On April 6, Juche 36 (1947), President Kim Il Sung climbed Munsu Hill after attending a ceremony of planting trees.
It was right after Korea’s liberation (August 1945). So, it was difficult to find trees and twittering birds on the hill. The hill represented the appearance of Korea which had experienced all sorts of hardships under the Japanese military occupation. It burnt his heart to see it.
After looking around the hill in silence, he said as follows: A forest is a precious wealth of the country. Making the mountains thickly covered with forests is of great significance in protecting the land of the country and developing its landscape more pleasantly. Only when we plant many trees in the mountains, can we protect farmland, mountains and streams from natural disasters and turn our country into a people’s paradise of scenic beauty which is good to live in. If all the mountains are covered with thick forests and abundant resources, it will instil greater national pride and dignity into our people and inspire them with patriotism.
Then, he took the lead in planting trees.
