people and devote his all to them is his outlook on life. Their demands and interests constitute the yardstick and starting-point of his thinking and practice, and to realize them is his topmost concern at all times. His greatness pleasure is to see his people happy, and his greatest agony is to see them unfortunate. This is why he spares nothing to make them happy. When one visits the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, one can see a jewel-encrusted floor in its central hall. Jewels and colour stones encrusted on the floor amount to 100 tons. The same amount of jewels and colour stones is encrusted on the floors of Okryu Restaurant, a famous mass restaurant in Pyongyang.

In several parts of the country there have been built fruit farms each with hundreds of hectares of orchards and some with a thousand hectares, and farms that breed sturgeons, rainbow trouts and eels. All these are products of Kim Jong Il’s affection for his people.

To have the original appearance of a woman, who had her face burned, restored, he ensured that she received medical treatment in a foreign country at the expense of the state. When he is on foreign tour, his people are always in his mind; when he is visiting units related with people’s living, he acquaints himself with their production lines, quality of their products, their package and sale, and thinks how to provide his people with better things. In this process came into being Taedonggang beer which is famous not only in his country but abroad. It is not fortuitous that the Russian presidential delegate plenipotentiary to the Federal District of Far East of Russia, who accompanied Kim Jong Il during the latter’s visit to Russia, wrote in his book, “Chairman Kim Jong Il is a leader who devotes all his thinking and passion for the wellbeing of his people.” His ardent affection for his people is expressed also in his constant field guidance trips. However exhausted he may be and however rugged he road may be, he goes to where the people are for their happiness. He once said that now he felt his coach as if it were his home so he could not get sleep if he lies on a soft bed. His forced march by train transcends people’s imagination. In 2009 alone, he covered 26000 km by train, field guidance at over 200units.

The Huichon Power Station, which is situated in the northern mountains region of the country, was said at the beginning of its construction that the project would take more than ten years. But as Kim Jong Il went in person to see the site and gave detailed instructions on the ways for expediting the project, it was completed within three years. Love for his people runs through his field guidance. When giving field guidance, he visits people’s dwelling houses to acquaint himself with their living conditions, and poses for photograph with them. When he visited the families who had moved to a newly built apartment house, he took with him boxes of matches according to the Korean custom, congratulated them and discussed with them the future of their young members. When he inspects enterprises and other units, he encourages their officials to work harder for people’s well-being. When goods well received by people are developed, he feels very pleased and gives names to them. So it is quite natural that the Korean people call him their father and follow him.