Wreaths to memorialize the death of Kim Jong Il are being sent to North Korea across the Sino-North Korea border and being used there in propaganda emphasizing that Kim Jong Il was a global inspiration, a source told Daily NK yesterday.
According to a Yangkang Province source, Party and administrative officials, trading enterprise workers, traders visiting China and persons on legally sanctioned visits to family have been sending back wreaths, and in at least one case this has been done under orders.
The source explained, “According to one National Security Agency (NSA) man, an order was handed down by the provincial Party to workers at provincial NSA security command that oversees anti-espionage and border issues instructing them to get wreaths from China.”
Although delegations cannot pass North Korean customs, the source added, wreaths are being accepted.
A North Hamkyung Province source agreed, saying, “I saw a wreath that had Chinese writing on it that probably came in through Namyang Customs House.”
In turn, the wreaths are apparently being set up at the foot of statues of Kim Il Sung, according to the source, who said, “Through Party organizations they are propagandizing the idea that ‘You can feel in the sending of wreaths by foreigners that comrade Kim Jong Il was a global father figure.’”
