Eternal life for the eternal president
In 1977, at the age of 65, the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, after his death declared the "eternal president" of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gathered the most outstanding doctors of his country and created a group of specialists who were tasked to prolong his life. The group analyzed the effects of 1,750 herbs mentioned in books on oriental medicine, grew medicinal plants and conducted experiments aimed at extending the life of Kim Il Sung and his son Jong Il to 120 years.
Dr. Kim So-yeon, who is now 65 herself, was the head of the research institute created by Kim Il-sung. From 1982 to 1992, her work was devoted to the sole purpose of maintaining the health of the Great Leader. However, she eventually became disillusioned with North Korea and fled to South Korea in 1992. She recently published a book in which she described the 30 years she spent searching for the secret of longevity.
After graduating from the medical college in Pyongyang in 1969 and before transferring in 1979 to the institute engaged in the search for the secret of longevity, Kim worked as a surgeon. She claims that the first step towards a long life is good nutrition and lots of laughter.
She remembers the dictator as a cheerful and sociable person. According to her, a lot of data about Kim Il-sung's health, up to the nature of the food he consumed, was recorded and stored. However, his health began to deteriorate in the late 80s. He most likely developed arteriosclerosis of the brain as a result of stress.
The first remedy that the institute's specialists tried was laughter. They invited comedians and 5-6-year-old children who did touching things. Each actor who managed to make the leader laugh 5 times a day was awarded the title of "honored Artist".
However, according to Kim, greed prevented Kim Il Sung from living up to the 100th anniversary. In her book, she writes that he was fanatically looking for a magic cure and practically did not take care of himself.
After his 78th birthday, he began demanding blood transfusions from young men. Kim claims that as a result of this, his blood type changed from AB to B, and his physiological type – from "tae-yang" – sociable and charismatic to "tae-eum" – silent and calculating. (In a number of Asian countries, there is a belief that a person's blood type determines the characteristics of his personality.)
Kim Il Sung died in 1994 at the age of 82.
Kim So-yeon, who did not create a family in order to fully devote herself to the regime, became disillusioned with Juche's ideas in 1985, when her mother died, before her death she asked Kim to find her father in South Korea. According to Kim, her mother's wish caused her to feel regret and shame that she spent her talent searching for ways to prolong the dictator's life.
Kim claims that the excessive amount of medications and procedures prescribed to the Great Leader, including blood transfusions, led to the development of undesirable side effects. She claims that the real secret of longevity lies in a healthy lifestyle and that you cannot hope for a long life and at the same time allow yourself any pleasure. According to Kim, "giving up bad habits can make life up to 120 years a reality."
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of The Chosunilbo:
Doctor Spills Beans on Kim Il-sung's Quest for Eternal Life.
22.11.2013