At the Kirov Plant in Russia, there is a commemorative plaque with the following writing:
“Comrade Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea, visited the Kirov Plant on August 7 2001.”
On the day when the DPRK leader visited the plant, its general manager told him about different kinds of vehicles produced at the factory.
Chairman Kim Jong Il, who was conversing with the mayor of St Petersburg and the general manager of the plant in a friendly atmosphere at the tea party arranged by the factory with sincerity, suddenly told the accompanying officials to get ready to leave as there was not much time left to make the Moscow-bound train.
The mayor asked him to have more rest, saying they would readjust the timetable of the train.
Then the Chairman said they were in Russia not to have a rest, but they came there leaving their beloved country, people and families far behind and so they had to do work for them, and proposed summoning up energy to depart.
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At the unveiling ceremony of the commemorative plaque held at the plant in 2016, the mayor said that at the meeting with the Chairman 15 years ago he keenly realized that he was an outstanding leader with profound insight and warm human love, noting that he was utterly attracted by his personality traits.
It is said that the Kirov Plant hands down the story of that day, considering it as a great honour to have the commemorative plaque in memory of the great man.