It is unthinkable without the guidance of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il that the magnolia blossom could be the national flower.

The President visited the Jongbangsan Pleasure Ground in May Juche 53 (1964) and said that he saw a flower with white petals scores of years ago and could not forget it.

Next day, the Chairman took measures to find the flowering tree. Seeing the flowering tree, the President said that the Korean people have traditionally added the Korean word "ran" to the name of fragrant and beautiful flowers and saw to it that the flower was called "Mokran" (magnolia) in Korean name.

He also said that the flower seems to represent the strong and noble mettle of the Korean people.

Thanks to the noble intention of the great leaders who valued and loved even a single blade of grass or a single tree and a flower, the magnolia could become the national flower of the DPRK loved by the people.

The DPRK people have planted many magnolia trees in time-honored places, pleasure grounds, parks and worksites and depicted beautiful magnolia blossom at monumental edifices.