Mother Jang Kil Bu and 1000 won

President Kim Il Sung said:

"Comrade Ma Tong Hui's mother was the wonderful mother of a genuine revolutionary as well as an ardent patriot. She sacrificed her son, daughter, daughter-in-law and husband for the revolution."

It was a few days before the 60th birthday of President Kim Il Sung.

Mother Jang Kil Bu visited one of the old comrades-in-arms of her son Ma Tong Hui, the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter and told him repeatedly and earnestly that the 60th birthday of President Kim Il Sung should be a grand national festival as desired by the people. Then she took out a carefully wrapped small box which had a thousand won of money in it. She said that although it was not so much money, she wanted to give a significant present to President on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Actually, that one thousand won was a great deal of money at that time.

Here goes the story of how come the Mother Jang Kil Bu, who lived alone without her children, prepared that large sum of money.

President Kim Il Sung, who had sent out several people to different areas to find Mother Jang Kil Bu not only during the anti-Japanese armed struggle but also after the liberation of the country, met her in Pyongyang in June, 1946.

President said to her that she must have gone through hard times and he would take a good care of her instead of her son and then offered her to live in his house in Pyongyang.

His offer was so earnest that she ended up staying at President's house as a family member and nearly three months passed. But during her stay, she got to know well about the heavy burden of President who had borne the destiny of the country and the people on his shoulders. And worrying that she would remind President of the comrade-in-arms who had been sacrificed, she felt sorry to stay at the great leader's house. So she asked the great leader to let her go back to her hometown.

President told her not to even think of it and said he would feel sorry if she went. But when he saw her with her luggage packed the next day, he said that if she really wanted, she could go but when she wants to come back, he will welcome her anytime. Then he gave her his photo and some money for the journey.

Mother Jang Kil Bu kept the money well and didn't spend even a penny on the way back. And whenever she missed President and the life in Pyongyang, she would look at the photo and money President had given her but she never spent the money.

Later on, when she received the grants for the bereaved families of revolutionaries every month, she didn't spend it either and saved it up. And finally, she could collect one thousand won.

One thousand won, it shows the warm humanity of President Kim Il Sung, who set up Mother Jang Kil Bu, who sacrificed her son, daughter, daughter-in-law and husband for revolution, as the mother of the revolutionary and took care of her. It also shows the noble loyalty of Mother Jang Kil Bu who earnestly wished the great leader the long life and well-being.