Song of General Kim Il-sung

The song by General Kim Il-sung is a hymn to Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea who died in 1994 . It is also called the "Immortal Hymn of the Revolution".

Emergence

In May 1946, after Korea's independence from Japan , in which Kim Il-sung had actively participated, the former anti-Japanese fighter Kim Ch'aek visited his wife Kim Jong-suk , who had also fought against the Japanese. The following dialogue is said to have taken place:

"'I came to you to discuss an urgent matter with you," said Kim Chaek, taking a thick wad of letters out of the folder. The letters were of various types, written with a brush, pen, or pencil, but they were based on the unanimous desire of the entire Korean people to write and compose a song in honor of General Kim Il Sung. […] Kim Jong Suk said: A song about him should be produced. A song to be created now should praise the achievements of Kim Il Sung and be so classic that the people will sing it from generation to generation forever. "

- Kim Jong-suk. biography

In the same year a text was written by the poet Li Chan, the melody for it was composed by the composer Kim Wŏn'gyun, who also created the melody for the North Korean national anthem Ach'imŭn pinnara .

The song in North Korea

In North Korea, the song is well known and widely used. State propaganda uses it as an instrument of the personality cult around Kim Il-sung. Verses of the song can also be read on the triumphal arch in Pyongyang .

On April 11, 2011, the Austrian conductor Wolfdieter Maurer conducted the national symphonic orchestra of North Korea, which played the song for Kim Il-sung's 99th birthday.

text

「장백산 줄기 줄기 피 어린 자욱 압록강
굽이 굽이 피 어린 자욱
오늘도 자유 조선 꽃다발 우에
력 력히 비쳐 주는 거룩한 자욱
(후렴)
아 - 그 이름 도 그리운 우리 의 장군
아 - 그 이름 도 빛나는 김일성 장군

만주 벌 눈바람 아 이야기 하라
밀림 의 긴긴 밤아 이야기 하라
만고 의 빨찌 산이 누구 인가 를
절세 의 애국자 가 누구 인가 를
(후렴)

로동자 대중 에겐 해방 의 은인
민주 의 새 새 조선 엔 위대한 태양
20 개 정강우 에 모두 다 뭉쳐
북조선 방방곡곡 새봄 이 온다
(후렴 ) 」

“The blood flowed red, blood flowed down from the mountain Jangbaek,
the Amnok water too, so red, blood-red it flowed away.
Flowers bloom today, flowers red as blood,
flowers in the open country, things are good for Korea:
The general longs for hotly, the word old and young, world-famous,
today this song proclaims his fame everywhere: Kim Il Sung!

Say wild storm, say Manchuria, say snow and say ice,
say you impenetrable forest, say who do you give the prize to?
Who is the partisan's greatest hero?
Who put up the proud banner of the homeland?
The general longed for, world-famous for the word old and young,
today this song proclaims his fame everywhere: Kim Il Sung!

He led the workers into freedom;
his glow warms us all , shining like the early sunbeam.
One, in the program of twenty points firmly united,
the spring
sun shines brightly over Korea: The general longs for the word old and young, world-famous,
today this song proclaims his fame everywhere: Kim Il Sung! "