The visit of Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

In the course of his visit Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, made an excursion around the Hermitage. The excursion for the distinguished guest was conducted by Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage. Chairman Kim noted that it was his second visit to the Hermitage, the first having been in the 1950s. Passing through the recently restored halls of the New Hermitage, the Korean guest remarked on the splendid work of the restorers. Chairman Kim Jong Il also visited the Pavilion Hall of the Small Hermitage where he was invited to go out onto the balcony and admire the view of the River Neva, the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island and the Peter and Paul Fortress. At twelve noon, following an old St Petersburg tradition, a gun was fired from the fortress. The honoured visitor viewed the exhibition "Paul Soulage. The Colour Black" in the Nicholas Hall of the Winter Palace and expressed admiration at the restoration work in the Malachite Room — the refurbishment of the parquet floor made of 14 precious types of wood. In the St George’s Hall (Large Throne Room) Chairman Kim Jong Il was shown another recently recreated object — the throne dais. The director of the Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky, reminded the distinguished guest that the Hermitage, which includes the Winter Palace, is not only a world-famous museum, but also a symbol of Russian statehood.

At the end of his visit Kim Jong Il noted the splendid state of the Hermitage and the spirit of renewal that can be sensed in the museum.

The North Korean delegation in the Large Throne Room 

Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea