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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>Thanks for the many comments on North
Korean statues, old and new. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>I was hoping that Chris Springer would
weigh in and am glad he did. Next time I am on campus, I will take a look at
the 1977 <i style>Democratic People's Republic of
Korea</i> in order to satisfy my antiquarian curiosity about the gold. Many
thanks!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>It is interesting to note that the 2001
“Short Biography” of Kim Jong Il credits Kim the younger (but no longer the
youngest) with guiding the construction of the 1972 Mansudae statue:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style>In order to celebrate
Kim Il Sung ’s 60th birthday in a grand fashion, he guided the work of erecting
Kim Il Sung ’s bronze statue in Pyongyang while encouraging the Party members
and other working people to effect a fresh revolutionary upsurge.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style>He said to the
officials: “Building Comrade Kim Il Sung ’s bronze statue is an undertaking to
uphold and safeguard his high authority and prestige, and hand down to
posterity his greatness and august image. Therefore, the statue must be built
so that it can radiate his greatness as an outstanding leader and his image as
the benevolent father of the people.” (<i style>Kim
Jong Il: Short Biography</i>, 50). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>It is apparent that by 2001 at least,
all memory of the statue being covered with gold had been erased.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>This appears to contrast with at least
some other statues across the DPRK which, if some combination of defector
testimony and P’yŏngyangologists (apologies to Frank Hoffmann) is to be
trusted, are gold plated or at least <a href="http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk02300&num=3525">covered
with gold spray</a> (<a href="http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk02300&num=3525">http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk02300&num=3525</a>):
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style>Also, because the
statues of Kim Il Sung are gold plated, it is rumored that several hundred tons
of gold are needed to manufacture them.<br>
<br>
A gold spray is used to coat the statues. Because the structure is made of
bronze, it can corrode in the rain and wind. Therefore, every two years each
figure is recoated with gold spray.<br>
<br>
However, there is one part of the structure that is manufactured in solid gold.
To keep the statue from being struck by lightening, there is a rod of gold
inserted in the center. There is a story told of a man who extracted a gold rod
from one of the revered commemorative statues of Kim Il Sung during the extreme
food shortage in 1997 and sold it to China. His deed was discovered and it is
said that half way through his trial, the man committed suicide by hanging
himself.<br>
<br>
The spray used to coat the statues is brought in from Germany at a very high
cost. Because of this, it is said that the spray is only used on the statues of
Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Hyung Jik.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>As for the new Mansudae version of Kim
Il Sung, the KCNA “explains” as follows:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style>The statues portray
smiling Kim Il Sung who indicates the way ahead with his hand held forward and
smiling Kim Jong Il blessing Songun Korea prosperous morrow while looking far
into its bright future in the new century.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is interesting to note that the new (or newer) statues of
both father and son seem to emphasize the similarities between the two. Start
with the <a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-10-07-01-01.jpg">stand-alone
statue of Kim Jong Il</a> at the Ministry of State Security Headquarters (<a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-10-07-01-01.jpg">http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/2012-10-07-01-01.jpg</a>), move on to the <a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/948708-2.jpg">twin
statues</a> on the campus of the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces (<a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/948708-2.jpg">http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/948708-2.jpg</a>,
through the statues of father and son <a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/6876075497_acb67297fe_o.jpg">both
on horseback</a> (<a href="http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/6876075497_acb67297fe_o.jpg">http://nkleadershipwatch.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/6876075497_acb67297fe_o.jpg</a>)
and end with the new and improved Mansudae statues and I get a strong sense
that the powers that be in P’yŏngyang want to have father and son subtly meld
together in public imagination. Perhaps a much needed correction to the
persistent trope among defectors that while many still respect and honor Kim Il
Sung, feelings for Kim Jong Il aren't as fond. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Cheers!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 2:18 PM, Morriss, Peter <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:pete.morriss@nuigalway.ie" target="_blank">pete.morriss@nuigalway.ie</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<div style="direction:ltr;font-size:14pt;font-family:Times New Roman">
<p>Since we're on this topic, can I also ask if it is known why it was (they were) under wraps in September, depriving me of the honour of viewing it/them. Have the wraps now been removed? If so, what changes were made?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Many thanks,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pete Morriss </p>
<div style="font-size:16px;font-family:Times New Roman">
<hr>
<div style="DIRECTION:ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> Koreanstudies [<a href="mailto:koreanstudies-bounces@koreaweb.ws" target="_blank">koreanstudies-bounces@koreaweb.ws</a>] on behalf of Ruediger Frank [<a href="mailto:ruediger.frank@univie.ac.at" target="_blank">ruediger.frank@univie.ac.at</a>]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 27 December 2012 18:01<br>
<b>To:</b> Korean Studies Discussion List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [KS] Gold leaf on the Kim Il Sung statue in the Mansudae Grand Monument?<br>
</font><br>
</div><div><div class="h5">
<div></div>
<div><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial';FONT-SIZE:12pt">Perhaps one of the colleagues on this list has a clue on a more recent aspect of statuology: As you know, in April 2012 a statue of Kim Jong Il was added to the top of Mansudae Hill. Not only was the
one of Kim Il Sung, standing there since 1972, moved a few steps to the left; Kim Il Sung is now also wearing glasses, a smile, and a Western suit. Any reliable information on why that has been changed? No doubt the main statue of the leader in the country
is of the highest symbolic value, so not even the smallest change would happen without a purpose. So what is it that the changed appearance of the Kim Il Sung statue wants to tell the North Korean people?<br>
All the best,<br>
Rudiger Frank<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
on Mittwoch, 26. Dezember 2012 at 09:08 you wrote:<br>
<br>
<br>
<span style="COLOR:#800000"><b>> There's a photo of the gilded Kim Il Sung statue in the North<br>
> Korean pictorial magazine "Democratic People's Republic of Korea,"<br>
> 12/1977. It looks quite different from the bronze version. As<br>
> Ruediger Frank suggests, too much light reflects off the surface,<br>
> and the statue's contrasts are lost.<br>
<br>
> As Jim Hoare notes, the statue was erected in 1972. The gilding<br>
> was applied in 1977, according to Helen-Louise Hunter's book<br>
> "Kim Il Song's North Korea."<br>
<br>
> The Chinese delegation in question visited September 8-13, 1978,<br>
> and the gold was allegedly removed soon after, perhaps even that<br>
> same month. (Did Chinese objections lead to the degilding? This<br>
> has been reported but not solidly established.)<br>
<br>
> While gilding a statue seems extravagant, gold plating is typically<br>
> so thin that the cost of the gold itself is not necessarily prohibitive.<br>
<br>
> Chris Springer<br>
> "Pyongyang: The Hidden History of the North Korean Capital"<br>
</b></span></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY:'arial';FONT-SIZE:12pt" href="http://www.hiddenhistory.info" target="_blank">> www.hiddenhistory.info</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
</div></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Kirk W. Larsen <br>Department of History<br>Assistant Director, Academic Programs and Research<br>David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies<br>2151 JFSB<br>BYU<br>
Provo, UT 84602-6707<br>(801) 422-3445<br><br><br>