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From (North) Korean Central News Agency of DPRK:

Great Many Gifts to Kim Il Sung from World People

Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- President Kim Il Sung received more than 165,950 gifts on at least 27,000 occasions from heads of political parties, states and governments of over 170 countries and regions, political and public figures, international organizations, organizations for the study of the Juche idea, compatriots overseas and in south Korea from right after the national liberation up to this date. He received gifts from I.V. Stalin including the passenger coach presented to him by the latter in August Juche 34 (1945) in the hope that he would use it for the nation-building.

On various occasions he also received gifts carrying best wishes from heads of political parties, states and governments, famous political and public figures, businessmen and individual figures. They include Chairman Mao Zedong, Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, Cuban President Fidel Castro Ruz, Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, Cambodian Great King Norodom Sihanouk, the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Spanish Communist Party, the general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Portugal, the general secretary of the Irish Workers' Party and Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife.

Wow, look at that Hall-of-Fame list. Good company to be in.

On April 15, Juche 84 (1995) the head of the Umoji Community of Nigeria arranged a grand ceremony of electing Kim Il Sung as tribal chief of the Sun at which the dress and chair of the chief, etc. were sent to the President as gifts.

He also received such precious gifts as oil painting "Portrait of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung", metal craftwork "Immortality Tower" and a crystal vase from figures of various countries including China and Mongolia and overseas compatriots on the occasion of his 90th birth anniversary.

Members of the delegation of the All-China Journalists Association visited the DPRK last summer and presented to him a hanging-roll containing an art work widely known as the world's masterpiece, saying that though he passed away, he always lives in the hearts of the Chinese people.

You may not be aware of this, but this dictator died in 1994 (that's Juche 83 by the North Korean calendar, where years are counted from his birth). So we have foreign visitors coming to North Korea and giving gifts to suck up to a dead guy. Charming what little rituals the diplomatic game can come up with.

Here are some enlightening details on Kim Il Sung, and his son, the current leader, Kim Jong Il. It's a little salty in language, but if you can handle that, it's worth a look to get an idea what North Korea is about. Pay special attention to Kim Jong Il's biography to get a feel for who it is the Jimmy Carter Fan Club wants us all to negotiate with.

Thanks to Mick Hartley for leading me into the belly of the beast in the first place.
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