As April blossoms across the Korea, it brings with it a profound wave of remembrance and reverence. In the hearts of the Korean people, this month is not just a season of renewal, but a time of deep reflection on the life and legacy of President Kim Il Sung, the founding leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). His enduring principle –“The people are my God” – was not a slogan, but the foundation of his leadership.
From the moment of Korea’s liberation in 1945, Kim Il Sung led not from behind a desk, but from the front lines of everyday life. One of the earliest and most symbolic acts of this devotion came when he personally helped transplant rice seedlings into a paddy field – a quiet but powerful message that the country’s revival would begin with the land and its people. It was a promise of nourishment, prosperity, and unity.
Kim Il Sung visiting the Junggu Greengrocer’s in Central Districtin October 1969
His dedication wasn’t seasonal or ceremonial. It endured through storms, swamps, and the harshest conditions. On Pidan Island, amid a downpour, Kim Il Sung waded through thick mud to address urgent clothing shortages. In Kosanjin, Chongsan-ri, and Pyoktong County, he met directly with farmers and students, discussing the challenges they faced and how to overcome them — not from afar, but face-to-face, on their soil, under their skies.
Photos from these visits show not a distant statesman, but a leader in close communion with the people: leaning in to speak with a peasant in Manpho County, listening intently to farmers in Kangso, standing among schoolchildren with warmth and patience. In 1969, he visited a small greengrocer’s shop in Pyongyang; in 1994, just weeks before his passing, he toured the Kumdang Cooperative Farm, still working, still walking, still serving.
Kim Il Sung having a heart-to-heart talk with a peasant in Kosanjin, Manpho County, in August 1958
Even the smallest acts became symbols of his leadership philosophy. When his vehicle was stuck in the mud on a riverbank, he personally helped push it through. When a reservoir site needed selecting, he climbed the slope himself by torchlight. His on-site guidance spanned over 20,600 visits and more than 578,000 kilometers — the equivalent of traveling around the world over 14 times.
Kim Il Sung among students of Tongju Middle School in Pyoktong Countyin October 1957
What’s perhaps most striking is how little fanfare he allowed around his own efforts. He often left behind his walking stick so the people wouldn’t worry about his health. He continued his work through weekends and birthdays, preferring the joy of being with the people over rest or ceremony. To those who asked why he insisted on personally meeting so many citizens, his answer was simple and sincere: “Because I want to meet them, and they want to meet me. Our meetings are a mutual source of happiness.”
Kim Il Sung discussing farm work with peasants in Chongsan-ri, Kangso County, in October 1958
That sentiment defined his leadership – not as an exercise in authority, but as a relationship built on trust, empathy, and mutual care. His smile, ever-present in photographs, belied the immense burden he carried. And yet, it was clear: the people gave him strength, just as he gave them hope.
Kim Il Sung visiting Kumdang Cooperative Farm in Onchon County in June 1994
Now, more than a century since his birth, the Korean people continue to honor his legacy. Under the leadership of Comrade Kim Jong Un, they strive to carry forward his vision – a nation rooted in compassion, progress, and unity. As they do, they remember Kim Il Sung not just as the founding father of the DPRK, but as a leader who walked their roads, shared their hardships, and loved them like a father loves his own children.
His journey was one of tireless service, and his memory remains a guiding light — not only in monuments and speeches, but in the everyday lives of those who continue the work he began.
