#arduous march

Towards the end of August 1999, Jong Song Ok finished first in the women’s marathon in the 7th World Track and Field Championships held in Seville. Chairman Kim Jong Il called officials to his office. When they came wondering what could be the matter, he asked them abruptly about the news of the women’s marathon. Beaming with joy, he said our runner won the race in the championships and that he had had a wakeful night at the news. With this, he paced the room. After a while, he said,

“It’s grand, really grand! The marathon race is the most significant of all sports events. Still now, there has been no Korean who won a marathon race in the world track and field championships. Before liberation the Korean runner Son Ki Jong came off first in a marathon of the Olympics, but he had to run in the name of an alien country because he was a member of a ruined nation. But this time our runner has won the world marathon championship for the first time as a Korean. How splendid!”

The press made a feature of her spectacular success and the whole country was in a festive mood singing a song about her.

Later, the Chairman said that she was a heroine of our nation who won the title in the women’s marathon in the World Track and Field Championships, the arena of competition with the best athletes from the world.

Naenara.com.kp