The Koreans and other progressive people the world over revered Chairman Kim Jong Il (1942-2011) of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as the sun of humankind.
“The Sun Has Come”
In August 2002, as part of his trip around the Far East of Russia, Kim Jong Il visited the St Bishop Innokenty of Irkutsk Church of the Russian Orthodox Church in Khabarovsk.
Upon arrival, he was warmly greeted by a priest of the church. He was taking a look around the church building, when bells clanged from somewhere. All eyes turned towards where the deep-toned sound came from.
Orthodox discipline prohibits bell ringing before the noonday sun appears.
The priest explained that though it was before noon, they decided to ring the bells as a token of welcome to the Korean guest, adding that those on the bell tower were the best bellmen in the church.
When Kim Jong Il thanked him, the priest said, “The Sun has come to our church and it is only natural for us to ring the bells in greeting.”
Sun and Star
It happened when a French man, then a director of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, visited the DPRK for the third time.
Unexpectedly, he fell ill due to the relapse of an obstinate disease.
Informed of this, Kim Jong Il said to officials concerned: He is one of our guests and a scholar of the Juche idea. As he shares ideology with us, we should do our best to cure him.
He then took necessary steps for his treatment–sending tonics and arranging for the latest medical equipment to be used.
The French man restored himself to health in a little more than 40 days.
Back home, he said to his colleagues: I hope you set up a red marble stone at my grave. A small one would be okay. It should have carvings of the sun and, below it, a five-pointed star. The sun will symbolize President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il, and the star, all the followers of the Juche idea in the world who have achieved solid unity around them.
“He Was the Sun”
The following is part of what a Russian businessman, named Solinov, said recalling his meeting with Kim Jong Il:
Our meeting in July 1995 lasted for 55 minutes. An audience with the supreme leader of a country is supposed to be very formal. But Kim Jong Il treated me and my colleagues as if we had been his old friends, and our talks proceeded in an amicable atmosphere. We were all fascinated by his modesty and candour, and especially by his hearty laughter.
Time seemed to be flying. After the talks, when posing for a photo with us, he beamed, just like the sun shedding its full light.
People revere the sun for its unexcelled grandeur, which they feel deep in their hearts.
Indeed, he was the Sun.
