Sincere Gratitude to Comrade Kim Il Sung (1)
Stalin was a man who seldom revealed his innermost thoughts to others and who would not readily give others praise, but he expressed his true feelings only to President Kim Il Sung.
The leader of the USSR praised the DPRK counterpart as a general in the period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle and as a great hero in the period of the Fatherland Liberation War.
He presented many gifts to the DPRK leader including a vista dome carriage equipped with a special bullet-proof device, a sedan and a warship.
It happened in March Juche 38(1949) when Kim Il Sung paid an official goodwill visit to the USSR at Stalin`s invitation.
The Soviet leader hosted a grand banquet in honour of the Korean counterpart, and it was attended by high-ranking officials of the Party and government of the Soviet Union and diplomatic envoys from many countries around the world.
At the banquet Stalin addressed Kim Il Sung as a world-recognized outstanding leader and a hero who performed immortal exploits in defending the Soviet revolution, and concluded as follows:
“Comrade Kim Il Sung is a true proletarian internationalist who protected the Soviet Union from the imperialists’ aggression with blood and arms in the East and a paragon in the communist movement. As such genuine communists like Comrade Kim Il Sung waged the struggle, the Soviet Union has been able to carry on socialist construction in the peaceful environment like today.
“Availing myself of this meaningful opportunity, I would like to propose warm applause for Comrade Kim Il Sung as a show of our heartfelt gratitude to him, in reflection of the unanimous feeling of me and all the comrades and friends who are present here.”
Then all the participants heartily congratulated the Korean leader in reverence.
It is said Stalin, who had been respected as a veteran leader of the world revolution and had seldom exposed his feelings, had never made such a toast before.
Sincere Gratitude to Comrade Kim Il Sung (2)
Stalin was 33 years older than President Kim Il Sung.
Once an official of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) met a man who had worked as Stalin’s private secretary.
At that time the former secretary was 90 years old. When asked by the Chongryon official about Stalin’s ardent admiration for President Kim Il Sung, he answered:
How could I not know the young Korean general Comrade Kim Il Sung? Stalin was a man of self-respect and he never gave anyone a hug. Even when shaking hands with his guests, he used to do it at his original position with the left hand kept at his back. But when meeting Comrade Kim Il Sung, Stalin greeted him so amiably, as he approached him first, hugged him tightly and stroked his back, that people said even the reunion of family members would not be as warm and passionate as theirs.
During his tour of the USSR, Stalin initiated and ordered the manufacture of a new type of bullet-proof sedan, which could be called the essence of the then Soviet motor industry, and presented it to Kim Il Sung. It was a token of heartfelt sincerity of the Soviet leader wishing for his safety and health.
Stalin also presented five ZiS sedans as gifts to Kim Il Sung in October Juche 39(1950).
The cars were designed and produced at Stalin’s proposal and under his close concern. He assigned competent designers the task of producing the design of the vehicle, saw their designs on several occasions and corrected their shortcomings. He also provided technicians and workers with all necessary conditions for manufacturing them well at an early date.
The gifts reflected his earnest wish for the good health and long life of President Kim Il Sung for the ultimate victory in the struggle against imperialism and the US.
