Kimjongilia

For the documentary film, see Kimjongilia (film).
Begonia 'Kimjongilia'
Kimjongilia.jpg
Details
Genus Begonia
Cultivar group Tuberhybrida Group
Cultivar Kimjongilia
Kimjongilia
Chosŏn'gŭl 김정일화
Hancha 金正日花
McCune–Reischauer Kimjŏngirhwa
Revised Romanization Gimjeongilhwa

Kimjongilia is a flower named after the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. It is a hybrid cultivar of tuberous begonia.

Despite its name, the Kimjongilia is not a national flower of North Korea. The national flower of the country is the magnolia.[1]

To commemorate Kim Jong-il's 46th birthday in 1988, Japanese botanist Kamo Mototeru cultivated a new perennial begonia named "kimjongilia" (literally, "flower of Kim Jong-il"), representing the Juche revolutionary cause of the Dear Leader.[2] It was presented as a "token of friendship between Korea and Japan".[3] The flower symbolizes wisdom, love, justice and peace. It is designed to bloom every year on Kim Jong-il's February 16 birthday.[4]

Kimjongilia has spread widely throughout North Korea from the Korean Central Botanical Garden, and subsequently to over sixty nations, including the United States and Russia.[citation needed]

On October 21, 2008, the Korean Central News Agency announced a preservation agent had been developed that would allow the flower to keep in bloom for longer periods of time.[5]

When Kim Jong-il died in December 2011 the flower was used to adorn his corpse for public display.[6]

Another species of flower, Kimilsungia, is named after Kim Jong-il's father and predecessor, Kim Il-sung.

Song

A song composed by several North Korean composers, also called Kimjongilia, was written about the flower:[7]

The red flowers that are blossoming over our land
Are like hearts: full of love for the leader
Our hearts follow the young buds of Kimjongilia
Oh! The flower of our loyalty!

See also

References

  1. ^ "Magnolia", Korea Today Monthly Journal (issue 627, September 2008), cover inset.
  2. ^ Chong, Bong-uk (1998). A Handbook on North Korea. Naewoe Press. p. 101. 
  3. ^ Lanʹkov, Andreĭ Nikolaevich (2007). North of the DMZ: essays on daily life in North Korea. McFarland. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-2839-7. 
  4. ^ Ford, Glyn; Kwon, Soyoung (2008). North Korea on the brink: struggle for survival. Pluto Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-7453-2598-9. 
  5. ^ "Agent for Preserving Kimjongilia Developed", KCNA, October 21, 2008.
  6. ^ "Succession in North Korea: Grief and fear", The Economist, December 31, 2011.
  7. ^ Lanʹkov, 2007, p. 22.

Further reading

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