By Kim Tae-gyu
BERNE, Switzerland ― On a misty Sunday morning, it took just 15 minutes to get from the center of Berne to nearby Koniz, which houses the Liebefeld Steinholzi school ― the institute where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un studied in the 1990s.
The public school's office was not accessible for outsiders as nobody answered calls with its doors being locked. But there were scores of residents who played football with their kids at the playground.
Most of them were aware that Kim once attended the school. They apparently were not happy with the fact that their country and city have something to do with the authoritarian ruler of the regime.
"I learned that Kim's background is related to my country and city through media reports after Kim took power a few years ago," said an info-tech system specialist in his early 40s whose son attended the Liebefeld Steinholzi school.
"It is a shame that the leader of such a country was our neighbor although we did not know him when he stayed here. As far as I know, my son has the same opinion. He is not proud of his alma mater."
He knew that the third-generation autocrat, who assumed leadership in late 2011 after his father Kim Jong-il's death, was a big fan of basketball and frequently played in the outdoor basketball court of the school.
Recently, the young leader consolidated his power base, at least in the short-term, by dismissing and executing once powerful Jang Song-thaek, Kim's uncle and power regent, something that came as a shock to other countries.
A software salesman in Berne in his late 40s echoed the IT system expert.
"I didn't think that much about him but I know he studied here. Obviously, he is not a source of pride. His connection to my city may hurt our reputation. Many would agree with me," the salesman said.
A driver in his 50s living in Berne said that he doesn't care much about Kim.
"For me, that man is not so important. As you know, so many dictators' sons study in Switzerland. He was at our public school and isn't here any longer. We don't think of him that much," he said.
Debates still continue with regard to Kim's educational background in Europe. Some argue that he went to Switzerland in the early 1990s and others refute it. However, the consensus is that he attended the Liebefeld Steinholzi school from 1998 to 2000.
Then, he is believed to have studied at Kim In-sung University, a training school for leading officers in Pyongyang, from 2002 through 2007.
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| The Liebefeld Steinholzi school in Koniz, near Berne, is closed on Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Kim Tae-gyu |
The public school's office was not accessible for outsiders as nobody answered calls with its doors being locked. But there were scores of residents who played football with their kids at the playground.
Most of them were aware that Kim once attended the school. They apparently were not happy with the fact that their country and city have something to do with the authoritarian ruler of the regime.
"I learned that Kim's background is related to my country and city through media reports after Kim took power a few years ago," said an info-tech system specialist in his early 40s whose son attended the Liebefeld Steinholzi school.
"It is a shame that the leader of such a country was our neighbor although we did not know him when he stayed here. As far as I know, my son has the same opinion. He is not proud of his alma mater."
He knew that the third-generation autocrat, who assumed leadership in late 2011 after his father Kim Jong-il's death, was a big fan of basketball and frequently played in the outdoor basketball court of the school.
Recently, the young leader consolidated his power base, at least in the short-term, by dismissing and executing once powerful Jang Song-thaek, Kim's uncle and power regent, something that came as a shock to other countries.
A software salesman in Berne in his late 40s echoed the IT system expert.
"I didn't think that much about him but I know he studied here. Obviously, he is not a source of pride. His connection to my city may hurt our reputation. Many would agree with me," the salesman said.
A driver in his 50s living in Berne said that he doesn't care much about Kim.
"For me, that man is not so important. As you know, so many dictators' sons study in Switzerland. He was at our public school and isn't here any longer. We don't think of him that much," he said.
Debates still continue with regard to Kim's educational background in Europe. Some argue that he went to Switzerland in the early 1990s and others refute it. However, the consensus is that he attended the Liebefeld Steinholzi school from 1998 to 2000.
Then, he is believed to have studied at Kim In-sung University, a training school for leading officers in Pyongyang, from 2002 through 2007.
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