BEIJING (Yonhap) ― North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-un paid “huge attention to detail” in the making of a wax figure of his late father by Chinese artists, checking details of the sculpture to make it perfectly duplicate his father’s features, China’s state media reported Monday.

The wax figure of Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, who died on Dec. 17, 2011, has been on display at the North’s International Friendship Exhibition Center, an ostentatious palace museum at Mt. Myohyang, since July last year.

The Chinese artists, including Zhang Molei and Jia Wenlong, known for making a wax figure of the North Korean founder and Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il-sung, were again offered to make the wax sculpture of Kim Jong-il by North Korea in 2012.

Jia told the state-run Global Times newspaper that they and North Korean artists had “longtime disputes” over which photo should be used as the model picture of the wax figure of Kim Jong-il.

“Kim Jong-il was seriously ill due to a massive stroke in his last days, which made him look awful,” Jia was quoted as saying.

“But we had to show his kindness and wisdom rather than the illness.”

The two sides eventually agreed to use a photo of Kim Jong-il displayed at the memorial service of the late leader, Jia said.

“Kim Jong-un paid huge attention to detail,” the newspaper said. “He even checked the teeth, neck and hair of the sculpture.

“North Korea sent over 100 photos to make sure the wax statue was perfect,” the newspaper said, adding that the North also gave “a full set of shoes, glasses and an overcoat as well as other clothes” of the late leader to help the Chinese artists perfectly duplicate his figure.

North Korea is notorious for promoting a personality cult for the ruling Kim dynasty.

In the two-page feature story, the Chinese artists admitted that they felt ”great pressure“ to make the wax figure of Kim Jong-il.

”It is believed that creating the wax sculptures of the great men is similar to making a statute for God,“ Jia was quoted as saying. ”We have to show our awe,“