According to the Hankyoreh, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il — no doubt moved by all the photos of old Catholic churches posted on this blog and my photo blog — paid a visit to what I suppose is Jilin Catholic Church. And what’s more, the KCNA actually reported it!
Since officially taking over the family business in 1998, Kim has not even once set foot in a religious facility, either in North Korea or abroad.
A South Korean priest, who asked not to be named, told the Hani that Kim’s dad, late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, stayed at Jilin Catholic Church for a time when he was a guerrilla fighting the Japanese. The church is over a century old and is frequently visited by tourists and visiting VIPs. It is also possible the church is tied to Kim’s childhood memories, as he and his mother took refuge in Jilin during the Korean War.
According to the Hani, though, what’s important is that a) he visited, and b) the North Korean media reported it. A former high-ranking South Korean official told the Hani that for the outside world and North Korean citizens, this was a big deal, and could be a message pertaining to religious policy, including a readiness to improve North Korea’s relationship with the Church.
Kim’s grandparents were Protestants, so his father had such deep ties with Protestantism that he displayed a friendly attitude towards the religion (NOTE: only the Hani could write that with a straight face), but the Kim family has no direct relationship with Catholicism.
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I’m hoping that his nostalgic trip would make him see some sense in his final years.
. . . “bless me father for I have sinned” . . .
I wonder how many “Hail Marys” or “Our Fathers” KJI will need to recite before his sins are forgiven?
A lot.
Actually, Protestantism holds that only one prayer of confession and/or absolution would be necessary, but that it must be sincere. It’s that sincerity clause that’s going to hang KJI up.
Huh, verrry interrrresting…
He might have been looking at the future of North Korea: Christianity.
“Since officially taking over the family business in 1998, Kim has not even once set foot in a religious facility, either in North Korea or abroad.”
- Not quite so. See below.
Cheers from sunny Devon
Aidan
http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2002/200208/news08/22.htm#9
Kim Jong Il visits Khabarovsk
Pyongyang, August 22 (KCNA) — Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, visited Khabarovsk, the seat of the Far Eastern region, on Thursday. He arrived in the city on Thursday morning.
He was greeted at the railway station by deputy governor of the Khabarovsk territory S. A. Chikhanachky, mayor of Khabarovsk A. N. Sokolov, deputy presidential envoy to the Far East federal district A. S. Drozdov, commander of the Far East military district Yu. N. Yakubov and other senior officials from national and local institutions and the army.
After exchanging greetings with them, he visited a pharmaceutical plant and the Amurkabel cable-producing plant, conducted by officials from national and local institutions.
He went round various shops of the plants and congratulated them on their success in production.
The directors of the plants presented him with souvenirs.
*** He then visited the St. Bishop Innokenty of Irkutsk Church, a Russian Orthodox Church, in the city.
He learnt about the religious customs of the Russian people, being briefed by a father of the church on the history of the Russian orthodox religion and rites at the church. ***
The government of the Khabarovsk territory arranged a banquet at Parus Hotel in honor of him.
In the afternoon he visited the Volochayev division.
He was greeted by commander Yu. N. Yakubov and deputy commander A. P. Kolmakov of the Far East military district, divisional commander A. P. Chechebatov and other commanding officers of the district and the division.
After being briefed on the history of the division, he visited the combat history museum and saw military hardware and the training of soldiers.
He congratulated the soldiers on their successful training and left to the unit the following autograph: Glory to the division with a great tradition. August 22, 2002. Kim Jong Il.
The commander of the Far East military district gave a reception in the hall of the military district in honor of Kim Jong Il.
The reception proceeded in a cordial atmosphere overflowing with the feelings of friendship between the two armies.
Kim Jong Il left Khabarovsk, warmly seen off by the senior officials on hand.
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