Manifestation of Infinite Reverence

Among foreign figures who had the highest admiration for President Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, was the former Indonesian President Sukarno and his family.

When Sukarno visited the DPRK in Juche 53 (1964), Kim Il Sung went to the airport to warmly welcome him, and accorded cordial hospitality to him.

During his stay, the Korean leader gave him important instructions to be adhered to in the struggle against imperialism. Captivated by Kim Il Sung’s personality, Sukarno invited him to attend a meeting of developing countries, which was to be held in his country.

Kim Il Sung readily accepted his request, and visited Indonesia in April 1965.

Sukarno awarded Order of the Republic 1st Class, the top honour of his country to Kim Il Sung, out of his boundless respect for him and as a token of eternal friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

His reverence for Kim Il Sung was also expressed in the fact that he named a new, rare species of flower cultivated by a botanist of his country after the Korean leader.

On receiving a report from the head of the Bogor Botanical Garden that a new species of flower had been cultivated, he went to the garden to see the flower. Hearing that the flower was not named yet, Sukarno said that it was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen before, and that he would like to name it after His Excellency Kim Il Sung whom he has respected most.

When Kim Il Sung looked round the Bogor Botanical Garden, Sukarno told him about. Kim Il Sung declined his proposal positively, but Sukarno earnestly said that the Korean leader deserved to be honoured for many achievements he had made for the mankind. The head of the garden also asked him to accept his President’s proposal.

When Kim Il Sung visited Indonesia in 1964, Sukarno’s son was among the entourage. His father’s respect and reverence for the Korean leader remained etched in his mind, too.

In April 2001, he participated in the Third Kimilsungia Show (at that time) on the occasion of the 89th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung. He said in emotion that the denomination of Kimilsungia, in full bloom forever in the minds of the Korean people and the Indonesian people, was an expression of his father’s respect for the Korean leader.

Looking round the venue of the show, he said: I came to clearly see how the Korean people respect His Excellency President Kim Il Sung and the true meaning of his immortal life. My father had friendly relations with Kim Il Sung long ago. He praised the Korean leader as a veteran of the world politics and a great saint of noble virtue. Kimilsungia is the symbol of friendship that established warm and kind ties between my father and President Kim Il Sung and my country and the DPRK.