Kim Il Sung ruled North Korea from its foundation 1948 until he died in 1994, first as prime minister, from 1972 as its president. The cult that he created about his persona and his family lasts until today - even though he`s dead for almost 20 years now he officially still is head of the country as "Eternal President" and "Great Leader".
His birthday is a national holiday in North Korea - and as he would have turned 100 this year, the celebrations last three days - not only in North Korea....
....but also everywhere else in the world, I suppose. As we are in Shenyang only about 300 km away from the border, naturally a big amount of exchange students at my university here come from North Korea - and each and everyone of them came to their class today in a black suit and original Kim Il Sung - pin on their lapel. As you can see in the picture with three of my class mates official celebration protocol even allowed a personal touch by leaving individual choice for a suitable tie to themselves. Or maybe they all only have one, don`t know.
I didn´t dare to ask if they really were doing it out of free will (as e.g. most Irish do with wearing green on St.Patrick`s Day allover the world) or if there`s at least one member of the notorius North Korean secret police among the exchange students who would notice if anyone wouldn`t obey. But they really got a little upset as one other student asked who Kim Il Sung was again - in their opinion it was impossible how someone could not know of him.
Well, happy birthday, Great Leader, and so long, I guess.....
His birthday is a national holiday in North Korea - and as he would have turned 100 this year, the celebrations last three days - not only in North Korea....
....but also everywhere else in the world, I suppose. As we are in Shenyang only about 300 km away from the border, naturally a big amount of exchange students at my university here come from North Korea - and each and everyone of them came to their class today in a black suit and original Kim Il Sung - pin on their lapel. As you can see in the picture with three of my class mates official celebration protocol even allowed a personal touch by leaving individual choice for a suitable tie to themselves. Or maybe they all only have one, don`t know.
I didn´t dare to ask if they really were doing it out of free will (as e.g. most Irish do with wearing green on St.Patrick`s Day allover the world) or if there`s at least one member of the notorius North Korean secret police among the exchange students who would notice if anyone wouldn`t obey. But they really got a little upset as one other student asked who Kim Il Sung was again - in their opinion it was impossible how someone could not know of him.
Well, happy birthday, Great Leader, and so long, I guess.....
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