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In the history of the DPRK, there is a revolutionary poet who is immortal along with the masterpiece of the times. He is Jo Ki Chon, writer of the full-length epic “Mt Paektu”.

Jo Ki Chon was born in then Hoeryong County of North Hamgyong Province in 1913. Even after he moved to a foreign country with his parents to seek a way to make a living as they lost their country to the Japanese imperialists, he never forgot his country and strengthened his belief that Korea would surely be liberated, hearing stories about General Kim Il Sung, the legendary hero of the anti-Japanese war.

After the country’s liberation, he returned to the homeland and was absorbed in literary creation, producing a lyric poem “The Tuman River” singing of the joy of national liberation in 1946 and “Song of Land” and “The Song I Sang at Ulmil Pavilion” in succession.

One day of that year, he had an audience with General Kim Il Sung whom he had so intensely desired to see even in his dreams.

That day, the General granted his earnest request and told him stories about various incidents that had happened during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle for a long time.

Hearing his stories, Jo felt a surge of creative inspiration and excitement. In order to describe the immortal revolutionary exploits and noble personality traits of the General in the full-length epic “Mt Paektu”, he made his way through the primitive forests to climb up Mt Paektu and foster his poetical sentiment and chose poetic words one after another to weave the epic.

He personally recited the epic thus created to the General.

As a result, “Mt Paektu” was born in 1947 as the full-length epic portraying General Kim Il Sung for the first time in the country.

During the Fatherland Liberation War (1950-1953), he fought in the front line as a war writer together with the servicemen of the Korean People’s Army.

On the basis of the hands-on experience he gained while seeing, hearing and feeling at that time, he created poems to the last moments of his life, including “Mungyong Pass” and “Korea Fights” which inspired the KPA soldiers to annihilate the enemy.

It was his faith and will that the Korean writer should live according to the idea and intention of the leader and stand at the forefront of the struggle for the country.

His life was not long, but the country gave him the honourable title of revolutionary poet in high recognition of the distinguished services he performed for the homeland and revolution.

The full-length epic “Mt Paektu” was adapted for the screen as a revolutionary film in 1980 and later, a feature film about Jo Ki Chon was also produced.