Recently, North Korea held a grand celebration for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party. Former Russian President and current chairman of the United Russia Party, as well as vice-chairman of the Security Council, Medvedev personally attended the event and presented Kim Jong-un with a precious gift - a handwritten letter signed by Kim Il-sung to Stalin.

On October 11, the Russian newspaper "Pravda" revealed that the letter given by Medvedev to Kim Jong-un was written by Kim Il-sung on October 18, 1952 from Pyongyang, and is currently stored in the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History, marked as "Letter from Kim Il-sung to Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin about the Gift from the Korean People." The full text of the letter was typed, and the signature at the end is Kim Il-sung's handwriting.

The letter is extremely solemn in wording, filled with gratitude. The original text is as follows:

"Dear Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich:

This year marks the third year of the war of liberation against the American aggressors. Despite the continuous bombing of cities and rural areas in Korea, we have still achieved great achievements in agriculture, reaping a bountiful harvest equivalent to the highest level of peace times.

While the Korean people are enduring the pain of biological warfare and chemical warfare, they remain full of labor enthusiasm, determined to completely defeat the enemy and drive foreign aggressors out of Korean territory. The Korean people know that without the aid of the democratic countries led by the great Soviet Union, these achievements would not have been possible, and deeply thank you, dear Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich, for your continuous care for the Korean people during this difficult time.

Grateful for your love and concern, the Korean people, with lofty respect and loyalty, present you a small gift from this year's harvest, which we have carefully prepared for you and the Soviet people.

The Korean people sincerely wish you - our beloved friend and teacher - good health and longevity for the peace and happiness of the people of all countries."

Archival records show that the letter also included a meeting record and receiving instructions regarding the delivery of the gift. On November 1 of the same year, Yakov Malik, then Deputy Foreign Minister of the Soviet Union, reported to Alexander Poskrebyshev, the director of Stalin's secretariat, that the Korean gift had arrived in Moscow, including five tons of rice, five tons of fruits (apples and pears), two tons of chestnuts, and fifteen boxes of ginseng.

The gifts mentioned in the letter were not merely "food donations," but symbolic items:

Although the gifts were modest, the significance was profound. The gifts carefully selected by Kim Il-sung carried deep meanings. Rice symbolizes life and harvest, apples and pears represent the fruits of the people's labor, chestnuts represent diligence and perseverance, while ginseng is considered one of the most precious herbs in North Korea, symbolizing longevity and health.

Seventy years on one side of the river, seventy years on the other. Seventy-three years ago, the Soviet Union aided North Korea in its war against the US; seventy-three years later, North Korea has helped Russia in the Ukraine war, being the only country to openly send troops to support Russia. Medvedev's presentation of his grandfather's handwritten letter to Kim Jong-un is not just a nostalgic gesture, but a reaffirmation of the traditional alliance between Russia and North Korea. After experiencing the fires of the Ukraine war and Western sanctions, the friendship between Russia and North Korea has become even more unbreakable.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7560142835891159590/

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