Leader Kim Jong Il and gifts presented to him

 

North Korea has a special exhibition called the International Friendship Exhibition unprecedented in the world.

Exhibited there are numerous gifts presented to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il by heads of different states and political parties, prominent figures of political, public, business and academic circles of the world, overseas Koreans and south Koreans.

More than 51,500 gifts are sent to leader Kim Jong Il from 160-odd countries, international organizations and prominent figures of the world.

Gifts are exchanged in expression of intimacy and respect.

The gifts presented to Kim Jong Il include some beautiful vases from the party and state leaders of China. The vases have been traditionally manufactured since the 15^th century. They symbolize health and longevity.

A lacquerware jar presented by the National People’s Congress of China is also rare and precious craftworks. The bottom of the jar is inscribed with letters “Made in the Period of Emperor Ganlong of the Ch’ing Dynasty.” This craftwork counted among the national treasures of China, and the Chinese leaders seldom present it to foreigners.

Russian President Putin presented Kim Jong Il with gifts on many occasions. Among them are a hunting gun produced in Tula Province, Russia, world-class fleet steeds, and oil painting “The Sky over the River Neva” fraught with profound meaning.

Nina Andreyeva, General Secretary of the All-Union Bolshevik Communist Party of Russia, presented Kim Jong Il with the glasswork “A Hedgehog” on the occasion of his 55^th birthday. She said that she prepared the gift, thinking that the hedgehog which severely punishes the tiger that struts about as king in the mountain is a symbol of north Korea countering the US hard line policy with a tougher policy though it is small in territory and population. In a letter to the leader she said: “To the most respected Comrade Kim Jong Il. On the occasion of your auspicious birthday I send you a simple yet symbolic gift portraying a hedgehog, a hero in an old Korean tale. The clever hedgehog has made the ferocious tiger (US imperialism), the king of beats, lie prostrate and apologize.”

Former US Secretary of State Albright presented a gift to Kim Jong Il. She had already known that he especially likes basketball among sports games which requires a high degree of technique, a correct judgment of the situation, nimble action, initiative and decision. Therefore, she prepared as gifts a silver plate and a basketball signed by a basketball player renowned as the star of the 20^th century. The gift bears the national emblem of the United States and the seal of the US President in the sense that it is a national gift. Returning to the United States after the visit to north Korea she told the reporters to this effect, “His Excellency Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, is truly realistic, a man of decision, experienced and always prepared for everything. In other words, he is a many-sided leader logically clear and definitely confident, magnanimous and circumspect in political, economic, cultural, military, diplomatic and all other problems.”

The New York Times, a major American newspaper, presented leader Kim Jong Il with a negative plate of lithography used in publishing a special issue on December 16, 1997 under the title “Kim Jong Il has risen as a lodestar who will lead the 21^st century.” Holding that it was the greatest honor to be the first of all American papers to introduce such a great man as Kim Jong Il, the daily presented him with the negative plate which it kept as a remembrance.

The folding screen-like ceramic craftwork “General Kim Jong Il, sun of the 21^st century”, the wooden craftwork “The great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il who leads the world to independence”, the golden and silver work “Comrade Kim Jong Il who lives in the hearts of the world people” and the craftwork made of wings of butterflies “All people laud Kim Jong Il in unison,” and many other gifts have clear meanings.

Tens of thousands of gifts are rare and precious and have profound meanings so that all visitors admire them.