The Grandmother of Kim Il Sung, a Noble Patriot

May 31 is the 138th birth anniversary of Ri Po Ik, grandmother of the great leader President Kim Il Sung.

Ri Po Ik was an ardent patriot who dedicated her descendants to the sacred road of revolutionary struggle to liberate the country from the Japanese imperialists and backed their struggle. She energetically helped and encouraged the revolutionary activities of her son Kim Hyong Jik, saying he should aim high and fight to the end for the great cause of national liberation. Strong faith which did not bend by any power and injustice and firm consistency were her noble qualities. Long time has passed, but a legend-like story about her qualities is still told.

In Juche 27 or 1938, Kim Il Sung, Commander of the Korean People´s Revolutionary Army, was dealing heavy blows at the Japanese imperialist aggressor forces at many battles.

Confused by it, the Japanese imperialists formed what they called “conversion operation” team, which came to the old home of Kim Il Sung. Putting out a block of money, they told her to persuade and bring her grandson. But she adamantly turned down their demand and ordered them to go out at once. As allurement was not effective, the Japanese imperialists took the old woman to the steep mountains of northeast China where Kim Il Sung was active. But she resolutely fought the Japanese imperialists.

Despite the tenacious appeasement and threat of the Japanese imperialists and their stooges, she sternly said:

“If you kill me, my grandson will not pardon you.”

This defiance struck terror into the heart of the enemy. As she was so firm, upright and strong-willed a woman, she stood the harsh suppression of the Japanese imperialists and their stooges and remained staunch, regarding the revolutionary struggle of her sons and grandsons as a great pride.

President Kim Il Sung reminisced:

“My grandfather and grandmother were old country people who knew nothing but farming. But truth to tell, I marveled at their firm revolutionary spirit and was greatly inspired by it. And it is much more impressive than a few battles or some years in prison.”

Ri Po Ik was an ardent patriot who did everything in her power to help her sons and grandsons in their revolutionary struggle, firmly keeping the constancy of the nation despite the cruel persecution of the Japanese imperialists and dire poverty.