Updated Mansudae Grand Monument of Kim Il-sung

I first visited this statue, one of the most sacred sites in North Korea, back in 2009. At that time, it looked a bit different. In anticipation of my arrival in April 2012, the North Korean people took it upon themselves to update the statue for my glorious return on what would be my third trip to this fascinating country.

If you compare to my older photo of the statue, you can see that The Great Leader has become rather happy over the years and been given a warm smile. His eyesight, however, has not managed quite as well and he is now adorned with a pair of spectacles.

To steal a bit from Dogma, I give you, the Buddy Kim! That's not the official name for this statue, mind you, but doesn't he look a lot more friendly and welcoming? Very charismatic for a statue, if you ask me.

Statue of Eternal President Kim Il-sung