Brilliant Leadership

It was April in Juche 81 (1992). In that historical spring, our people conferred the highest military title, Generalissimo of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, on President Kim Il Sung greeting his 80th birthday. The officials made repeated requests to the President that they wanted to see him in his generalissimo uniform almost every day. But he declined their requests every time. One day the officials made their earnest request once again. “President, it is our duty to hand down to posterity the image of you in the generalissimo uniform in a historical document. Please accede to our request.” The President could no longer refuse but agreed to it. It was the 22nd of April in Juche 81(1992). The President had his photo taken in the generalissimo uniform that day. In the uniform with shining generalissimo stars on his shoulders, his dignity as an ever-victorious iron-willed brilliant commander really matched well with his sacred image like the sun. That day the President proposed having a photo taken with the soldier on sentry duty, saying that as he became the Generalissimo of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he wanted to have a photo taken with a sentry. Then, the President relieved the sentry, asked him where it would be fine for a photo, and had a souvenir photo taken under an apricot tree in full blossom. It was a souvenir photo with a generalissimo and a sentry. A generalissimo and a sentry are poles apart in terms of military rank. However, the President did have a photo taken with a sentry on that honorable day as he loved soldiers best.