Preserved in the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il (February 16, 1942–December 17, 2011) lies in state is the train he used till the last moment of his life.
Saying that the more he exerts himself, walking more and sleeping less, the more prosperous the country will be and the happier the people will be, he made an endless journey of on-site guidance to every nook and cranny of the country by the train.
In January 1998 he visited Jagang Province.
On his arrival in the city of Kanggye early in the morning, he toured around several places including the newly built small- and medium-sized power stations and modern villages.
When it was time for lunch, a senior provincial official entreated him to get some rest in a place arranged by the province.
But Kim Jong Il headed for the train, saying that he decided to stay in the train when he left for the province and that he could visit in two days all the units he had planned to do only when he made a tightly-scheduled journey by train or by car while staying in the train. He visited many units in the daytime and worked through the night on the running train.
He once said to the officials: In recent months I have been away from home to provide field guidance to several units staying in the train. Probably because I am accustomed to staying in the train, I feel as if I were at home when in the train; on the contrary, I feel as if I were in a hotel when I am at home.
Even in December 2011, the last month of his life, he took the train to visit several units for on-site guidance―the water supply settling pond of the February 8 Vinalon Complex, a branch factory of the Ryongsong Machine Complex, the Hamhung Knitwear Factory, the Hungnam Leather Shoes Factory and other units in South Hamgyong Province among them.
Back to the capital city of Pyongyang from the guidance trip, he acquainted himself with the people’s living and took relevant measures.
On December 17 he was in the train for another field guidance. On the day he passed away on the running train due to his accumulated mental and physical fatigue.
Indeed, he laid firm foundations for the country’s prosperity, devoting his all solely to his country and people. The people-bound train is etched in the minds of the Korean people, conveying his immortal exploits.
Han Kyong Ho
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