(Photo : Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA - AUGUST 23: People walk beneath huge pictures of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il displayed from the Parade Reviewing Stand in Kim Il-sung Square, on August 23, 2018 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Despite ongoing international negotiations aimed at easing tensions on the Korean peninsula, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains the most isolated and secretive nation on earth. Since it's formation in 1948 the country has been led by the Kim dynasty, a three-generation lineage of North Korean leadership descended from the country's first leader, Kim Il-sung followed by Kim Jong-il and grandson and current leader, Kim Jong-un. Although major hostilities ceased with the signing of the Armistice in 1953, the two Koreas have remained technically at war and the demilitarised zone along the border continues to be the most fortified border in the world.
The ruling family of North Korea's former bodyguard has spoken out in the latest interview, wherein he shared and described his experience protecting and training a man who wields absolute power in the secretive nuclear-armed state.
Kim Il Sung's Former Bodyguard Speaks up
The bodyguard Lee Young Guk served on the security detail of the former North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Il, who is the father of the current head of the hermit state, Kim Jong Un, for a decade from 1978 to 1988.
After a few years, Kim Jong Il took the helm of their dynasty which was then still ruled by his father, the Hermit state's founder Kim Il Sung.
Lee went on to serve as a military adviser before leaving the country sometime around the year of 2000, but recalls preparing for the role later on.
Based on video footage obtained by a news agency of a yet unreleased interview in J uly that will be aired in the upcoming documentary of National Geographic, 'North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator,' that is set to premiere on Sunday, January 18 at 8 p.m. EST, Lee shared that he was taught to believe he had to protect him with his life, Yahoo! News reported.
He also added they were young and enthusiastic during that time.
Since the establishment of the Hermit state more than 70 years ago, the political life in North Korea has been controlled by the Kim family, and their safety has long been considered as paramount.
Despite that dissent is ever since nonexistent under the authoritarian ruling of the Kim family, preparation and training of the bodyguards of the leaders remain a priority.
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Lee even acted and used his hands mimicking the action of firing a gun and said 'bang, bang.'
He mentioned that the most important thing in his duty was marksmanship.
Even during the training of the bodyguards, the man who would become the next supreme leader after the death of his father in 1994 was never far away.
He also shared that Kim Jong Il also loved to watch the bodyguards shooting their guns and do martial arts, Lee also stated that he could break 11 bricks at once, after that he pointed to his right palm and shared that it is the reason behind his scar in that portion of his hand,Newsweek reported.
The bodyguard also revealed that he had spent time with Kim Jong Un, the third-generation ruler, who is also believed to have been born in January 1984.
Compare to Kim Jong Il, who is thought to have been designated for years, his son is believed to have had less time to prepare for the position, as he assumed it in late 2011 at the age of 27 which made him the youngest world leader during that time, C21 Media reported.
Previously Lee has also described the childhood of Kim Jong Un as lonely and stated that he had no one to play with as a child in his younger years.
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