IN September 1983, many foreigners came to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to attend the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of its founding. Among them there was an Indonesian girl called Chinsonnyo Moran. To be invited to such a mega-event was a great honour to this young student. In fact, she was fortunate from the moment of her birth.
The April 1965 visit to Indonesia by President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994) was a milestone in improving the relations between the two countries.
Around that time, the then Indonesian chargé d’affaires ad interim to the DPRK asked President Kim Il Sung to name his newborn daughter in Korean fashion. Soon afterwards, the President sent a letter to the effect that he named her Chinsonnyo Moran (Chinson means friendship; nyo, girl; and moran, a peony flower in Korean).
Later, after returning to her country, the girl missed the DPRK where she was born. When she entered a university after finishing a secondary school course, she wanted to visit the DPRK. Told about her wish, President Kim Il Sung instructed officials concerned to invite her and her mother and treat them well.
Kim Il Sung met the girl and her mother on September 10. It was a day after the 35th anniversary of the country, and participants in the celebrations included hundreds of delegations, delegates and individuals from over 110 countries. All of them wanted to meet the President. The Indonesian women were honoured to see the leader ahead of others. Asking the girl about her father’s work in Sri Lanka, he said: Chinsonnyo means friendship between the two countries and Moran, a beautiful peony flower. From olden times, peony has been called the king of flowers.
Then he had a photo taken with them and gave them an embroidery work and picture frame as his gifts. The frame was for the photo taken with them that day.
Seven years later, receiving a report on the girl’s marriage, he had wedding gifts sent to her. Her family was deeply impressed by the President’s benevolent care. [KK]
