International Friendship Exhibition
| International Friendship Exhibition | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 국제우의전람관 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | |
| Revised Romanization | Gukje Ueui Jeollamgwan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kukche Uŭi Chŏllamgwan |
The International Friendship Exhibition is a large museum complex located at Myohyang-san mountain, North Pyongan province, in North Korea. It is a collection of halls that house gifts presented to former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il from various foreign dignitaries. The protocol of gift-giving is well established in Korean culture.[1]
Built in a traditional style, the halls opened on August 26, 1978[2] and consist of over 150 rooms covering a total area of between 28,000[3] and 70,000 square meters.[1] The building offers the impression that it has windows, though it has none.[4] According to one legend, Kim Jong-il built the International Friendship Exhibition in three days, however actual construction took a year.[5] Currently, estimates of how many gifts the exhibition holds vary between 60,000[6] and 220,000 gifts.[7] On entering the exhibition, shoes must be discarded and visitors are asked to bow before portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.[8]
The setting of the museum in the Myohyang-san mountains, near the Pohyon temple, was the subject of a poem by Kim Il-sung, which he later chanted from the balcony of the International Friendship Exhibition on October 15, 1979:[9]
"On the balcony I see the most
glorious scene in the world...
The Exhibition stands here,
its green eaves upturned, to exalt
The dignity of the nation,
and Piro Peak looks higher still."
The museum is said to act as propaganda, giving the impression of worldwide support for the North Korean government.[10] Visitors to the museum are informed that the number of gifts constitute "proof of the endless love and respect toward the Great Leader [Kim Il-sung]".[11] However, North Korean visitors to the site are unaware of the ceremonial exchange of gifts in diplomatic protocol, and are described by Helen-Louise Hunter to be "impressed by the self-serving explanations offered to them".[12] Another author, Byoung-lo Philo Kim, states that the entire exhibition is "aimed at convincing [North] Korean visitors that their leaders are universally admired".[13]
Gifts
Most of the gifts were from communist or like-minded nations. Gifts include:[14]
- A bear's head from former Romanian leader Nicolae Ceauşescu
- A metal horseman and ornate chess boards from former Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
- A crocodile skin suitcase from former Cuban leader Fidel Castro
- A gem-encrusted silver sword and a miniature mosque in mother of pearl, given by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
- An antique gramophone from China's first premier Zhou Enlai and an Armored Train car from chairman Mao Zedong (entire wings are dedicated to gifts from the country)
- An ivory lion from Tanzania, gold cigarette case from Yugoslavia, bronze USSR tank from East Germany, silver chopsticks from Mongolia
- A basketball signed by Michael Jordan given by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright[15]
- A bullet-proof limousine from former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin[7]
- A copy of Bootsy Collins' 1994 album Back in the Day: The Best of Bootsy[16]
- A soiled tissue used by Andre Agassi.
- A Half-eaten bag of Monster Munch.
- A pink jockstrap presented to Kim jong-il by Little Richard.
- A copy of Super Smash Brothers Melee.
- A load of other pointless stuff nobody really cares about.
References
- ^ a b Martin, Bradley, K. (May 16, 2007). "Kim Jong Il Gets the Gifts, and All North Korea Ends Up Paying". Bloomberg L.P.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Anniversary of International Friendship Exhibition marked". Korean Central News Agency. August 26, 1998.
- ^ Pang, Hwan Ju (1987). Korean Review (3 ed.). Foreign Languages Pub. House. p. 212.
- ^ "International Friendship Exhibition, treasure-house of Korea". Korean Central News Agency. June 5, 1998.
- ^ Lim, Jae-Cheon (2009). Kim Jong Il's Leadership of North Korea. Taylor & Francis. p. 162. ISBN 978-0415481953.
- ^ Houtryve, Tomas Van (August 20, 2009). "Journey to North Korea, Part II: The Pack-Rat Dictatorship". Time.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Reuters (December 21, 2006). "North Korean museum shows off leaders' gifts". The Age.
{{cite news}}:|author=has generic name (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Vines, Stephen (August 14, 1997). "The Great Leader rules from beyond the grave". The Independent.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Deane, Hugh (1999). The Korean War 1945-1953. China Books. p. 210. ISBN 978-0835126441.
- ^ Portal, Jane (2005). Art under control in North Korea. Reaktion Books. p. 95. ISBN 978-1861892362.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Hunter, Helen-Louise (1999). Kim Il-sŏng's North Korea. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 22. ISBN 978-0275962968.
- ^ Hunter, 1999, p. 213.
- ^ Kim, Byoung-lo Philo (1992). Two Koreas in development: a comparative study of principles and strategies of capitalist and communist Third World development. Transaction Publishers. p. 102. ISBN 978-0887384370.
- ^ Gluckman, Ron (1990s). "90,000 ways to Love a Leader".
- ^ "Kim Jong-il's North Korea welcomes legal U.S. tourists". Herald de Paris. November 15, 2009.
{{cite news}}:|first=missing|last=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Burdick, Eddie (2010). Three Days in the Hermit Kingdom: An American Visits North Korea. McFarland. p. 57. ISBN 978-0786448982.