Friday, April 15, 2011

Catching up with: North Korea!

It's Year Juch 100, folks. The North Korean news agency KCNA reports on worldwide events to celebrate the 100th birfday of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea:
General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a letter on Wednesday from the participants in the consultative meeting of senior officials of the international preparatory committee for commemorating the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung.

As the world recognizes, the President is distinguished thinker-theoretician, great statesman, prominent strategist and great sage with noble virtues, the letter said. . . .

We are convinced that the gate to a thriving nation will be opened in 2012 marking the centenary of birth of the President under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, it said, adding:

The international preparatory committee will fully discharge its mission and duty by making sure that colorful events praising the greatness and undying feats of the President are held on a worldwide scale with larger attendance.
Awww, you shouldn't have:
Floral Basket from Chairman of Int'l Foundation

General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a basket of flowers from Johnny Hon, chairman of the International Kim Il Sung Foundation, on the occasion of the Day of the Sun.

The basket was handed over to an official concerned on Wednesday.
More festivities!
A consultative meeting of senior officials of the international preparatory committee for commemorating the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on Wednesday. . . .

According to the information, preparatory committees were organized in many countries and regions of the world after the Pakistan-Korea Friendship Association in January 2008 called upon the organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people to form preparatory committees on the occasion of the centenary of birth of the President and significantly commemorate the Day of the Sun in 2012 through colorful activities including seminar, round-table talks, exhibition and book publication. . . .

A resolution of the consultative meeting of senior officials of the international preparatory committee which calls for commemorating in splendor the centenary of birth of the President as the great auspicious event of humankind was adopted. . . .

The resolution also noted that the birthday of Kim Jong Il, the outstanding leader of the human cause of independence in 2012, would be celebrated as a grand international festival. . . .
Even the flora are in awe:
Flower Named after President Kim Il Sung

The 13th Kimilsungia Festival is going on in Pyongyang to commemorate the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung (April 15).

Kimilsungia is associated with the Indonesian people's deep reverence for him.

When visiting Indonesia, Kim Il Sung was guided to the Bogor Botanical Garden on April 13, Juche 54 (1965). Sukarno briefed him on a flower bred by an Indonesian botanist and suggested naming it after the DPRK President.

Kim Il Sung politely declined the suggestion, saying he had no particular reason for it.

But Sukarno told him that he deserved it for his great contribution to humankind.

Finding it difficult to decline any more, Kim Il Sung said he would accept the suggestion as a token of the Indonesian people's admiration for the Korean people.
Let's hear it for the ladies:
Women's Union Members Commemorate Day of Sun

An art performance of women's union members "We Will Always Sing the Song of Sun under the Guidance of the Great General" took place here on Wednesday to commemorate the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.

Its numbers included "We Will Always Live with the Leader," "The Father of People" and "The Victory of Revolution Is in Sight."

The audience expressed great admiration for a short play "My Wife" and duet "My Daughter-in-Law" that show the Korean women's honor and pride of leading a happy life as the flower of the country and the flower of family.

Quintet "Ninani Nanno of Happiness" and drum and chorus "A Thriving Nation Is in Sight" gave the audience confidence in tomorrow when all ideals of the people will come to reality.

The performance was enjoyed by Choe Ryong Hae, secretary of the C.C., the Workers' Party of Korea, Ro Song Sil, chairwoman of the C.C., the Democratic Women's Union of Korea, and officials and members of the union in Pyongyang.
Ninani Nanno! Guess who's gonna be taking part in the celebrations:
Former US President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to fly to Pyongyang later this month and has said he will try to revive the six-party talks and address humanitarian woes.
Carter: always with the wet blanket.

Update: Remember when Obama wished he were the president of China? Just putting on my Tom Friedman hat here, but I've got a better
idea . . .

Update II: Could somebody help me out with the subjunctive here? Should it be "Obama wished he were president of China," or "Obama wished he was" . . . etc.

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