Early in April 2012 Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un visited a unit of the Korean People’s Army defending Ryo Islet, a gateway to the East Sea of Korea.

He dropped in at the 4th company under the direct control of the unit.

While going round the company’s education room, barracks, peculiarly-designed outdoor mess hall, supply storeroom and other places, he repeatedly praised the company for having managed its economy assiduously.

The accompanying cadres were also satisfied.

At that moment, the company’s political instructor who was guiding the Supreme Commander suddenly asked him to do him a favour.

“Respected Supreme Commander, a suggestion has been raised among the soldiers. They want to repeatedly watch the Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the documentary film ‘The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Will Live Forever’. I hope DVD copies of the film would be distributed to the companies.”

The accompanying officials were instantly dumbfounded to hear it, because they thought it impolite to make such a request to the Supreme Commander, who was very busy with his field guidance.

However, the Supreme Commander read in the honest request of the political instructor the ardent desire of the soldiers on the islet post who were always eager to see the image of Chairman Kim Jong Il (February 16, 1942-December 17, 2011).

The benevolent image of the Chairman was still etched in the minds of the soldiers though a new year turned and several months passed since he had passed away.

Kim Jong Un asked an officer of the unit whether such a suggestion was raised across the corps.

On hearing the affirmative answer from the officer, he accepted the request out of hand and said that he would take necessary measures in due consideration of the opinion of the instructor, adding that he received an important task from the instructor and he would carry it out as soon as possible.

DVD copies were simultaneously delivered to the all the units of the army, including the company, in a short span of time.

In June 2014, two years later, Kim Jong Un came back to the defence unit. Recollecting his previous visit, he asked where the political instructor he had met during his first visit to the unit was and added: At that time I accepted his proposal as a task assigned to me and implemented it. I inspected many units and sub-units, but it was the first time that I received such a suggestion from a company political instructor.

The commanding officers and men of the unit unanimously said that they had never felt more keenly than they did at that time the true meaning of his instructions that commanding officers and the Supreme Commander exist for soldiers.

U Jong Hwan