Ardent Patriot Kim Ung U

Kim Ung U is the great-grandfather of Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people. He was born in the then Jungsong-ri, Pyongyang, on June 17, 1848. He had unusually strong patriotism from his childhood.

His burning patriotism was fully manifested in the struggle for burning down the US imperialist aggressor ship “General Sherman”. The United States, that had long watched for a chance to invade Korea, sent its aggressor ship “General Sherman” into Korea in August 1866. The aggressors fired cannons and rifles at random to kill people, plundered wealth, and committed arson.

Wi Jong Bok, lecturer of the National House of Class Education, has this to say:

“Their atrocities committed in Korea were really impudent and brutal.

Kim Ung U took the lead in the struggle to repel the brutal aggressors. He prepared a fire-attack battle to burn the aggressor ship which was committing all kinds of wrongdoings sailing on the River Taedong and commanded the battle.”

The US imperialist aggressor ship “General Sherman” was buried in the River Taedong thanks to the active struggle of Kim Ung U and villagers and people of the walled city of Pyongyang against the invaders. There was not a record in the US history of overseas aggression that heavily-armed modern warship sank in any other country. The sinking of the ship “General Sherman” was an ignominious defeat the US aggressors suffered for the first time. The brilliant victory achieved in the resistance against the invasion of the ship “General Sherman” was a great event that fully displayed the patriotic devotion and national stamina of the Korean people. When the US invaders sent another aggressor ship “Shenandoah” into the River Taedong in March 1868, too, Kim Ung U led the struggle to defeat the invaders. His life is shining as the life of an ardent patriot who fought for the country and nation at the risk of his life.