It happened in the spring of Juche 25(1936) when General Kim Il Sung visited the secret camp of the members of the Children`s Corp in Maanshan during the anti-Japanese armed struggle.
“The General has come!”
At a child’s shout echoing through the valley, the door of the log cabin was flung open and dozens of children bounced out.
The children who were hurriedly rushing towards him, however, halted one after another before reaching him.
The General who was approaching them with his arms wide open also stopped for a while.
Their wretched sight was heart-rending to him―their faces swollen due to hunger and their old clothes so torn and burnt that they were as good as naked.
The General’s heart ached as he looked at the children who did not dare to come closer in such shabby appearance with their heads down. Calming himself, he said it was not their fault that they were in rags and told them to come to him as he approached them holding out his arms. Then the children came close to him sobbing bitterly.
He held a youngest one in his arms, covered the child’s bare knees with the front part of his military uniform, and entered the log cabin.
In the cold room without the slightest dash of warmth, several children were lying huddled in one corner without quilt.
He felt their heads, carefully studied their complexions, and asked how they got sick and what kind of medical treatment they were getting.
Looking around the cold room once again, he told his orderly to bring his blanket.
Although the guerrillas who understood his intention only then dissuaded him as they took out their blankets, the General covered the children with his blanket, saying that his heart could not be warmed even if he slept with 100 blankets on since the children were being laid up and shivering with cold.
“Maansan Blanket” warming the children and people in the DPRK today can trace its origin in his blanket that was covered over the ill-clad children that day.
