Ret's lock!
Posted on 01/21/2005 2:51:50 PM PST by Rodney King
Pyongyang, January 20 (KCNA) -- Eighty years have elapsed since President Kim Il Sung, in his teens, crossed the River Amnok, which Korea and China border, with a firm resolution to liberate the country occupied by the Japanese imperialists. Thirteen days after he left Mangyongdae in Pyongyang on January 22, Juche 14 (1925) for national liberation, he arrived at Phophyong on the bank of the river.
Departing the motherland with bitter heart, he made a solemn resolution to come back to the motherland without fail after defeating the Japanese imperialists. He walked slowly towards the opposite side of the river singing quietly the Song of the River Amnok composed by someone.
The song reflects the firm determination made by the river-crossing Koreans to fight for the independence of the nation and come back to the country, bearing in mind the serious lesson of the March First Popular Uprising (1919) against the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule. In his reminiscences "With the Century" the President writes:
"That day I underwent a truly painful psychological experience. Because this experience had left a wound in my heart, at the banquet given by patriots in the homeland in my honor after my triumphal return home, I spoke first about that experience".
It was on September 18, Juche 80 (1991) that he visited the Phophyong Ferry in Kim Hyong Jik County, Ryanggang Province. Walking quietly on the bank of the river and recollecting the day 66 years ago, he stopped before a monument on which the words of the song are inscribed and began singing the song. He was joined by officials accompanying him and lecturers in singing the song.
The President always kept in his mind the song reflecting patriotism of the Korean people in the protracted anti-Japanese war for the liberation of the country, in the building of a new state, in the hard-fought Korean war and during his inspection tour for building a rich and strong country.
Today the Korean people, singing the song, hardens their will to make shine the exploits performed by the President for the liberation of the country as well as the patriotic will not to repeat the bitter history of the ruined nation.
I'm all verklempt.
I was testing to see if I could post an article that received no comments.
Who writes this crap?
Rodong Sinmun.
I am so glad that someone composed it.
Communists and Democrats. The two are increasingly interchangeable in the extent of their dementia. Just try looking over at DU. Oh - and did you know the North Koreans rhapsodized last year on behalf of Jean Francois? After President Bush's inaugural address yesterday, you can easily understand why the NK Commies see Bush as a dangerous threat to them.
How could you expect no replies when you posted something that reaches down so deeply into the heart?
This stuff comes from the North Korean news agency, KCNA. KCNA is the only government-run news agency I know of that is not located in the country it discusses. It's based in Japan.
Rodong Sinmun is a newspaper, not a person. It's the official newspaper of the North Korean government, so the KCNA quotes it. They have to, or they would receive a fate worse than death: Removal from their cushy gig in Japan back to North Korea.
Did I miss anything, AmericanInTokyo?
D
The article is way too weird to not receive comments.
Ret's lock!
Someone left the cake out in the rain....
ROFLMAO. For like the past three years I thought Rodong Sinmun was the guy that wrote all this crap.
"composted" is more appropriate.
You've got that one pretty well nailed.
Thanks!
Okay, a follow-up question: Why is KCNA based in Japan and not North Korea?
I suppose because journalists are normally not allowed in North Korea, so in order to be asked questions, they have to be based elsewhere?
And why Japan? I thought North Korea hated Japan. I know they couldn't put it in South Korea, but maybe Hong Kong?
D
those are good questions. kcna is backed up by the chongryong north korean organization in Japan. in fact, there are hundreds of thousands of ethnic koreans currently in japan, who identify specifically with the north, and are essentially part of it's overseas apparatus, including propaganda efforts. journalists are allowed into north korea...however, how many are there on an extended basis is questionable.
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