Originally from Harper's Magazine, February 2005Kim Jong-Il's Top 17 Titles
"But You Can Call Me Il"
From a list of titles allegedly used by "prominent leaders from 160 nations across the world" to refer to Kim Jong-Il, as announced last winter by North Korean state television. The titles were translated from the Korean by Lee Jong-Heon.
Supreme Commander at the Forefront of the Struggle Against Imperialism and the United States
Greatest Saint Who Rules with Extensive Magnanimity
Lode Star of the Twenty-First Century
Best Leader Who Realized Human Wisdom
Leader with Extraordinary Personality
Perfect Picture of Wisdom and Boldness
Eternal Bosom of Hot Love*
Master of Literature, Arts, and Architecture
World’s Best Ideal Leader with Versatile Talents
Humankind’s Greatest Musical Genius
Master of the Computer Who Surprised the World
Man with Encyclopedic Knowledge
Guardian Deity of the Planet
Heaven-Sent Hero
Power Incarnate with Endless Creativity
Greatest Man Who Ever Lived
Present-day God
World’s Greatest Writer
* This title is not as titillating as it may seem. "Hot Love" is as in parental love rather than erotic.
This is But You Can Call Me Il, a reading, originally from February 2005, published Wednesday, November 2, 2005. It is part of Governance, which is part of Readings, which is part of Harpers.org.