North Korea’s state-run media have been releasing stories on youth marches carried out in the country by students, who are looking to learn from independence-related activities conducted by late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, namely the "90th anniversary of the 250-mile journey for national liberation made by Kim Il Sung and the 40th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's organizing of the march along the course." The Party-run publication Rodong Sinmun published a story on Wednesday on the "study tour" carried out by teenagers in the country to mark the 70th anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s “1,000-Ri Journey of Revolution."

The “1,000-Ri Journey of Revolution” refers to the journey that Kim Il Sung made when he was 14 years old. After hearing that his father, Kim Hyong Jik, was arrested by Japanese police on January 22nd, 1925, the young Kim set out from his Mangyongdae home and walked 1,000 ri [400km] to China’s Antu County over the course of 14 days, declaring, “I shall not return if the country does not see independence.”

North Korea has reported that the event held this year was a big success with overwhelming participation from students, but defectors say no teenagers enjoy trekking across hundreds of kilometers in the biting cold. The belief is that the North likely forced these students into this march in order to promote idolization projects of the Kim father and son [Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il]. This march has been conducted since 1975 with the goal of teaching the younger generation revolution legacies.

[Source: Daily NK]