In spring Juche 80(1991) officials made President Kim Il Sung a request to repave the Assembly Hall yard because there were many cracks in the yard since paved long before. But he declined.
They thought it over and decided to finish paving the yard at a stroke when he was out of the Assembly Hall and began to work.
However he came back earlier than scheduled from his field guidance.
He grew angry and rebuked his chief secretary for beginning to repave the yard against his repeated intention not to do it. A moment later, he calmed his anger and said that he fully understood with them, but his pleasure was in people’s happiness and that he would go any rugged way willingly and every day if it would guide him to making the people live happily.
So the repaving project stopped and the yard remained being cracked.
Every year cracks got bigger and numerous, but yet the President walked on the yard till the last day of his life.
In July filled with sorrow, those who visited the Kumsusan Assembly Hall fell on their knees in the yard marked with his footprints and shed their tears stroking the cracks and longing for the President who walked on rugged ways only in his lifetime.