On June 10, Juche 62 (1973), Chairman Kim Jong Il looked round several historical sites in Sangwon Valley of Mt Myohyang.
At Sangwon Hermitage, he carefully examined the temple as he was briefed on its history, architectural features, and legends and anecdotes about it.
Looking at the statue of the Merciful Goddess there, he immediately recognized that it was not the original one.
In fact, on display there was a Buddhist statue smaller than the original one as the latter had been brought to the Kwanum Hall in Pohyon Temple of Mt Myohyang.
Kim Jong Il said to officials as follows: The Buddhist statue in Sangwon Hermitage should not be moved to the Kwanum Hall. If there is no statue for the Kwanum Hall, it should be brought from somewhere else, not from Sangwon Hermitage. The original statue should be put in Sangwon Hermitage.
Later, officials and workers of the Myohyangsan History Museum put back the Buddhist statue where it had been.
