A bizarre North Korean propaganda film has emerged about an athlete’s bid for glory – with her success put down to Kim Jong-Il’s ‘god-like’ intervention.
The film tells the story of Jong Song-ok, a North Korean woman who won gold at the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Seville, Spain.
But rather than focusing on her years of training, the writers of 2002’s ‘The Marathon Runner’ put her winning performance down to a brush with the country’s late dictator Kim Jong-Il.
The video shows her touching the tracks of the tyrant’s vehicle – apparently giving her the supernatural boost she requires to win gold.
Jong Song-Ok’s win in 1999 is, to date, it the only medal ever won by a North Korean athlete at the World Championships. It is reported that Kim Jong-il personally banned Jong Song-Ok from competing in any other athletic competitions after her victory in Seville – because he didn’t want the national embarrassment if she lost the next race.
A bizarre North Korean propaganda film has emerged about an athlete’s bid for glory – with her victory put down to Kim Jong-Il’s ‘god-like’ intervention. The film tells the story of Jong Song-ok (depicted in the film above), a North Korean woman who won gold at the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Seville, Spain
The video shows her touching the tracks of the tyrant’s vehicle – apparently giving her the supernatural boost she requires to win gold
Characters in the hour-long film declare tyrant Kim Jong-Il as their only god and sing bewildering songs in his honour. His picture is repeatedly shown on the mantelpiece of a home
Characters in the hour-long film declare the tyrant as their only god and sing bewildering songs in his honour.
The film could be seen as North Korea’s low-budget attempt at Chariots of Fire, which famously tells the story of British athletes at the 1924 Olympics.
In Pyongyang’s video, Jong’s path to athletic triumph is littered with obstacles – such as injury and family pressures – which mean her dreams of winning the gold medal at the women’s marathon race are stacked against her.
However the movie shows that unlike other international athletes, Jong has the supernatural encouragement of Kim Jong-il with the dictator’s godlike support along capable of leading her to victory.
The beleaguered Jong is miraculously rescued from her troubles when her younger brother points out that there is no need to worry as ‘our father is still with us’ – meaning King Jong Il.
In the film, Jong’s path to athletic triumph is littered with obstacles – such as injury and family pressures – which mean her dreams of winning the gold medal at the women’s marathon race are stacked against her
Jong Song-Ok’s (right) win in 1999 is, to date, it the only medal ever won by a North Korean athlete at the World Championships. Pictured left: The film version of Jong Song-Ok
Understanding what her brother means, Jong suddenly has tears of joy in her eyes.
She dramatically stands up and stares at the photo of Kim Jong-il on her family’s mantelpiece.
The camera pans onto a close-up of Kim Jong-Il’s smiling face and the whole family launches into a sycophantic song for him.
As the scene changes to a dramatic race at night, they sing the words: ‘We live relying on our General as a god, only our General as our god, all our nation rely on him, all the world hope our future on him.’
Jong realises she can always rely on Kim Jong-Il to help her and that she can bask in her dear leader’s eternal love.
At one point the camera pans onto a close-up of Kim Jong-Il’s smiling face and an entire family launches into a sycophantic song for him
The clip is a stark reminder of how the Kim dynasty has controlled North Korea over the last few decades
Kim Jong-Il was often the centre of attention and worship throughout day-to-day life in North Korea
At the end of the scene, viewers see her get mentally ready for the long-distance race where she will eventually win gold.
In other scenes from the film, Jong hears that Kim Jong-Il’s convoy is passing a nearby mountain.
She manages to run up the peak just in time to see his car pass in the distance. Merely touching the tracks created by his armoured vehicle is the supernatural boost Jong needs.
The clip is a stark reminder of how the Kim dynasty has controlled North Korea over the last few decades.
Kim Jong-Il was often the centre of attention and worship throughout day-to-day life in North Korea.