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It was unveiled that the Kimjongil Hwa’(Kim Jong Il Flower, a flower symbolizing Kim Jong Il) publicized as the ‘eternal flower’ by North Korean authorities is being cultivated in Dandong, China then sold in North Korea.
The owner of a Kim Jong Il flower greenhouse is a Chinese man in his forties
Chang (52) a caretaker of a ‘Kim Jong Il Flower Greenhouse’ on the outskirts of Dandong explained “Every year around October at least 1,000 Kim Jong Il flowers are gathered. Most of these flowers are sent to North Korea to be sold.”
According to Chang, the owner of the greenhouse in Wulongbei of Dandong, is Wang a Chinese man in his forties who operates a large scale garden business. Based on sources in Dandong, Wang is not only operating a garden business but is known for conducting a diversity of trade with North Korean foreign income groups.
In a phone interview with The DailyNK, Kang an employee from a North Korean trade company ‘B’ in Shinuiju said “‘Chosun Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il Flower Association’ is importing flowers from Dandong. The association invests in Kim Jong Il flower greenhouses through North Korean foreign income and then company ‘A’ grows the flowers.”
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Kim Jong Il flower’s prime customers are North Korean foreign income groups
Kang explained “Every year on February 16th or April 15th foreign income groups or administration coordinators offer ‘Kim Il Sung flowers’ or ‘Kim Jong Il flowers’ to the central government. These Kim Jong Il flowers produced in Dandong are obtained and offered to the central government or put on display at the Pyongyang Exhibition hall.”
Kang added “The Kim Jong Il flower produced in Dandong is being transformed into a showcase at the exhibition hall as ‘a present earnestly prepared throughout the year by foreigners who admire the dictator and wish to celebrate his birthday.’”
[imText3]The Kim Jong Il flower originates from South America as a plant known as the begonia. In North Korea, this flower is being publicized as a deep and meaningful present given to Kim Jong Il by a respected Japanese horticulturalist Kamo Motoderu, who spent 20 years developing and researching the flower.
In North Korea ‘The Chosun Kim Il Sung flower and Kim Jong Il Flower Association’ is establishing a ‘Kim Il Sung Flower Institute’ and a ‘Kim Jong Il Flower Institute’ and according to certain areas, are even encouraging people to cultivate the flowers.
Every year, on February 16th, Kim Jong Il’s birthday, an extensive exhibition is held to showcase the Kim Il Sung flower and the Kim Jong Il flower. In addition, amongst national guests, foreign visitors also view the ‘Kim Il Sung flower and Kim Jong Il flower display.’
Contrary last February 14th, in celebration of Kim Jong Il’s birthday (Feb 16th) the 10th Kim Jong Il flower festival was held at ‘Pyongyang Kim Il Sung Flower and Kim Jong Il Flower Exhibition’ where a total of 12,000 Kim Jong Il flowers were displayed.
