The hill has turned into a recreation ground for the people in the era of the Workers' Party of Korea. There are many touching stories about how it has turned into an icon of the country both in contents and style, a socialist land of bliss, and an epitome of scenic beauty.

On March 2, 1946 President Kim Il Sung, leader Kim Jong Il and woman commander of Mt. Paektu Kim Jong Suk mounted the hill together.

Looking at the hill, once mercilessly trampled down by the jackboots of aggressors, the President called for sprucing up the hill well as a cultural and recreation ground. He unrolled a grand plan for face-lifting the mountains and fields of the country.

Historic March 2 was instituted as tree-planting day.

Kim Jong Il loved Moran Hill more than any others.

Even when the enemy was making air raids on the city during the war, he frequently mounted the hill. The hill was always in his mind even when he was far away from Pyongyang.

One day in August 1952 he was questioned by his friends about how severely Pyongyang was destroyed.

Answering their question, he said in an excited tone pine trees grew strong on Moran Hill and no U.S. bombs could reduce the country to ashes.

Then he wrote in his diary a writing titled "Moran Hill Remain Unburned" and poem "Embrace of Country". He added music to the poem and sang the song at a meeting held on December 31, the New Year's eve, playing an organ.

The hill was named Moran for its beauty like peony. Built on this picturesque hill was Moran Restaurant, gable-roof building to which national, modern and popular architectural style was applied.

A construction magazine issued in Japan in 1977 carried a statement released by a son of a famous Japanese designer. He said that "magnificent buildings" designed by his father could be found in various Asian cities including Bangkok, adding that the History Museum on Moran Hill in Pyongyang is among those buildings which has become an "icon" of oriental architecture.

Upon receiving this report, the President instructed officials to pull down the museum and build instead a Korean-style restaurant for the people.

Under the energetic leadership of Kim Jong Il, Moran Restaurant was completed in a matter of two months after the ground was broken.

During lunch time in June 2008 Kim Jong Il visited the newly built Moran Restaurant where he recollected stories associated with the restaurant. Going round the interior and exterior of the building for a good chunk of time, he called for improving service to suit the newly built restaurant.

Let us love and spruce up the country as we do for Moran Hill and let us bequeath the most beautiful and best country in the world like Moran Hill to the generations to come!

This was Kim Jong Il's noble outlook on the country, the people and the generations to come.