People were always deeply seated in the heart of Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who, regarding the people as his God, devoted all his life to them. Their demands and interests were the criteria and starting-point of all his thinking and practice and he made no compromise with regard to them. He considered their aspiration and demand first when formulating a line or policy and regarded it as an iron rule to resolve them.
Following is a story that proves it.
One very cold and windy day in March 2006 he visited the construction site of the Samsu Power Station in a northern alpine area of the country.
While inquiring into the progress of its construction, he asked the officials what measures they had taken concerning the dwelling houses of the residents in the area to be submerged.
They replied that no measures had been taken yet as the project of the power station was still under way.
He said with a serious expression on his face: I came not only to get a firsthand knowledge of the progress of the dam construction of the Samsu Power Station but also to inquire into the construction of the houses for the residents who would be relocate from the area to be inundated; in the Samsu Power Station project, importance should be given to two fronts, in other words, the construction of the power station and new houses for the families to be relocated, with priority given to the latter; we should build their houses before we complete the construction of the power station and start producing electricity.
He learned that if the power station was brought to completion, nine ris would be submerged in water and that if the residents of 4 900 households, who lived there, were relocated, the number would be 15 000 people in total when each household was assumed to have three members. Now he told the officials to take immediate measures for solving the housing problem for them. Then he stressed that as the state was duty-bound to provide the people with houses in the DPRK, the Cabinet should take full responsibility for this work.
In this way over 150 villages were newly built in a short span of time and the local people were provided with houses which were better than their previous ones.
When the relocated families moved to new houses, Kim Jong Il had a colour TV set, duvets, blankets, winter coats, various other kinds of clothes and daily necessities sent to each household.
There are many similar stories which show his affection for the people.
It is not accidental that Pulikovski, former chief presidential delegate to the Far Eastern Federal District, Russia, wrote in his memoirs that he was convinced that all the activities of Chairman Kim Jong Il of the DPRK National Defence Commission were geared to attaining a single objective, that is, to bring happiness and prosperity to his people.
Every year the Korean people celebrate February 16, Kim Jong Il’s birthday, as the greatest national holiday. This year is very significant for them as it is the 80th anniversary of his birth.