It happened in August Juche 48(1959) when President Kim Il Sung was on his inspection tour. His car was approaching a village. He asked the driver to turn the car to a place a little away from the village.
An accompanying official wondered what he was going to do before lunch.
The car pulled to a stop at a riverside grassy place.
The President came out of the car and took his seat on the grassy ground, saying it is time to have a lunch.
Another official told him he had better have a meal in the village. But he insisted on having lunch at the place, though they were near to the village, saying no bother should be given to people in any case.
Later provincial officials who were waiting for him at the village hotfooted it there to see him.
Greeting the President, they were all close to tears.
“How can you allow the President to dine outside this time, too?” one of them complained emotionally to the accompanying official.
“That’s what he used to do, you know,” the official said. “That will remain unchanged.”
