KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 51 Mother-of-pearl work “The Quds Mosque”

DPRK President Kim Il Sung received the gift from Yasir Arafat, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Commander-in-chief of the Palestine Revolutionary Armed Forces, in April 1982.

52 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Monthly Journal (730)

C O N T E N T S

3 Opening up the New History of Independence

Today independence is the maxim of Juche Korea

representing President Kim Il Sung’s lifelong

exploits, and the epitome of his great personality.

6 Along the Path of Independence, Self-sustenance and Self-reliant Defence 8 April Spring Friendship Art Festival

10 The Birth of a New Armed Force 12 Songun Politics Elevates Korea’s Strategic Status 14 In Support of War for Liberation of Northeast China (2)

Monthly journal Korea Today is printed in English, Russian and Chinese, and posted on the Internet site Naenara in English, Russian, Chinese, French, Spanish and Arabic.

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 531 16 Mother of Korea 17 WPK’s Climate 20 Struggle to Develop Famous Brand 22 Great Enthusiasm 24 Phurunhanul Gets Popular 25 New Fuel Additive Developed 26 Pothonggang Footwear Factory 26 Taedong River Tamers Front Cover: At a Kimilsungia Show 28 Developers of Popular Program

Photo by Ra Phyong Ryol 29 By Improving Teaching Methods 30 Pioneers of Microscopic World 31 Paduk Champion 32 Famous Accordion Producer 33 Natural History Museum (3) 36 Dream of the Piano Prodigy 37 House of Flowers 38 Romance of Weavers 39 Smart Leg (2) 41 National Intangible Cultural Heritage (5) Acupuncture for Treatment of Deformed Spine 41 A Koguryo Cemetery Newly Unearthed 42 Mt. Myohyang (5) Back Cover: An April 44 Nationwide Movement Essential for Reunification spring day 45 Disaster Caused by Sycophantic Policy Photo by courtesy of the KCNA 46 Brazen and Disgusting Habit 47 The US Had Better Be Prudent 13502 ㄱ-78205

Edited by Kim Chol Jun Address: Sochon-dong, Sosong District, Pyongyang, DPRK E-mail: [email protected]

© The Foreign Language Magazines 2017

2 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Opening up the New History of Independence

President Kim Il Sung acknowledges enthusiastic cheers of the people in September 1988.

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 3 NDEPENDENCE WAS THE LIFELONG The lines and policies of the Korean revolution I revolutionary creed and practice of Kim Il Sung, set forth by President Kim Il Sung were mostly the eternal President of the Democratic People’s associated with some localities or workplaces in the Republic of Korea. country. Taedong County and Samsok District are where he set forth the policy of agrarian reform; The Origin of Independent Politics Wonhwa-ri and other rural villages are the places where he announced the policy of agricultural coop- President Kim Il Sung held fast to the principle erativization; in Changsong he set out the policy of of solving all problems in the interests of the Korean the Workers’ Party of Korea on making the most of revolution, and adhered strictly to this principle in mountains in the mountainous area; at the Juul Flax laying down political lines and adopting policies. Mill he put forward the policy of let-one-machine- Even now, the Korean people recall the days of the tool-beget-another movement; Pukchong is where he anti-Japanese armed struggle in the early 20th cen- suggested the policy of laying out orchards in all tury when the people’s power was born in the guer- areas of the country; and at a railway section of rilla bases in the form of liberated zones. Tanchon the policy of railway electrification was At the time, the issue of political power was re- proposed. garded as a matter to be taken up after the liberation President Kim Il Sung led the revolution all his of the country which was still in a state of colonial life by relying on the strength of the Korean nation semi-feudal society, a matter actually feasible only in with a conviction that self-reliance means the inde- case of the restoration of national sovereignty. pendence and Juche. His political creed was that one could win everything if one believes in one’s own Kim Il Sung, however, saw the people’s earnest strength and advances by relying on that strength, desire to have their own political power even in the but one could not make a revolution nor maintain life guerrilla base and lead a life worthy of man, and if one does not believe in one’s strength but looks up decided to build a government first in the guerrilla to Heaven for help. base before its establishment in the liberated Korea. The Yongil bomb is recorded as a symbol of self- He was well aware that the desire of the Korean reliance in the history of the Korean revolution. Once people, who were groaning under the cruel colonial the people in Jiandao made a plan to build a hand rule and burdens of all forms of feudal relations, was grenade factory in the guerrilla base and asked a to have democratic freedom and equal rights such as neighbouring country for aid, but there was no reply owning their own lands and living equally in the from that country. Taking this incident as a decisive liberated homeland, and that the form of political opportunity for cultivating the revolutionary spirit of power should not be socialist at the outset. He con- self-reliance in the guerrilla army, Commander cluded that the form of political power for the Korean Kim Il Sung told all the fighters of the Anti- people should be broad-scaled to embrace all people Japanese Guerrilla Army and revolutionary masses who constitute the motive force of the revolution in to have the viewpoint that the decisive factor in ad- serious consideration of the fact that the absolute vancing the revolution was to bring their own majority of the people, regardless of their property strength into action to the maximum and that help status, including workers, peasants, intellectuals, from outsiders was a matter of secondary impor- petty bourgeoisie, and even national capitalists and tance. religious men demand the country’s independence He saw to it that arms were obtained by snatch- and have vital interests in it. ing weapons from the enemy and building their own According to the conception of the leader, the arsenals. He invented a method of turning out bombs people’s revolutionary government came into exis- suited to the reality of the guerrilla base with gun- tence with the unanimous support of the Korean powder of their own making and encouraged the people. It became the model of the people’s govern- workers of arsenals to display revolutionary zeal, ment to be established in the liberated homeland fortitude and creative initiatives. As a result, they without losing its true nature as the people’s power. produced bombs only with hand tools like hammers, At last, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea files and bellows. The name Yongil bomb was a was born in September 1948. After liberation he put synonym of fear contrived by the Japanese imperial- forward the line of building a new Korea and the ists frightened out of their wits by the bomb attacks basic line of socialist economic construction giving of the anti-Japanese guerrillas in the Yanji area. priority to the development of heavy industry while This induced the guerrillas and people to awake simultaneously developing light industry and agri- themselves to their own great capability and re- culture in due consideration of the Korean people’s sources in practice and to gain faith through practice independent requirements and interests and the that they were fully capable of shaping their destiny need of their steadfast implementation. with their own strength. ►

4 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► Later, self-reliance became the basic spirit and training military cadres as the core of the revolu- method in all spheres of the anti-Japanese revolu- tionary military force. The Pyongyang School was tionary struggle from the building of party organiza- the first personnel-training institution of Korea tions, establishment of the people’s revolutionary founded three months after liberation for the pur- government and realization of the anti-Japanese pose of raising political and military cadres. The national united front to the supply of food and cloth- honorary rector of the school was Kim Il Sung him- ing, provision of medical treatment and publication self. This shows that the cadre-training work was a work. In this course, the philosophical axiom that if matter of utmost concern for him. you follow the principle of self-reliance, you will live, He reared the Korean People’s Army into and if not, you will perish, became the motto and soul a-match-for-a-hundred revolutionary force fully of life. equipped not only politically and ideologically but This revolutionary tradition of self-reliance was also militarily and technically. He then built up later the spiritual staff in stepping up the whole Korea into a formidable socialist power by founding process of the Korean revolution including the a self-sustaining modern defence industry. periods of postwar reconstruction and socialist con- The invariable creed he adhered to in economic struction. construction was that an attempt to build a powerful prosperous nation without economic independence Pioneering the History of Building was as good as trying to build a castle in the air, and the Independent State that it was nothing but a daydream. The self- supporting national economy he had conceived and President Kim Il Sung set up the spirit of na- built up was a self-sufficient economy and a national tional independence as the spiritual mainstay in economy in the service of the people. building the state and thoroughly established it in all The economy the Korean people took over after spheres. liberation was marked by colonial lopsidedness and In the latter half of the 1950s a high tide of so- deformity and, moreover, it had been wrecked out of cialist construction set in Korea. Embarking on the shape by the defeated Japanese imperialists before building of socialism which was regarded as an im- running away, and the treasury they left behind was possibility in the existing conditions at the time, the empty. Kim Il Sung set out on the path of building President kindled the flames of revolutionary up- an independent national economy in spite of the swing with a determination to implant the spirit of unprecedentedly stern ordeals and difficulties, and national independence in the minds of the people and pioneered the untrodden path by relying on the peo- carry on the struggle in Korea’s own fashion on the ple’s unlimited strength. He perceived scientifically strength of the people. Amidst the flames the Chol- the specific features of the economy and the law- lima movement was born. The movement was a governed process of the economic development and manifestation of the independent spirit of the Korean correctly laid down the strategic stages of building people who were out to build a prosperous and pow- the material foundations, and wisely led the work of erful nation faster only by their own efforts no mat- building the economy in Korea’s own way according ter what the outsiders might say or what roads they to the requirements of the Korean revolution and the might have come along. will of the Korean people. At the Fourth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Giving priority to the growth of heavy industry Korea the President stipulated the movement as the while simultaneously developing light industry and general line of socialist construction. Besides the agriculture was the fundamental principle President Chollima movement, various types of mass move- Kim Il Sung kept to all his life in the building of an ments were launched in all stages of the revolution independent national economy. In the mid-1970s, he and construction in Korea by rousing the spiritual met the editor-in-chief of French newspaper Le force of the people and relying on it. On the strength Monde on a visit to Korea. Answering his question, of such movements, socialist construction made the President said that his greatest pride during the headway steadily and a radical change came about in more than 30-year-long socialist construction was the people’s ideological life and thinking patterns. that an independent national economy was built in In founding the DPRK, he laid down self-reliant Korea, so the country was able to maintain inde- defence as one of the main principles of building the pendence and follow independent policies. independent state and paid the utmost attention to Today independence is the maxim of Juche Korea the development of defence capabilities. Taking up representing the lifelong exploits of the President, the work of founding and strengthening the country’s and the epitome of his great personality. own armed force as the central task in building self- reliant defence machinery, he propelled the work of Ri Jong Nam

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 5 Along the Path of Independence, Self-sustenance and Self-reliant Defence

Independence Is the continued to say that without In the Spirit of Life of the Nation political independence, national Self-reliance liberation would prove useless, that every nation claims national N MID-NOVEMBER 1973, President Kim Il Sung vis- sovereignty and independence I President Kim Il Sung met ited the Kangson Steel Works in irrespective of difference in reli- a delegation of the national August 1953. Looking round the gious belief, and that all nations executive council of the Zaire workshops lying in ashes de- should struggle for the complete Republic. stroyed by the brutal bombings of freedom, independence, peace Zaire, well-known as a raw the US imperialists in the Korean and benefits of their people. If a material depot in the world, stood war—demolished walls without a nation was unable to defend its first in the deposits of uranium single brick remaining whole, independence, they would remain and led the capitalist countries in tangled steel bars hanging from helpless, he said, adding that the output of industrial gem and the naked roofs and broken elec- all nations demand national sov- cobalt. A colony of Belgium for tric furnaces—he looked gloomy more than half a century, this ereignty and peace to defend in low spirits. country gained independence in their independence and that He asked the manager if they 1960, and the liberated people there would be no national could restore the steel works wanted to live on by their own sovereignty and peace without though it was ravaged so severely. efforts relying on their rich independence. Speaking about The manager answered that they natural resources. Displeased the experience of Korea in were going to restore electric fur- with this, the imperialists incited building socialism and national nace No. 2 to begin with as it was the reactionaries to complicate reunification issues of Korea for a a little better than other three the domestic situation of the long time, the President said that furnaces which were razed almost country while applying pressure as both Korea and Zaire were entirely. on and sanctions against the gov- claiming independence, it was Approving his plan, the ernment of Zaire. This caused very important to unite on this President proceeded towards the difficulties in the building of a basis, and that when they were site of electric furnace No. 3 new society. united on the basis of independ- whose body was gone and its con- When the head of the delega- ent thoughts, they could do eve- crete foundation was in a mess. At tion told the President that rything. the sight of the wretched scene, he they were aspiring to advance Expressing his sympathy stated that the Americans who along the road of independence, with the President, the head of had wreaked havoc like that were Kim Il Sung supported him ac- the delegation said that while rattling that the Korean people tively, saying that this is an age seeing all the successes achieved would not be able to return to the of independence when all peoples so far in Korea, he could clearly normal state even in a hundred of the world wish for independ- understand that the secret of all years and that therefore the steel ence and that independence is the the successes lay in independ- workers should demonstrate the life and honour of the nation. He ence. mettle of the Koreans once more. ►

6 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► Then he went over to the of depending on their own efforts, developed. blooming shop where all the not others’ help, in solving all At that time, only over 40 equipment like the heating fur- problems. Then, he encouraged days since the country’s liberation nace, crane and hydraulic tanks them by saying that if everyone from the military occupation of the had also been ravaged so badly turned out with firm conviction, Japanese imperialists, the Korean by the brutal American bombings they would be able to rebuild the people had no party or people’s that the workshop itself was a steel works by themselves and government, and were at a loss heap of shapeless iron. He said induced them emphatically to which way to go. The leader said that the workshop should be re- carry out the task by all means on to the officials that the Korean constructed without fail and that their own resources. people had enough creative ability modern technology should be to build the armament industry by introduced in the reconstruction First Step Towards their own efforts. He went on to so that its production capacity Establishing the say that when the wrecked facto- might be raised to the maximum. Self-supporting ries and iron works were recon- After a while, the President Defence Industry structed and put into operation, went up a low hill in the premises various kinds of equipment and of the steel works. There he said One day in October 1945, materials could be provided for that the steel works should be Kim Il Sung in military uniform the building of the armament restored not to its old state but of the anti-Japanese struggle industry, and that the workers developed into a modern factory days went to the Phyongchon should study hard to acquire nec- capable of producing various district in Pyongyang and in- essary techniques and knowledge. standards of steels, larger than spected the former site of the Then he emphasized that that of the Japanese imperialist Pyongyang ordnance factory op- when the Korean workers buckled days. Coming down from the hill erated by the Japanese imperial- down to the task with fixed deter- and proceeding to the steel work- ists before. After looking over the mination, they would be able to shop, he met soldiers working deserted precincts of the factory make rifles, guns, tanks, automo- there for the rehabilitation of the for a good while, he said that de- biles and what not. When the steel works and told them to dis- feated and fleeing, the Japanese Korean people became capable of play the heroic spirit of the Ko- aggressors had destroyed the defending their country, their rean People’s Army once again in buildings and installations, and national pride and self-confidence the rehabilitation work in the burnt up all the technical and would be enhanced and they could spirit they had demonstrated business documents to keep Kore- build a new Korea still better, he beating the US imperialists at the ans from using the factory. said, adding with confidence that front during the war. Acquainting himself with the he was going to build an ordnance That day, he gave instruc- actual situation of the factory, he factory at the place and develop tions that in spite of difficulties said that the Korean people the armament industry of the and bottlenecks cropping up in the should build a new democratic country with the factory as a rehabilitation work, the workers Korea on the ruins, and above all, model. should not look to others for help, an ordnance factory without a This was how the leader des- that it was not the right attitude moment’s delay. He further said it ignated the site of the first ord- of the revolutionary working class was important in the building of nance factory of the country in the by nature to try to solve problems armed forces to equip all the Phyongchon district. He then on the strength of outsiders, and soldiers with modern weapons wisely guided the construction of that however hard the situation and military outfits, and that for the factory and the production of might be, they should thoroughly this purpose, the armament in- weapons. establish the revolutionary habit dustry should be established and Kang Hye Ok

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 7 April Spring Friendship Art Festival

ter of culture of Mongolia. President Kim Il Sung al- ways saw their joint performances and had photos taken with them—this left a deep and indeli- ble impression on all the partici- pants as the acme of the festival. The meaningful event re- turned even after the demise of the President in 1994. At the 13th round of the festi- val held in 1995, Zikina Lyudmila Georgiyevna, a winner of the

HE APRIL SPRING T Friendship Art Festival which takes place in Pyongyang has a tradition spanning over 30 years. It is an international event which is held in celebration of the birth anniversary (April 15, Day of the Sun) of President Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people. over 1 850 art troupes, cultural Lenin Prize, People’s Actress of The first round of the festival delegations, inspection groups the Russian Federation and head took place in Pyongyang in April and supporters’ organizations of the Russian Folk Song and 1982 to celebrate the 70th birth from a total of 1 090 countries. Dance Ensemble, sang a song of anniversary of the President. More than 2 770 famous stars wish for the President’s immor- Over the years the festival participated in the festival and tality, titled He Is Still Alive, held under the motto of inde- the spectators numbered as many with the image of the President pendence, peace and friendship as 2 436 000. displayed on the background. contributed greatly to expanding Hundreds of songs were put on She also thanked Chairman cultural exchange and coopera- the stage, which were created by Kim Jong Il who fulfilled their tion among artistes from many lots of political and public figures hope to sing a song of immortality countries and promoting their who were neither poets nor writ- for the sun at the spring festival. friendship and solidarity. ers, including a former President Kim Jong Il saw to it that the In the past, it brought to- of Zambia, a former Vietnamese festival became a traditional gether more than 17 430 foreign minister of culture, press, sports event and provided scrupulous and overseas Korean artistes of and tourism, and a former minis- guidance in all aspects of the fes- ►

8 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► tival—designing of its flag, em- ever better under the guidance of Koreans presented more than blem and commemorative medal, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un. 1 700 gifts of over 790 kinds to the creation of the festival theme Their respect for him, who is President and the Chairman and song, invitation and reception of making an immortal contribution more than 50 gifts of 25 kinds to participants, organization of per- to the building of a socialist power the supreme leader. formance as well as the partici- and the pushing of the cause of During the festival there was pants’ stay and leisure activities global independence by carrying held a seminar of the prominent so that the 13th round of the festi- forward the cause of President scholars in the circles of culture val took place ever more splen- Kim Il Sung and Chairman and the arts of many countries on didly in 1995. Kim Jong Il, is to be felt mani- matters related to promoting the Thankful for his wise leader- festly in the gifts presented by the art of each nation. In the seminar ship, a lot of prominent cultural festival participants. they exchanged their achieve- figures and domestic and interna- The leader of the Academy ments and experience in the de- tional prize winners flew to Py- Ensemble of the Internal Security velopment of their national art ongyang from all over the world Forces under the Russian Minis- and discussed important prob- and expressed their boundless try of Internal Affairs said on the lems to develop the art of man- reverence for the leader on the occasion of their participation in kind with joint efforts. festival stage. At the 3rd round of the 29th round of the festival, “Our More and more countries, art

the art festival a Japanese violin- gift shows the symbol of victory, troupes and artistes take part in ist played the Korean song I’ll Be or God who defeats evil and pre- the April Spring Art Festival Loyal down through Generations, vents war. During our stay in which comprises all fields of per- and many artistic pieces were put Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un was forming arts—vocal and instru- on to express admiration for the elected First Chairman of the mental music, dance and acro- leader. The head of an Italian art National Defence Commission of batic, and the level of their per- troupe conducted Song of General the Democratic People’s Republic formance grows higher and Kim Jong Il at the 15th round of of Korea at the First Session of higher. the festival held in 1997, saying the 13th Supreme People’s Assem- Amidst the expectation and that Kim Jong Il was the de- bly, and our gift is well in accord concern of the Koreans and other fender of the security of the Ko- with this great event, I think. Our peoples of the world, the festival rean nation and peace of human- earnest wish is to have the honour is carrying on its proud tradition kind. of having a performance in the as prestigious festival dedicated Today the festival participants presence of the supreme leader.” to boundless reverence for the are struck with admiration for the Participating in the art festi- great men.

appearance of Korea changing val, the foreigners and overseas Rim Sang Jun

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 9 The Birth of a New Armed Force

as far as the homeland. On lations with the Chinese na- N HIS REMINISCENCES hearing the news, young patri- tionalist anti-Japanese units, it I With the Century ots in their early twenties from was impossible for our guer- President Kim Il Sung Korea and various parts of rilla army to survive and oper- recalled the foundation of Manchuria flocked to Antu, at ate as a legitimate force. the Anti-Japanese People’s the risk of their lives, to volun- Whenever we got together, Guerrilla Army, the first teer for the guerrilla army. we discussed over and over But the Chinese national again how we should make our revolutionary armed force of salvation army units often cap- guerrilla army legitimate and Korea. Following are the tured them on their way to us how we should improve our excerpts: and killed them in groups. relations with the Chinese na- At that time there were tionalist army. various Chinese nationalist We maintained that we The spring of 1932 was tur- anti-Japanese units in the should not only improve our bulent with events that shook northeastern region of China, relations with them but also the world. After occupying such as the Northeast Self- form a united front with them Manchuria the Japanese impe- Defence Army, the Anti-Jilin because we firmly believed rialists rigged up the puppet Army, the Anti-Japanese Na- that these units, in spite of Kingdom of Manchukuo tional Salvation Army, the their various limitations, could through the reinstatement of Anti-Japanese Volunteers’ become our strategic ally in Pu Yi, the last Qing Emperor Army, the Mountain Rebels, the anti-Japanese war as we who had been dethroned by the Broad Sword Society, the shared common fighting objec- the nationalist revolution led Red Spear Society and so on. tives and a similar situation. by Sun Yat-sen. The Japanese These nationalist armed units The guerrilla units in the government-patronized mass comprised patriotic soldiers various counties at that time media and the Chinese and who had broken away from the were small in size; there were Manchurian pro-Japanese former Northeast Army to only a few dozen guerrillas in publications chanted their march under the banner of each county. They were in praise of the kindgom, clam- anti-Japanese national salva- danger of being annihilated if ouring about the “concord of tion after Japan’s occupation captured by the Chinese na- five nations” and the building of Manchuria, as well as Chi- tionalist units, so they could of a “paradise of righteous gov- nese government officials and not expand their ranks even if ernment,” whereas the pro- peasants. These units together they wanted to. gressive people of Asia and the were known as the national In the light of this I won- rest of the world strongly de- salvation army. dered if it would not be a good nounced it. They all regarded the Ko- idea for our guerrillas to join But we who were in the rean communists as stooges of Commander Yu’s unit and op- Antu area preparing for the the Japanese imperialists and erate as a special detachment armed struggle did not listen the Korean people as having of it for a period. to the rumours and conjec- guided the Japanese army of We had a day-long meeting tures; we were applying our- aggression into Manchuria. on this question at Kim Jong selves to military training…. They were prejudiced against Ryong’s house in Xiaoshahe, Antu became the headquar- the Korean people partly be- where the headquarters of the ters of the Korean communists cause the Japanese imperial- party organization was situ- who were forming the Anti- ists continued to drive a wedge ated. It is now called the Japanese People’s Guerrilla between the Chinese and Ko- Xiaoshahe Meeting. Army. Political workers and rean peoples, and partly be- The meeting decided to dis- messengers from several coun- cause the bad impression the patch a delegate to Com- ties along the River Tuman Chinese people had received of mander Yu’s unit to negotiate often came to Xiaoshahe to the Korean people from the with the Chinese national sal- make contact with us. The May 30 Uprising and the Wan- vation army unit, and I was news of our activities to form baoshan incident was still singled out as the most suit- the guerrilla army in Antu vivid in their memory. able person for the job. To be spread from mouth to mouth Without improving our re- more precise, I volunteered, ►

10 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► rather than being chosen by ogy of the working class, and ceremony of the Anti-Japanese my comrades. that the preponderance of People’s Guerrilla Army on the Thanks to the successful peasants and students in the tableland at Tuqidian. The negotiations with Commander revolutionary army would not guerrillas, dressed in their Yu we were able to make our cause the army to degenerate. new uniforms and with their guerrilla army legitimate and In establishing a command guns on their shoulders, lined have an ally in the war of re- system we did not regard the up in unit order in the clearing sistance against the Japanese existing formula as absolute. on the tableland surrounded imperialists. The success also We defined the organizational by larch trees, and the people gave us the belief that in the structure in such a way as to from Xiaoshahe and Xinglong- great, patriotic cause we increase the combat strength cun were buzzing, as they would be able to form a united to the maximum and to keep stood in a group at one edge of front with the nationalists of the number of commanding the clearing. another country who had a officers to the minimum to suit When looking at the fresh, different ideology and differ- the characteristics of guerrilla sturdy soldiers, my mind was ent ideals. warfare. In short, we made the flooded with surging memo- After forming the special command system as simple as ries. How many miles our com- detachment we pushed ahead possible. We did not maintain a rades had walked, how many with preparations for expand- supply department or a supply meetings they had held, how ing and reorganizing it into officer. We ensured that every- many speeches they had deliv- the Anti-Japanese People’s one was able to cook, launder, ered, how many rugged moun- Guerrilla Army as soon as pos- fight and, if necessary, conduct tains they had trekked, and sible. political activities. how many comrades had laid The organizational struc- The Anti-Japanese People’s down their lives in the course ture was established after a Guerrilla Army was formed of forming this armed force! wide-ranging discussion. Some with the company as the basic The Anti-Japanese People’s comrades were very apprehen- combat unit. I was elected Guerrilla Army was a priceless sive of the small number of commander and concurrently creation of our revolution, people of working-class origin political commissar. born of superhuman efforts, a in the guerrilla army. An in- Uniforms for the army were bloody struggle and sacrifice. vestigation into those 100 men made from cloth dyed green in Feeling an irresistible urge applying to join showed that water and boiled oak-tree to summon all the comrades most of them were students or bark. A five-pointed piece of and people who had sacrificed peasants. red cloth inscribed with the themselves for this day to this I explained … that, al- company number was worn on tableland at Tuqidian, I made though the general principle of the left breast of the tunic. We a speech, with strong emotion Marxist-Leninist military sci- were to wear caps with a red bursting out of my heart. ence regarded the industrial star insignia and white leg- As I proclaimed the found- working class as the main com- gings. Our hearts swelled as ing of the Anti-Japanese Peo- ponent of a revolutionary we prepared the design of the ple’s Guerrilla Army, the sol- army, there was no need to uniform, the finishing touch to diers cheered at the top of their apply this principle mechani- the formation of the guerrilla voices and the people ap- cally. Although the industrial army. plauded them enthusiastically. working class was relatively In the second half of April On May Day, the militant small in our country, with 1932, we held a meeting to fi- holiday of the working class of peasants accounting for the nalize the preparations for the the whole world, the AJPGA overwhelming majority of the formation of the Anti-Japanese entered the county town of population, I said, we could People’s Guerrilla Army in Antu with the red flag flying in not postpone the formation of Antu. The meeting discussed the van and marched in pa- the guerrilla army until the the date and place of the inau- rade, while blowing trumpets number of workers had in- guration of the guerrilla army and beating drums. creased. I told them that the along with the final screening Later guerrilla units were peasants and students in our of the applicants, defined the formed in Yanji, Wangqing, country had as high a revolu- area of its immediate activities Hunchun, Helong and other tionary spirit and as strong a and adopted general measures parts of east Manchuria. national spirit as the working related with the activities of The spring of 1932 advanced class, that it would be good if the guerrilla army. with the rumbling of the gun- people from different back- On the morning of April 25, fire of the great war against grounds fought with the ideol- 1932, we held the founding the Japanese imperialists. ‰

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 11 Songun Politics Elevates Korea’s Strategic Status

T IS AN INVARIABLE their influence. rea, tightening economic blockade I philosophical principle of his- The historic position of the in all directions to stifle the coun- tory that if a nation does not have country has changed completely. try. To make matters worse, the the power to defend itself, it will Single-handedly coping with the Korean people suffered catastro- end up in ruin and break to intense pressure from the allied phic natural disasters for several pieces. imperialist powers, it has risen to years, and the shortages of food, The Korean people learned the status of a nation that can power and fuel were the most this through their experiences. In manufacture and launch artificial serious challenges. So, the Korean retrospect, Korea, for its geopo- earth satellites, and a military people had to undergo the time of litical position of being the gate to giant that has got even H-bombs. the Arduous March and the forced and bridgehead of the land mass, This is just an inevitable product march. was something to be traded and of Songun politics. In those historic days scrambled for by the imperialists In Korea the history of Chairman Kim Jong Il made a for a long time. The people were Songun began with the anti- conclusion that the fate of social- driven into the vortex of war min- Japanese armed struggle organ- ism, the country and the people gled with blood and tears, and ized by Kim Il Sung early in last rests all on Songun, and that the they could do nothing about the century. Songun-oriented politics pursuit of Songun represents the ruin of their country with their was further developed in a com- supreme patriotism. He started national dignity and pride tram- prehensive way by Chairman his work for the year of 1995 by pled down mercilessly. Kim Jong Il. inspecting the Dwarf Pine Post on But that’s a thing of last cen- The Korean people still vividly January 1 and continued his tury for the country. Korea is remember the mid-1990s when journey of the Songun-based neither a small country whose their revolution was faced with revolutionary leadership. Push- potentials are to be judged by grave trials and difficulties. At ing the People’s Army to the fore territorial space, nor it is an ordi- that time the imperialist forces as the main driving force of the nary nation which is to be easily intensified their vicious moves of revolution and the pillar of the shaded by the great powers and aggression and war against Ko- country the Chairman saw to it ►

12 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► that the People’s Army stood in times greater and, in terms of for a powerful self-denfece capac- the van of solving all problems military expenditure, 150 times ity and a thriving nation from arising in the patriotic struggle higher. Worse still, Korea had to generation to generation. As it for the nation. fight singly with the world’s allied has achieved the status of a nu- Noting that the army is one of forces of imperialism with a huge clear state, the 5 000-year-old the three pillars of the Korean nuclear arsenal. history of the nation has changed revolution along with the Party In the showdown with the dramatically, and there came a and the State he put much em- enemy Chairman Kim Jong Il breach in the existing world po- phasis on thorough political and made a decision to stoutly counter litical structure with the nuclear ideological preparation of the it with arms. He issued the order powers at the centre. Now Korea People’s Army and took warm of Supreme Commander of the is able to cope with the US with care of the servicepersons, re- Korean People’s Army on declara- force. garding them as part of his own tion of the semi-war state. And it Songun politics is in its hey- family and his revolutionary com- was followed by the country’s day today. Supreme Leader rades-in-arms. In the course of declaration on its withdrawal Kim Jong Un, as Supreme this the Korean People’s Army from the Nuclear Non- Commander of the KPA, is vigor- grew up into powerful combat Proliferation Treaty to cope with ously pushing the cause of build- forces in terms of ideological and the imperialists’ threat of nuclear ing a thriving socialist nation mental preparedness, strategic war. As the US’s threat of nuclear by dint of the Songun-based operational capacity, training and war and moves of sanctions and revolutionary leadership, true to equipment. It could also success- pressure were going to extremes, the intentions of President fully perform the role of not only driving the situation to the worst Kim Il Sung and Chairman the defender of the country but crisis, the DPRK had no other Kim Jong Il. Last year alone, also the creator of the people’s choice but to choose the road of the country conducted the first happiness and the shock force in strengthening its own self- H-bomb test, test-firing of various building a thriving nation. defensive nuclear deterrent. The means of strike and a nuclear The Chairman took resolute Chairman, holding high the ban- warhead test successfully to cope self-defence measures in order to ner of Songun, made every possi- with the imperialists’ nuclear war safeguard the supreme interests ble effort to increase the nation’s threats which were growing more and sovereignty of the State, the self-defence capabilities. wicked day by day, and briskly lifeline of the country and the On October 10, 2006 the Ko- developed state-of-the-art mili- people. He consistently main- rean Central News Agency made tary hardware. This provided a tained Songun in the showdown a report on DPRK’s safe and suc- powerful military guarantee for with imperialism headed by the cessful underground nuclear test defending the destiny of the US. In the early 1993 the extreme done on October 9, and the second country and nation and victori- moves of the US and its followers underground nuclear test was ously advancing the cause of to isolate and suffocate the DPRK carried out successfully in May building a powerful socialist made the latter to make a choice 2009. The country succeeded in country. of crucial importance, that is, the third underground nuclear Through today’s brilliant real- confrontation or compromise with test in February 2013 and the ity where marvellous successes the US-led allied forces of imperi- first H-bomb test in January are made one after another the alism. Because it was the con- 2016. The complete success in Korean people keenly feel the frontation where there was a huge nuclear tests based on the na- great fruition of Songun politics imbalance of power between the tion’s own wisdom and technology and renew their determination to DPRK and the US—the US has a was a historic event which gave add lustre to the Songun Korea. population 10 times larger than boundless courage and joy to the the DPRK while its territory is 78 Korean people who had yearned An Chol Ho

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 13 In Support of War for Liberation of Northeast China (2)

Establishment of gou. units, the Korean mission formed Revolutionary Base “Taking advantage of the ris- paramilitary organizations of ing revolutionary enthusiasm various names in different places T WAS IN 1946 THAT THE after Japan’s fall, garrison forces in the Yanbian area with individ- I Communist Party of China grew up rapidly in different ual places and organizations as made the first step in its effort to places, and the most striking of unit. As many as 120 000 young lay a base in Northeast China. them was the Longjing security Koreans joined paramilitary Much earlier, that is, in the au- regiment whose strength rose groups like the security unit and tumn of 1945 the commanding sharply from some hundreds in militia. officers and men of the Korean the early stage up to as many as When powerful units were People’s Revolutionary Army 3 000. This is attributable to the formed in the Yanbian area as the (KPRA), dispatched to the region awakening and mobilization of first step in the effort to build up a in September that year, were the Korean youth by Jon Yun solid base, other areas followed already busy with the creation of Phil’s underground organization suit. Around the time thousands the base in accordance with members through energetic ac- of young Koreans in North the strategic plan designed by tivities under Pak Rak Gwon’s Phyongan Province, Korea went Kim Il Sung, the leader of the command. (They had been under over to China and joined Ri Hong new Korea. the control of the guerrillas from Gwang-led detachment according Kim Il Sung saw the organi- before Japan’s defeat.) And this is to Kim Il Sung’s instructions. zation of an army as the foremost the outcome of Kim Il Sung’s (This unit later became the task in creating a base in Yan- foresight into the situation in Fourth Separate Division of the bian. In view of the essential re- Yanbian.” Northeast Democratic Allied quirement of the revolutionary While building up armed Army before integrated into the struggle and in consideration of units, the KPRA military and Chinese People’s Liberation Army the experience he had gained in political cadres established the as its 166th Division. In July 1949 his protracted warfare against the Jidong Military and Political they returned to Korea to join the Japanese imperialists, he paid Academy in Yanji in early Janu- Korean People’s Army as its Sixth primary attention to the work of ary 1946 in order to train military Division.) the Korean military and political and political officers needed for Korean battalions were organ- cadres dispatched to Northeast the armed units. The school was ized in county seats with a large China in assisting the Chinese in to turn out young military and Korean population, typically in forming armed units in the base. political cadres not only for the Jiaohe and Shulan. Many of the Recalling the time, Tang Tianji, Yanbian area but also for the Korean communities in Northeast the then political commissar of whole Jidong region. The post of China had active armed units. the Jidong Branch Military Dis- commandant was concurrently Scores of years later, remem- trict, wrote: “As instructed by assumed by Kang Kon. bering his comrades-in-arms of President Kim Il Sung, the Ko- The academy admitted around the Northeast Anti-Japanese Al- rean comrades, together with us, 500 best young Koreans and Chi- lied Army in his reminiscences set up the Jidong Security Com- nese for a batch. It was renamed With the Century, President mand (later reorganized into Ji- into Jilin Branch of the Northeast Kim Il Sung wrote that in the dong Branch Military District) in Military and Political Academy, northeastern region of China as Yanji with Kang Sin Thae (Kang and trained over 3 700 officers many as 250 000 young Koreans, Kon) as the commander, and dis- over the whole years of the war for including Kang Kon, Pak Rak patched competent commanding liberation of Northeast China, Gwon and Choe Kwang, who were officers to different counties and and 2 520 of them were Koreans, veteran military and political important areas to organize secu- who made a great contribution to cadres of the Korean People’s rity regiments. Commander Kang the victory in the war to liberate Revolutionary Army, were engag- was personally in charge of the the northeastern region and the ing themselves in the war to lib- task in Yanji, Pak Rak Gwon and whole of China. erate Northeast China. Kong Jong Su in Longjing and True to Kim Il Sung’s in- Dispatching military and po- Helong, Choe Myong Sok (Choe struction to pay due attention to litical cadres to the northeastern Kwang) in Wangqing, Im Chol in the organization of paramilitary region of China, Kim Il Sung Tumen, O Juk Sun in Mingyue- groups as well as regular armed assigned them the tasks of form- ►

14 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► ing mass organizations to suit and other purposes. In its early compared with the time of the local conditions and the prepar- period it assumed the role of the Japanese imperialists’ rule. edness of the people there and substantially functioning govern- Meanwhile there were 31 middle giving help in the work of estab- ment. Its historic role and schools at work, 28 of them being lishing the united front to rally all achievements shall go down in for Koreans. The schools enrolled the democratic forces. history forever.” 13 797 children, and 91.7 percent According to his instruction, To deal with the economic of them was Korean. Compared the delegates carried out an active matters was no less important with the time just before the fall campaign to set up local organi- than founding the army, estab- of the Japanese imperialists the zations of the Communist Party. lishing the Party and government number of middle schools grew by Kang Kon formed the Yanbian bodies and forming mass organi- 72.2 percent and the number of Party Committee first of all and zations in the effort to develop a their students by 88.5 percent. worked as its founding secretary. strong revolutionary base in the The Yanbian University was The activities of the Communist Yanbian area. From this point of established in Yanji in 1949, Party of China in the Yanbian view, Kim Il Sung told the mili- which was the first university of region had been almost in paraly- tary and political cadres to give the minor nationalities in China. sis by around September 1945, active support for the earliest The birth of the university but they began to get vigorous possible land reform in the Yan- brought a great pride and honour with the formation of the Yanbian bian area so as to relieve the to the Koreans. Party Committee by the KPRA peasants from the feudal fetters. Great attention was directed military and political cadres un- True to his instruction the in the Yanbian area to the aboli- der Kim Il Sung’s instructions. KPRA veterans carried out a land tion of human traffic, prostitution The newly built mass organi- reform in the area by building on and concubine-keeping system, zations also played a big role. The the experience they had gained in which was an important task for most important was the Yanbian the struggle to enforce the land democratic reform. Grand Democratic Alliance or- reform in the liberated guerrilla With these changes the area ganized by Kang Kon. Referring bases in the Tuman River basin in became further revolutionary and to the role and achievements of the first half of the 1930s under the local base turned more forti- the alliance, Zhou Baozhong, the the leadership of Commander fied. then deputy commander of the Kim Il Sung and later in the The Yanbian base built up Northeast Democratic Allied post-liberation struggle for land as instructed by President Army and concurrently com- reform in the homeland in March Kim Il Sung turned out to be an mander of the Jilin-Liaodong 1946. Having been allotted land impregnable bulwark against the Military District, said in his ad- the peasants made up their mind Kuomintang forces’ military of- dress to the Jilin provincial na- to devote themselves to the cause fensives and economic blockade. tional affairs assembly in Decem- of the Communist Party and the Its survival led to victory in the ber 1946: “The Yanbian Grand people’s government. They turned war for liberation of Northeast Democratic Alliance with more out actively to build up the base China. than 150 000 members was or- and joined the armed units ahead Such being the history, Chi- ganized under the guidance of the of others. nese books write that the Yanbian Yanbian Provisional Party Com- The KPRA cadres, in close area rose as bulwark of the revo- mittee headed by Kang Sin Thae, cooperation with the Chinese lution with the establishment of and 99 percent of the membership communists, took over railways, the revolutionary armed force, the was Koreans. The Jilin Provincial factories, enterprises, banks, post Party and government bodies and Democratic Federation was also and communications facilities in mass organizations which were formed with Hwang Jae Dong, the Yanbian area and declared all attributable to President Ryang Hwan Jun and other them as the people’s property. By Kim Il Sung’s concern and Korean comrades at the core mobilizing the armed groups and strong assistance. Yanbian was a according to the instruction of revolutionary organizations they stronghold for the Communist Wang Xiaoming, Li Weimin and made sure those gains were kept Party of China and the people in other leaders of the Jilin City safe and secure. their struggle to liberate the war- Committee of the Communist The Korean revolutionaries torn northeastern region from Party of China. The Yanbian alli- also gave active assistance to the Chiang Kaishek’s yoke. ance played the decisive role in effort to make education democ- The people in Northeast the struggle for founding the racy-oriented and establish a China say that the pioneer of armed forces, reorganization of college in the Yanbian area. the struggle for establishment the government, acceleration of Thanks to their endeavor, the of the Yanbian base was the the liquidation campaign, land number of primary schools grew Korean military and political reform, purge of the Kuomintang by 16.1 percent and that of pupils cadres dispatched by President spies and bandits, aid to the front by 34 percent by the year of 1949 Kim Il Sung. ‰

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 15 Mother of Korea

HE KOREAN PEOPLE mother at home in Xiaoshahe T laud Kim Il Sung, bringing with him a bag of eternal President of the hulled millet. That day he Democratic People’s Repub- was too anxious for his sick lic of Korea, as liberator of mother to leave the village. their country from the Japa- So, he roamed around the nese military occupation, the house for a good while. At father of the nation who that time his mother scolded brought genuine freedom severely: How can a man who and happiness to them, and has turned out with a deter- sun of the nation. mination to win back his His mother is country cope with the great Kang Pan Sok, an out- cause when he has such a standing leader of the weak heart and so many wor- women’s movement in Korea. ries about his home?... You Kim Il Sung said: must think of your lost coun- “The love she showed try and its people rather than me was not simply moth- worrying about household erly love. It was true revo- affairs. You should set your- lutionary affection with self a high aim and stride which she regarded me as ahead. the son of the nation Her words of the day were rather than her own son a valuable instruction which and awakened me to the awakened him to the idea that a revolutionary should need to give priority to work hard to accomplish his loyalty to the country over fil- do a great thing for national inde- aim alone to the end without vac- ial piety towards my parents. pendence in the future. illating to simple human affairs or Her whole life served as a text- As he received such education any other attractions. book for me in implanting in in patriotism from his mother, he, Recollecting the day, me a true view on life and on at an early age, wrote the words Kim Il Sung wrote: the revolution.” “Korean independence” with a “At that time I first saw as Kang Pan Sok educated her brush, exciting the people’s admi- her son the stout and noble children from their early years in ration. image of my mother alive with hatred for the Japanese imperial- In March 1923 her husband a sense of justice and radiant ists who were occupying Korea, Kim Hyong Jik, an outstanding with ardour. She looked as and love for the beautiful land leader of the anti-Japanese na- though she would be burnt to a of Korea, avoiding simple moth- tional liberation movement in cinder in the flames of her erly care for them. In particular, Korea, told Kim Il Sung, 11, to fiery sense of justice and ar- she taught her first son return to Korea alone to have a dour. Until then I had believed [Kim Il Sung] from his early age good knowledge of Korea. It would I knew my mother, who had to have a great mind of loving his be a long trek covering as many as born and brought me up, well. country and hating the Japanese 250 miles, but Kang Pan Sok did But my mother with her noble imperialists. In the morning and not hesitate to set her young son spirit and soul was now look- evening, she often took him to the on the journey. ing down at me from a height Mangyong Hill and Sunhwa River Many years later beyond my reach. Her image at where she told him about the Kim Il Sung founded the Anti- that time was more of a beautiful mountains and rivers Japanese People’s Guerrilla teacher than of a mother. I felt of the country and the time- Army on April 25, 1932. Soon the so happy that my heart seemed honoured history of the Korean leader planned to go on the first to burst with pride in my nation to implant a patriotic spirit south Manchurian expedition mother who was so excellent in him, and sang songs for him on with his guerrillas. Before leaving and so kindhearted.” the swing, hoping that he would for the expedition, he visited her That day Kang Pan Sok gave ►

16 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 WPK’s Climate

AKING SELFLESS, speech, he appealed, ‘Let us all even though their bodies may be M devoted efforts for the make selfless, devoted efforts scattered like the grains of sand good of the people is just the way for the good of our great peo- on the road for the good of the of existence of the Workers’ Party ple,’ and shouted, ‘Long live the people. Then he immediately of Korea (WPK) and its revolu- great Korean people, united went to the inauguration cere- tionary climate. It is also the basic single-heartedly around the mony of the Sci-Tech Complex, a character of Supreme Leader invincible party, the Workers’ great house of learning for all the Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Party of Korea!’—this is just the people in the 21st century, and cut WPK, rather than his duty. political creed of the supreme the tape. It is well known that when he leader of the DPRK, and the His revolutionary activities was beginning his career as source of north Korea’s might that officially reported last year the supreme leader shedding no up-to-date weapons including amount to one hundred and scores tears of blood over the unexpected nuclear weapons can break. of items. loss of Chairman Kim Jong Il, “As they have him as their In September last year some Kim Jong Un made the sincere leader, their future is as wide areas in the northern part of Ko- request to give the highest and open as the ocean. Under the rea were devastated in a sudden absolute priority to the people, assured leadership of the WPK disastrous flood. Having heard of and implanted in the officials that serves the people with devo- the news, Kim Jong Un saw to it the profound principle of “Let’s tion, the north is now advancing that the main thrust of the 200- serve the people” by writing it with dignity along the untrodden day campaign was changed to the himself. path of people-centred socialism efforts for recovery from the flood In October 2015 the National that no other nations have ever damage, saying that his dear Association of the Korean Resi- tried to go.” people were left homeless, and dents in the US homepage posted Last year was a period full of that there was no emergency the following article: the people’s happiness thanks to greater than their pain and no “Can any party in the world the ennobling care of the supreme more important revolutionary claim to be a true popular party leader who spares nothing for the work than the work of alleviating with time-honoured history? In people and works single-heartedly their misfortune. Stressing the the Democratic People’s Republic for the people. In his New Year need to save the inhabitants in of Korea (DPRK) WPK First Address 2016, he instructed the the affected areas from the im- Chairman Kim Jong Un proudly officials to become true servants minent rigours of the cold winter of the people and competent lead- stressed, in his speech given in even if it would cost the whole ing personnel of the revolution celebration of the 70th anniver- wealth of the country, he saw to it who make selfless, devoted efforts sary of the founding of the WPK, that the primary efforts were for the good of the people with the that the WPK is an invincible one directed to the construction of ennobling view of life that they that has achieved unity with the dwelling houses through general have nothing more to wish for ► masses of the people. Closing his mobilization and concentration of

► her son 20 yuan, saying that a Corps members who he found Kim Il Sung traversed a long man had to have money in his were in rags and hungry in way of bloody battles through pocket in case of emergency. It Maanshan.) rigours of cold and starvation was what she had saved penny by That was the last time beyond imagination to achieve the penny when she had to support Kim Il Sung saw his mother, for historical cause of national lib- her family despite her serious she passed away at the age of 40 eration as his mother wished. illness. Kim Il Sung knew it was in Xiaoshahe on July 31, 1932. As Then he advanced along the road associated with the deep and she always thought of her country of creation and construction for warm love and desire of his and nation before anything else, half a century under the banner of mother who wanted to be always she gave up her maternal right to socialism. with his son and help his care from her children. Kang Pan Sok is the mother of revolutionary work. (Later the Since he left the Xiaoshahe Korea who brought up the great President spent the 20 yuan to tableland with his young sun of Korea. make clothes for some Children’s anti-Japanese guerrilla army, Sim Chol Yong

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 17 ► all human, material and technical enterprises and cooperative farms gathered in Kosan County creat- potentials of the State. across the country carried out ing “A Sea of Apple Trees at the The WPK Central Committee their plans for national economic Foot of Chol Pass” as one of the made an appeal to turn out in the development ahead of schedule, thirteen famous scenes of the campaign for restoration of the some bringing about the record- Songun era, and a huge amount of northern areas. True to the in- high results. fish was caught in the East Sea of tention of the leader, the whole That’s not all. In different Korea, giving rise to a new legen- country turned out to develop the parts of the country were built dary tale. victimized areas into a wonderful monumental edifices satisfying Making selfless, devoted ef- place in the era of the Workers’ the standards of the current era, forts for the good of the people Party in the flames of defending typically the Medical Oxygen was not only the source of the and serving the people. Factory, the Ryugyong General creative campaign to develop the At last, they completely Ophthalmic Hospital, the Natural whole of society into a single har- erased the vestiges of the greatest History Museum, the Ryongak- monious family and achieve eco- disaster and developed a socialist san Soap Factory, the Ryugyong nomic prosperity but also an in- fairyland in a matter of a little Kimchi Factory, the Pyongyang vincible sword which defended over two months. The flood vic- Middle School for Orphans, the the socialist country against the tims moved into new houses far Mindulle Notebook Factory, foreign invaders. better than their old ones, and Power Plant No. 3 of the Paek- Last year was not an ordinary were provided with lots of neces- tusan Hero Youth Power Station one. As the US imperialists made sities, rice and fuel for winter, in and the Wonsan Army-People reckless moves for war against particular. Power Station. In addition the the DPRK from the dawn of the In addition, lots of factories, richest ever apple harvest was year, the Korean people had to ►

Flood victims in the northern areas in North Hamgyong Province are in ecstasy over their move into new homes.

18 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 The Pyongyang Middle School for Orphans.

primary Party committees should cherish the Party’s ennobling view on and philosophy of the people and become true servants of the people and dear mothers who make selfless, devoted efforts for the good of the people. In his New Year Address 2017, he em- phasized that he would push the effort to set up across the Party a revolutionary climate of making ► push forward the revolution and they will win happiness and vic- selfless, devoted efforts for the construction in a dangerous tory. good of the people. situation. Addressing the First Confer- The WPK’s sacred climate of Even in bad weather and at ence of Chairpersons of WPK working faithfully for the people deep night, Kim Jong Un, Primary Committees held in De- is the sword of victory for Juche Supreme Commander of the cember last year, Kim Jong Un Korea. Korean People’s Army (KPA), said that the chairpersons of Won Chung Guk inspected a lot of military units to guide their training, sometimes visiting island-defending units at the dangerous front to see his The Ryugyong General soldiers. He spent the whole year Ophthalmic Hospital. on the road of Songun-based leadership. As a result miraculous achievements were gained for increasing the military capabil- ity—the first H-bomb test, the test-fire of ground-to-ground in- termediate-range strategic ballis- tic rocket Hwasong 10, the un- derwater launch test of ballistic missile Pukguksong from a stra- tegic submarine and the nuclear warhead test. Enjoying the love of their supreme leader last year, the Korean people were convinced again that when they follow him,

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 19 Struggle to Develop Famous Brand

The design office. Efforts are made for higher quality.

HE PYONGYANG BAG the Laser Institute of the State spirit of the children growing as T Factory newly built in Academy of Sciences ensures a pillars of the country, and put out Thongil Street, Pyongyang, is in 1~1.5% higher yield than a highly new interesting designs for pro- good operation. It produces bags skilled worker, and thus it makes duction of bags suitable for chil- with locally-produced materials it possible to produce 5 000 more dren of different ages and psy- including canvas produced by the bags a year with the materials chology. Efforts are also directed Pyongyang Kim Jong Suk Textile saved by the cutter. Scientists and to diversifying bags in terms of Mill and zippers by the Man- technicians also established an kind, shape and colour through gyongdae Revolutionary Site Sou- integrated production system to designing contests and mass- venir Factory. And 95% of the suit the actual conditions of the based deliberations on the factory factory’s facilities including a factory. scale. laser cutter are modern domestic In the designing section they In the technical preparation products. The laser cutter devel- employ scenes from animations section they are intensifying the oped by the Pyongyang University which are quite familiar with the research work to establish stan- of Mechanical Engineering and children and scenes showing the dards of bags suitable for age and ►

20 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► physical qualities, apply body engineering technologies to the designing of bags easy to carry, and improve the waterproof qual- ity and resistance to deformity from strong strikes. The factory also produces various sticky pictures for pupils to decorate their satchels, which are liked very much by the chil- dren. On April 1 last, beginning a new school year, the pupils in Pyongyang went to school taking on their back the satchels pro- duced by the factory. The useful, high-quality and comfortable satchels, shoulder-straps of which are stuck with luminous tapes to prevent traffic accidents at night, are very popular among pupils. Manager Ri Un Jong says, “People say the streets have be- come more beautiful with pupils taking new satchels. We will equip all our factory with Korean facilities and always accept nice opinions of the pupils, their par- ents and purchasers, and thus make a famous brand of bags.”

Rim Ok

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 21 Great Enthusiasm

ECENTLY WE VISITED them. In the past designs were sources by Korean factories in- R the Pyongyang embroidered manually but now cluding the Nyongbyon Silk Mill. Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill to cover a machines take place of manual She added that she was working newly built quilt production proc- labour. I’ll try hard to embroider with a sense of responsibility for ess. Han Jong Gum, manager of patterns suited to the modern her post in the primary course. the quilt process, greeted us. sense of beauty.” There we saw a multi- Guiding us to the production site, The machine had four sewing functional mobile cutter and fixed she said that her factory set about devices, each equipped with nine cutters working busily. The cut full-scale quilt production after it needles. It was really interesting pieces were being joined for sizes established a modern large-scale to see the needles pass varieties of of quilts. Every process like iron- quilt production process in De- colourful threads—red, pink, yel- ing and basting was streamlined. cember last year. low, etc.—embroidering patterns Multi-needle sewing machines When we entered the site we on cloth without interruption. Ok and mono-needle tufting ma- could see the whole process at Jin said proudly that it was being chines were operated by the com- a glance. We saw a machine operated by a computer and that puter to embroider varieties of embroidering colourful patterns they had developed tens of pro- patterns. with buzzing sound, and ap- grams for embroidery. A machine operator Pak Jol proached the operator. Introduc- We came across Kim Ok Gyong said, “We always think ing herself as Rim Ok Jin, she Gyong operating a cloth spread- how to make quilts more comfort- said, “Traditionally Koreans ing machine. She said that she able with colours and designs make quilts with beautifully em- was full of pride in the cloth made suited to people’s emotion and broidered patterns and like to use from Korean materials and re- sense of beauty.” ►

22 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 ► We saw rising piles of various age, the Pyongyang Baby Home, ers’ conscience and devoted efforts quilts and mattresses of beautiful the Pyongyang Old People’s Home to contribute to better life of the colours, including quilts for every and nurseries and kindergartens people are more important.” season, and wedding quilts. Jong in the Wisong Scientists Residen- The managers and workers of Gum said that her mill supplied tial District and the Mirae Scien- the mill have got great enthusi- quilts to the Pyongyang Orphan- tists Street. She added, “Our aim asm to make world-famous prod- will certainly be carried out to ucts with a competitive edge by

produce and supply more quality increasing the number of styles quilts for the people. It doesn’t and kinds and colours of products depend on the well-equipped pro- steadily. duction process alone. The work- Kim Kwang Myong

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 23 Phurunhanul Gets Popular

HE PHURUNHANUL business activities relying on sci- well over a thousand and hun- T Corporation, located in ence and technology. The research dreds of boards every day on av- Rangnang District, Pyongyang, team staffed with young people in erage. went online not long ago, but its their 20s and 30s developed a The company produces various Phurunhanul-brand products product examination program kinds of Phurunhanul-brand elec- have already become very popular suitable for domestic circum- tronic products—desktops, all-in- with the public. In particular, the stances, and established a practi- one computers, laptops, two-in- plasma display panel from the cal integrated production system one computers, plasma display company is a typical favourite of in accord with the characteristics panels, setup boxes, mobile mul- the Korean people for its soft and of the electronic manufacturer. timedia projectors and various fine colour and bright quality of They also developed various game facilities. An integrated the display suited to the national application programs for making system of manufacture, research taste. products more intelligent and and sale of electronic goods is in The company conducts all effective, thus launching into both operation at a high level. domestic and international mar- Especially, the two-in-one kets boldly. Furnished with CNC computer is the first energy- facilities and a streamlined pro- saving computer developed in the duction system, the company pro- country, thus it is very popular duces new models of high- with the public. The quality of all performance computers by stead- the products is fully warranted. ily cutting the period of technical After finishing the project for updating of products. domestic production of setup box As they are fitted with G-4 or the company is developing with G-5 CPUs, all the computers can its efforts various electric prod- carry out dynamic image process- ucts that suit local conditions. The ing and other heavy tasks swiftly products are available at Phurun- at a very rapid computing and hanul IT centres in Pyongyang graphics processing speed. All the and provinces. processes from designing of Choe Jin Hyok, president of printed circuit to the manufacture the company, says, “In the future, of board and assembly are con- too, we’ll work hard to make trolled by the company’s own products of the cutting-edge level technicians. Furnished with full and ensure domestic production sets of electronic products assem- of all goods so as to make our bly line and surface mount tech- company beneficial to our peo- nical line, the shop manufactures ple.” ‰

24 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 New Fuel Additive Developed

OME TIME AGO I S visited the University of Sciences to meet developers of a new type of fuel additive, which is popular at the moment. The leading developer was Hong Yong Bom, vice dean of the chemistry faculty, who I felt was highly noble and intellectual. Thus, I could guess that his fuel additive would be of high value. I asked him how he had ma- jored in chemistry. Recollecting his past days, he said, “During my ers, for they had some limitations. can increase the temperature of middle school years I liked my He paid attention to dimethyl reaction, and a catalyst which can chemistry teacher. And she also carbonite in his research. Di- accelerate the speed of reaction in loved me very much. I easily un- methyl carbonite, which is draw- the conventional-pressure condi- derstood her explanation. My ing attention as green chemical tion. Moreover, they reduced the respect for her turned into an fuel of the 21st century and ad- production cost by using materi- aspiration for chemistry. She used mitted as nonpoisonous chemical als produced by domestic chemi- to say that we can obtain any- material, is an organo-liquid fuel cal giants and establishing a sim- thing we want by means of chem- additive that could reduce the ple production process, which istry. Remembering her words, I amount of fuel consumption and meant a successful industrial applied for the chemistry faculty exhaust by increasing efficiency of method of production. According without hesitation when I had my combustion. to the result of test introduction, a entrance examination for univer- A number of people including little amount of the additive could sity.” researcher Sim Ui Chan, faculty save fuel and further reduce the His chemistry teacher brought dean Hwang Yong Su and teach- amount of exhaust, while having him the curiosity about chemis- ers Yun Kyong Sop and Kim Se no effect on the engine. try, and veteran professors of the Hyok helped him make dimethyl The new method of dimethyl university implanted in him the carbonite using domestic materi- carbonite synthesis was regis- confidence and enthusiasm to be als to suit the local condition. In tered as a national sci-tech master of creation finding out existing practices, the absolute achievement. secrets of the mysterious chemis- method was to synthesize di- Hong said to me, “Images of try. methyl carbonite in high pres- the chemical teacher of my middle Teaching students after fin- sure. Another method based on school who nurtured a mysterious ishing university, he further ex- conventional pressure was not yet dream in me, and the university panded his knowledge and im- in industrial use due to low yield. professors who congratulated me proved practical abilities. With tireless pursuit and ef- on becoming a Master of Science, After a number of successful forts, Hong and his team finally were great encouragement to me research projects he set out to found out a new method of syn- whenever I had a failure. I wish to develop a new type of fuel addi- thesis to increase the yield with be honourable before them. So I’ve tive. A lot of fuel additives had conventional-pressure reaction. engaged myself in a new scientific already been developed, but they They secured over 70 percent of research project.” were little satisfactory to consum- yield by dint of a solvent, which Rim Ok

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 25 HE TAEDONG RIVER Pothonggang T rises in Mt. Rangnim in Taehung County, South Phyon- Footwear Factory gan Province and empties into the West Sea of Korea. The fifth longest river in Korea is 450.3 km long and drains an area of always paid special 20 247 square kilometres. In the past the Democratic People’s attention to the design Republic of Korea carried out the of sports shoes. Having project to complete an agricul- set a target to make tural irrigation system including smart and lighter the building of the West Sea Barrage and the digging of a 500- sports shoes for sports- mile-long waterway in the west- persons and young ern area. Thus, the Taedong people who love exer- River is now used to supply agri- cises, he studied hard cultural water to the vast area to design sports shoes comprising South Phyongan, North and South Hwanghae making the most of his provinces. In the estuary of the spare time. As a result river the water level is under his was highly appreci- control against the effects of high ated among a dozen and low tides thanks to the West kinds of samples. Sea Barrage, thus contributing largely to development of marine That’s not all. By transport. Along with this the AST YEAR THE conducting a mass-based Mirim, Ponghwa, Songchon, L Pothonggang Footwear technical innovation campaign Sunchon barrages went up, and Factory produced more than a throughout last year, the factory thus the basin is free from flood- ing. updated all the production proc- hundred new styles of shoes that Kim Yong Guk, official of the suit the physical qualities of the esses to a much higher level, Taedong River Barrage Manage- ► customers and the seasonal con- including the modernization of ditions, causing a sensation. shoemaking assembly line, with Originally, the factory pro- their own efforts, thus laying a duced shoes with vinyl chloride solid foundation for a leap for- as its main material. Having set ward in footwear production. a high target of producing vari- Now various kinds of shoes ous styles of shoes to meet the produced by the factory—leather increasing cultural and emo- shoes, injection-moulded sports tional demand of the people, it shoes, sandals and winter shoes organized prize contests and lined with fur—are very popular exhibitions on a regular basis at shops and stores like Pyongy- and introduced worthwhile tech- ang Department Store No. 1. nical innovation ideas into pro- Hwang says, “We have a lot of duction. things to do in order to make all “Those shoes of various styles our products competitive in the are associated with our employ- international market. But seeing ees’ wisdom,” said Hwang Tong the workers engrossed in think- San, chief engineer of the factory. ing and study in their respective According to him, a skilled jobs, I’m sure that our Pothong- worker in his 30s created a new gang-brand shoes will be the design of sports shoes which is people’s favourite in the near now youth’s favourite. As he is future.” very fond of sports activities, he Ri Song Chol

26 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Taedong River Tamers

► ment Bureau, says, “We’ve be- arrangement for flood control in nicians. The most difficult prob- come much more capable of con- the rainy season, learned that lem was how to design and manu- trolling the Taedong River now information from all of the bar- facture a multi-functional data that we completed an integrated rages and power stations was not link, the core of the project. In control system to prevent flooding so prompt and accurate as de- close contact with research insti- in the basin as required by the sired. In such a situation it would tutes they managed to produce 21st century.” be impossible to ensure a compre- the device from scratch in a few In recent years the Taedong hensive control to cope with unfa- months by pooling their creative River Barrage Management Bu- vourable conditions of the rainy wisdom. They had technical dis- reau and other related units un- season. So, Yong Guk decided to cussions over ten times, travelling der the Ministry of Land and complete an integrated control up and down the river dozens of Maritime Transport and scientific system. times. research institutes have gained The project of establishing an In the course of this, they in- achievements in the work of com- integrated control system was a tegrated a transmitting system pleting a scientific flood control difficult task that required the including the mode of information system in the Taedong River ba- establishment of designing and communication and exchange, sin. The hydrological information service base of a data transfer and improved the power control such as water levels in the bar- system, the manufacture of a function of all relevant devices, rages and power stations and the multi-functional data link and the thus ensuring reliability of data rainfall in the basin is sent in real development of time to relevant units, making it programs for possible to predict flood, work out flood forecast the best control plan for it and and optimum take a measure rapidly so as to sluice gate con- decrease flood damage to the trol. He daunt- minimum. lessly pushed One day a few years ago, Yong the project by Guk, while making scrupulous mobilizing tech-

The West Sea Barrage.

transfer and convenience in man- agement and operation. Yun Kwang Hyok, a techni- cian, says, “The multi-functional data link is a communication device equipped with a function of collecting various kinds of infor- mation. It is of great practical value in establishing an inte- grated control system between factories and enterprises in dif- ferent places.” On the basis of the newly com- pleted flood control system, the Taedong River Barrage Manage- ment Bureau introduced a scien- tific system for general control of vessels passing through the West Sea Barrage. Pak Yong Il

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 27 Developers of Popular Program

OWADAYS A NEW information on special and N program is winning the pub- general knowledge and could lic favour. It is Him (power), a be installed in cell phones, general knowledge quiz program was developed, it would be a developed by the Information great aid to people in learning Technology Institute of the Cut- better knowledge faster with- ting-edge Science Research Cen- out reference to books at any tre affiliated to Kim Il Sung time. University. This program is con- The next day he suggested ducive to remarkably deepening his idea of developing such a the special and general knowl- program to his institute. It edge, thus it is popular with the gained the unanimous support people of all social strata. The from all researchers. Soon, program research team has al- they started the development ready produced The Boy General, of the program. Repeated dis- Researchers Kim Song Nam a game program for smart phones, cussions were made on the (right) and Kim Kwang Ju. earning reputation from the users matter of the form of program. including the children. Kim Kwang Ju, one of chief de- knowledge contest of university When I asked the motive for velopers, said, “Imagine there is a students several times, rendered the development of Him, re- high peak, and it would be good to service to the development. When searcher Kim Song Nam told the climb with a determination to the researchers developed the following story. reach the summit of it without program with their painstaking In December 2015 Kim, on his fail. But I think that it would be effort, they decided to name it way back from work, was on the better to conquer the peak with Him, which means knowledge is escalator of the underground with pleasure regarding mountaineer- treasure and power. As soon as it two students who were familiar ing as a kind of hobby. Changing appeared, it became a great fa- with him. They were on their way learning into such a kind of hobby vourite with the public, causing a back home after seeing the na- is what I think is appropriate to sensation. tional general knowledge contest the purpose of the program for cell Kim Kwang Ju says, “Today of university students. While phones.” the users of our program say that talking about their impression of Now they decided to develop it helps them have knowledge the contest and discussing an the program in the form of quiz. with pleasure, and that it is better efficient method of study, one of Believing that most people would than other amusement programs. them abruptly asked Song Nam have their own interest in at least They request us to develop new whether it could be possible to one or two fields they set diversi- versions of it. To meet their de- develop a program on the general fied fields and added popular mand we will develop popular knowledge to suit the current IT books. The experienced teachers programs in greater numbers so era. At the moment a novel idea of several faculties of the univer- as to actively encourage all people flashed into his mind. sity including the history faculty to learn asiduously.” He thought that if a program and the literature college, who which would help acquire the had been jury at the general Kim Chol Ung

OREA IS VIGOR- relics of historical impor- K ously pushing the pro- tance and natural monu- ject to develop Kangnyong Green Area Under ments are well preserved in County, South Hwanghae the area. Province, into a green area. Development A general plan has been The county has favour- drawn up and a project is able conditions to develop making a brisk headway into a green area. The clean develop aquaculture are avail- to develop the county into a districts in the county have a able. In this area they exten- green industrial area, a green long coastline of the West Sea of sively grow sweet potatoes as populated area and a green Korea, where a lot of marine well as grain crops like rice coastal area as well as a compre- resources and abundant energy and maize. It has various kinds hensive tourist resort while pre- resources including wind force, of vegetation resources includ- serving the natural ecological solar heat and tidal power as ing bamboo and a lot of nonfer- system in the forests and on the well as a favourable condition to rous metal resources. Sites and seashore. ‰

28 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 By Improving Teaching Methods

WANGMYONG SENIOR reasoning and practical ability, tributable to the exact demand of K Middle School in Mangyong- and a program aimed at develop- their teachers who encouraged dae District is well known across ing intellectual faculties. A them to have a determination, the country for training a lot of teacher trained students so that will, courage and confidence to honour students. they have the most correct and lead the world. When Paek Sin Guk was ap- broad thinking ability through The school livened up. Many of pointed headmaster of the school lessons based on the question- the teachers became the October 8 18 years ago, he understood that and-answer mode. Another Model Teacher while an increas- the school was different from oth- teacher improved their concen- ing number of students won the ers in two aspects. One was that it tration using their psychology in July 15 Honour Student Prize. was closely connected with the conformity with their ages, dispo- Demonstration courses were often Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s sitions and hobbies. arranged at the school for teach- Palace and the other was that The school administration ers in Pyongyang. The headmas- students came from different dis- often organized discussions on ter, however, was not content tricts in the city. In other words, teaching methods and materials, with the success. “Conceit is a students were acquiring knowl- presentations of experience and taboo. Remember we are respon- edge and techniques through les- inspections of classes at work. sible for finding talents and sons at the school and extracur- These programmes encouraged training them with sincere effort,” ricular activities at the palace, the teachers dynamically to con- he would stress. and developing their physical duct the work of improving their The students of the school are abilities. It is said that an excel- qualities by learning from and now growing up into talents with lent teacher stands behind a tal- overtaking each other. Some both theoretical and practical ent, and this is an eloquent saying teaching methods helped the stu- abilities, and promising reserves indicating the teacher’s ability to dents learn ten and a hundred for different sports clubs. Paek raise the talent, he thought. things from one, and led them says, “My school is renowned for The teachers of the school, by easily to find the fastest and cor- the work of rearing talents. We the encouragement of Paek, put rect answers to difficult and com- school administrators, however, much effort in studies of teaching plex problems; those methods feel proud only when our students methods in keeping with the remarkably improved their think- become true pillars of our coun- characteristic of the school which ing and practical ability. Those try.” mainly consists of sci-tech circles students who had won first place Now the school is redoubling and sports circles. In the course of at national academic contests and its effort to develop practical and this they actively developed new become best players at sports superior teaching methods. teaching methods including the competitions said unanimously one of improving students’ logical that all their successes were at- Ri Chung Ho

Scrupulous arrangements are made to improve students’ thinking and practical abilities.

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 29 Pioneers of Microscopic World

surgery in the past. As most treatments were given

by the method of amputation, the cases ended up in disability unavoidably. When the researchers saw people come to the laboratory with their severed finger and earnestly asked them to rejoin it, they keenly felt it was just their own affairs, and started the research work, an unknown world, to solve the problem without hesitation. In order to lay the theoretical foundation for the micro surgery they carried out the perusal of a colos- sal amount of latest documents while repeating ex- periments. At last they found out an innovative mi- cro-surgical method. It was a cutting-edge method N UNEXPECTED ACCIDENT ENDAN- which restores the wounded part to its original state “A gered one of my legs on the verge of ampu- by reconnecting the blood vessel, lymphatics, nerve tation. All the members of my workteam were at a and tendon of the severed arm, leg, finger and toe loss, and my family was also full of anxiety. As an without cutting. Along with this, the researchers emergency case I was rushed to the micro surgery succeeded in developing the atraumatic needle for laboratory under the Clinical Institute of the Py- micro operation, the main surgical tool which some ongyang Medical College of Kim Il Sung University. countries had monopolized as patent at that time, I was in a critical condition, so medical consultations and established its production system. The atrau- took place several times on the spot of surgical op- matic needles are now widely used in the health eration. I was in despair thinking I’d be disabled. The establishments in the country. following day, however, when I recovered conscious- Recently the researchers applied to the clinical ness and touched my leg unawares, I was surprised practice those techniques they named Free-acid Bone to feel my injured leg—it was still with me. At that Grafting with Vasa Nutritia, Free-flap Grafting with time I was in floods of tears. I had known our public Vasa Nutritia, Operation on Wounded Hand, and health system is the best one through my experience Operation for Extending Limbs, and performed of trifling cases, but words failed me to express my scores of different kinds of micro plastic surgical feelings this time as I had had such a difficult opera- operations, most of which were successful. tion. Thanks to the health workers I regained my In January last a man was seriously wounded in hope of life.” his right arm in an accident at work, and was rushed This is a note written by Jong Il Sop, 57, who was to the laboratory. It was a very difficult operation as a tractor driver at the Taedong County Town Coop- the blood vessel, nerve and muscle of his right arm erative Farm in South Phyongan Province, after had been completely severed. However, the re- receiving treatment in the laboratory recently. There searchers managed to restore his arm through a are many similar notes left by the people who had got devoted, serious effort. the treatment there. People call them an “able team” and the “men The researchers of the laboratory have obtained a living in the microscopic world.” Now the researchers lot of remarkable successes in rejoining severed are pooling their wisdom to raise micro surgery up to limbs and research into plastic surgery on nerve, an advanced level as early as possible and dissemi- blood vessel and tendon since its inauguration scores nate their experience throughout the country. of years ago. In Korea there was little foundation in micro Sim Hyon Jin

30 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Paduk Champion

N OCTOBER LAST YEAR acquire an extraordinary ability Sports Games and the Jonsung I the Shanglu Cup Hangzhou to think things out and deal with Cup National Taekwon-Do All- International City Go Tourna- close contests. Star Tournament. ment 2016 took place in Hang- Years passed, and Ham went In the abovementioned inter- zhou in China. Ham Un Gyong on to middle school, bidding fare- national tournament that made from the Democratic People’s well to Son reluctantly. Even at no distinction between men and Republic of Korea was placed at middle school she sought her women, she launched daring of- the top of the women’s ranking at happiness in paduk. If she had fensives using her special tech- the contest which is known as the spare time she set up difficult niques. Putting an end to the old top-level amateur go competition. problems for herself and exerted idea that a female player could Son Nam Sun, coach in the all her efforts to solve them. See- not defeat a male opponent in Pyongyang Sports Club, who was ing that she had extraordinary paduk, she rose as star. She had the first paduk (go) instructor of attachment to paduk, the school ten matches in all in the tourna- Ham, says, “It was Un Gyong’s saw to it that she learned paduk ment. She was the focus of atten- debut in the international tour- to her heart’s content in the Py- tion for all judges after she had nament. But I believed she’d win. ongyang Students and Children’s won six consecutive matches. She had enough potential.” Palace. Over the years she im- When the tournament result was Ham enjoyed the counting proved her ability steadily. Usu- declared everyone gave her a game very much since her child- ally a paduk player can attain thumb-up. hood. One of her female cousin, fame only through a long period of Receiving garlands on her who was a middle school student, learning, but Ham achieved re- return home, she said, “I could often visited her house in Taesong markable successes in many con- make daring moves because I District, Pyongyang. Ham was a tests soon after. knew a lot of people were watch- kindergartener at that time, but Last year she won national ing me with expectation. So to- she used to play with her cousin championships by winning a lot of day’s victory is not for me alone. counting from thousand to ten contests including the Mangyong- I’d like to offer these garlands to thousand easily. She liked playing dae Prize National Martial Arts my teachers and schools.” star kkoni and encircling kkoni Championships, the Jongilbong games, and no one in her kinder- Prize National Schoolchildren’s Chae Kwang Myong garten could defeat her. One day Son Nam Sun, pass- Ham Un Gyong (right). ing the kindergarten, saw Ham sitting alone at a kkoni board in the yard, when other children were all frolicking around. Qui- etly approaching her, Son was surprised to see the board—all stones of the opponent could be taken away with a few moves. She proposed the child that she learn paduk, and she agreed readily, for she was fascinated by the words that paduk needs intelligence. Now Son taught her knacks of paduk carefully creating various difficult situations. When she taught one thing Ham understood ten. Gradually the girl came to

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 31 Famous Accordion Producer

N SONG HO AND CHOE for musical instrument produc- “The Unbangul-brand accordion A Jin A, students at Kim Won tion. Such a simple enterprise has has got familiar with the people in Gyun University of Music, per- now refurbished itself admirably the course of mass-based artistic formed a button accordion duet in as mother factory of the musical activities. Whenever we see them the music hall of the university in instrument industry of the coun- play accordions we assembled, we celebration of the New Year 2017, try. feel very proud of our job.” winning a great applause of the The employees are producing Pak Yong Il, head of the button audience. They played the song musical instruments with the accordion assembling workshop, Blissful Tomorrow, which prom- consciousness that the musical says that although it took a long ises the people more beautiful life instrument manufacturing is a time to understand the button and happiness and gives them sort of art, and with the honour accordion as it also has a compli- courage and optimism. Watching and pride that they are creating cated structure they ensured both them on TV some people felt a such an art. As they produce ac- quality and speed of the produc- surge of pride. They were the cordions including button ones, tion on a top priority by conduct- managers and workers of the they work hard to ensure a clear ing a vigorous technical innova- Pyongyang Musical Instrument tone and an abundant volume and tion movement to do away with Factory, who produce the kind of a high quality of the products. manual jobs. And the role of the button accordion as well as Un- First of all, they acquire broad skilled workers grew to make sure bangul-brand ordinary accordi- knowledge and technology about various and unique tones are pro- ons. The factory has developed different kinds of accordions duced as required by the character into a modern and comprehensive through the course of the voca- of a piece of music and a high level musical instrument production tional school of the factory. Thus of presentation is displayed. Thus base. they rely thoroughly on science the musical instruments of the Whenever people ask about and technology breaking away factory are appreciated by the the achievements in musical in- with the old manners in which musical instrument experts and strument production General they used to assemble instru- their performers, he said. Manager Ri Chang Ho tells them ments and modulate sounds by The Unbangul-brand accordi- about the history of the factory, relying on their experience. In ons, especially the button accordi- saying, “Our country was in a particular, the quality of musical ons, are a great favourite of pro- very difficult economic condition instruments has improved re- fessional performers, and of the the year when we won victory in markably through the introduc- general public. the Fatherland Liberation War tion of the scientific measuring The factory is conducting posi- (1950–1953), but the government facilities including a computer- tive exchange and cooperation made sure our factory was built aided primary reed sound deci- with countries in Europe and Asia regarding the instrument produc- belmeter and the delicate and in the field of musical instrument tion as important for musical precise course of assembling. In manufacturing. It is developing development of the country.” the course of this all production into a reliable musical instrument At its inauguration the factory processes from the case making to producer which contributes to the had only 20 employees, a belt injection of various kinds of parts education of rising generations lathe for equipment and a horse- including reeds, keys and bellows and satisfaction of the increasing drawn carriage for transport. In were streamlined. cultural and recreational de- many cases it had to use clock and Kang Un Jong, an assembler mands of the people. gramophone parts for materials at the accordion workshop, says, Kim Un Chol

32 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Natural History Museum (3)

The marine algae and the freshwater algae in the algae district.

OING UP TO THE algae is divided into marine algae trict where gymnosperms and G second floor, we found a and freshwater algae. Algae lives angiosperms are exhibited. In the notice indicating the animal hall in rivers, lakes and the sea by gymnosperms section we saw on the right and the vegetation making organic substances various kinds of trees including hall on the left. through photosynthesis by itself pine, nut pine and ginkgo and We met curator Hong Su Ryon and it can be regarded as pro- photos of sample leaves of gymno- in the vegetation hall. She said genitor of vegetation. Marine sperms were hung on the walls. In that we could have a good knowl- algae includes such plants as the angiosperms section are vari- edge about how plants came into seaweed, tangle and laver and ous kinds of flowering and fruit- being and evolved on the earth, freshwater algae includes such bearing trees including Toona about typical plants and living plants as euglena which goes sinensis, Evodia daniellii and monuments in many countries between the animal and the plant Elaeagnus crispa Thunb. An at- around the world including Ko- life. From algae came the bryo- traction there was a wide flower rea, and about various vegetable phyta and pteridophytes, the garden where schoolchildren and products we use widely in our life. spore-bearing plants, and later other visitors were excitedly tak- We first went into the algae trees and flowers. ing photos or writing in their district. According to the curator, Then we went over to the dis- notebook. In the garden were ►

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 33 ► flying bees which amazingly refreshing, full-blown flower. For blooms among those he had bred looked like real. It seemed as if its straight main stem, broad with devotion for over 20 years, flowers were calling bees and petals and clusters of unusually Kamo wished to name it after butterflies for pollination. beautiful blooms of deep purple it the Chairman who was admired There we met and talked with was quite attractive. The Korean by all peoples as the sun of man- Ryang Kuk Song, Kim Yong Song leader said the flower was very kind. and Ji Ryong Chan, first graders beautiful and excellent. Sukarno That was how the DPRK of Jonsung Senior Middle School expressed his desire to name the got the immortal flowers, in Moranbong District, Pyongy- flower after Kim Il Sung in hon- Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia, ang. They said in unison that the our of his respect and admiration. amidst the blessing of the pro- garden has really a lot of flowers, Kim Il Sung declined with gressive people. almost all kinds of flowers, and thanks over again, but Sukarno There were also exhibited showed us the flower names they said earnestly that Kim Il Sung photos of flowers contributed by had written in their books. The deserved greater honour since he all parts of the world. names numbered scores. had already performed a lot of We also dropped in at the We could see, in the angio- exploits for mankind. In this way vegetation protection district. sperms section, immortal flowers Kimilsungia came into existence There was a computer, which Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia with a botanical name and has showed tens of plant reserves in called after the august names of been looked after as flower of the DPRK. The curator said the President Kim Il Sung and the era of independence symboliz- museum had sections for vegeta- Chairman Kim Jong Il. Ac- ing the great personality of tion from Mts. Paektu and cording to the curator, flower Kim Il Sung. Oga. Entering the Mt. Paektu exhibits had been treated with The curator continued to tell section, we felt as if going into a the drying technology. And she about Kimjongilia, a perennial primeval forest. The curator said began to tell a story about flowering plant belonging to the the 2 750-metre-high mountain is Kimilsungia: begonia family. It was what located in the northern part of In April 1965 when Kamo Mototeru, a famous Japa- Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Kim Il Sung paid a friendship nese horticulturist, presented to Province. In the Mt. Paektu area visit to Indonesia, President Chairman Kim Jong Il on the there co-exist the trachyte layer, Sukarno of Indonesia invited him occasion of the latter’s 46th birth- basic rock, and the rhyolite layer, to the Bogor Botanical Garden. day in February 1988. Choosing acid rock, which were both Making a round of the garden the most beautiful flowering formed by two volcanic eruptions Kim Il Sung stopped in front of a plant with glossy and crimson a million years ago. There are ►

34 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 curator said the primeval forest in Mt. Oga is the oldest in Korea and that there are a number of living monuments including a 1 100-year-old yew and a 500- year-old pine-nut tree. We could see in the vegetation district cacti and aloes growing in not only thick forests in polar and boreal zones but also in deserts, and water chestnuts and water lilies growing in swamps. For the last course we entered the district of “Vegetation and Our Life.” There we could see how the plants and wood products coming from Korea are used in ► various kinds of animals and ral History Museum in Pyongy- the life of the people. plants. The curator explained ang, the students of Jongilbong We left the museum, convinc- how the exhibition hall of the Middle School had collected and ing ourselves that it would give reserve sections was arranged sent a lot of samples of mosses, people plenty of knowledge and wonderfully. Hearing of the plan pumice stones and plants includ- help them become well-informed. of a section for Mt. Paektu’s ing rhododendron and dwarf vegetation to be laid in the Natu- trees in the mountain. Now the Sim Yong Jin

The vegetation protection district.

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 35 Dream of the Piano Prodigy

N NOVEMBER LAST YEAR After she finished the kinder- piece Footsteps and foreign music I the 6th Rakhmaninov Interna- garten, she was admitted to the Puppy Waltz. Hearing her per- tional Musical Concours was held primary class of Pyongyang Music formance, the rector, dean and in Sankt-Peterburg, Russia, and a School No. 1 of Kim Won Gyun teachers of the conservatory were girl was awarded a special prize, University of Music. Ho Ye Son, all moved with admiration and the highest prize of the concours, teacher in charge of Han Il Yong highly praised her superb talent. and performed unprecedentedly a at the school, says, “One day I In March 2014, six months after number of musical pieces at the wondered if some adult was play- she came abroad for study, she closing ceremony, attracting the ing the piano in the room where Il took part in the 3rd International interests of the jury and audience. Yong was training. The tune was Music Concours Chord in Mos- She is Han Il Yong of Pyongyang The Country I Defend, and the cow, and was awarded a special- Music School No. 1 of Kim Won melody reflected a soldier’s love prize cup and a certificate of Gyun University of Music. merit. Also, in November 2014, Il Yong grew up with piano she participated in the 9th Inter- playing, for hers was a family of national Instrumentalist Con- musicians. Her grandfather Han cours held in Sankt-Peterburg, Si Hyong was well-known to the Russia. In the concours, named Korean people as the composer of Silver Tuning Fork meaning it many pieces of music including was to assure the correct and Song of the Ten-point Political perfect tone, she was appreciated Programme and Under the Ban- as the most distinguished prodigy ner of the Party, and her grandfa- and an excellent player and ther’s brother and her father were awarded the first-prize cup and also composers who composed certificate, and the special-prize many pieces of film music and for the country, his affection and cup which was the top prize of the piano concertos. feeling, fully and broadly. I concours by playing wonderfully However, engrossed in musi- thought she should not be taught the difficult compulsory pieces. cal creation, they always regarded like the other children of her age. The head of the jury of the Il Yong’s interests in piano just as I had to redouble my efforts to concours, praising Il Yong’s supe- a mere child’s curiosity. Even develop her rich musical sensitiv- rior performing skills and musical when Il Yong was three years old ity and power of expression. Peo- sensibility, said that the talent and her nurse told them that the ple would be doubtful when the training policy of the Workers’ child could catch seven-composite teacher in charge of a prodigy Party and government of Korea sounds to say nothing of triads, should say more efforts are was truly excellent. her family members admired but needed to teach the child than Usually engrossed in piano were dubious of her capability. teaching other children.” After playing in silence, the 12-year- Under the educational system that, Il Yong won first place in old’s speech made in fluent Rus- of the state, she was admitted to the contest of primary-class chil- sian at the closing ceremony gave the Kyongsang Kindergarten, the dren of the music school and was a glimpse of what she was cher- cradle of art prodigies. Now her awarded a prize. ishing in her heart: “Today is the parents began to pay greater at- Highly appraising her talent, day my dream has come true, tention to their daughter. Il the state sent her to study abroad. the dream of giving pleasure to Yong’s talent developed day by On the day of her admission to the our respected Supreme Leader day. She came to correctly hear Tchaikovsky Conservatory, she Kim Jong Un.” out 12~15-composite-sounds and performed a number of tunes would readily play piano études. including the Korean musical Chae Kwang Myong

36 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 House of Flowers

F YOU GO TO NEIGHBOURHOOD UNIT I No. 17, Yangji-dong, Phyongsong, South Phyongan Province, you can see Kim Chang Hyon’s family living in Flat No. 5 on the third floor, which is called “House of Flowers.” The house where different flowering and ornamental plants are growing resem- bles a small flower garden. There are 20-odd species of flowering plants, including Kimjongilia, oleander, Clivia miniata, and Phyllocactus ackermannii. They are looked after by Kim Jin Song, the only son of the family who is at the junior class of the Yangji Senior Middle School in Phyongsong. Originally, Jin Song’s parents were fond of tend- ing flowers, so he unusually liked flowers from his childhood. On one rainy day Jin Song returned home with a seedling he had found unattended on the street. Seeing the plant the boy covered with his raincoat, his parents felt proud of him and patted Shining Star. He was struck with wonder while him on the back. Now the boy planted the seedling in looking round the flower stands decorated with rare a pot and tended it for the first time in his life, but he and beautiful flowers and other ornaments centring failed to keep it alive. He was sad for several days, on the immortal flower Kimjongilia. When Jin Song just looking at the empty pot. heard an explanation about Kimjongilia before one of One day he said to his parents abruptly that he those stands, he made a determination to cultivate would learn how to cultivate flowers. this flower though there would be many difficulties. Afterwards, Jin Song obtained several species of His parents actively supported his resolve and pro- flowers from greenhouses and grew them with the vided him with necessary reference books, pots, a help of his parents. His parents let him know how to trowel and a sprayer. His relatives also sent him cultivate each of the flowers, and they told him sto- Kimjongilia seedlings. Reading reference books Jin ries associated with them. When Jin Song and his Song put his heart and soul into the flower cultiva- mother, Chae Yong Hui, were transplanting chry- tion. He presented full-blown Kimjongilia flowers to santhemum, she said: “You know, chrysanthemum provincial Kimjongilia exhibitions several times, was cultivated in our country from of old. It’s a fa- getting high appreciation. vourite flower of us Korean people for a long time, He has already acquired a good knowledge and because it blooms in a severe frost and symbolizes skill of floriculture, but he is still devoting his sincere honesty and purity as it has a straight stem and its effort to the cultivation of the immortal flower. All of bloom is of clear colour.” Hearing his mother’s story his family also share the same mind with him. Kim Jin Song was determined to develop a firm will like Hyon Gyong, chief of the neighbourhood unit, says, the flower. Thanks to his parents’ effort he developed “The flowers in Jin Song’s family reflect the mind a good disposition while tending flowers. that loves life and future. For this reason they look Three years ago when he was on a tour of lovelier. This is the house of flowers, and it’s the Pyongyang he happened to visit the venue of the pride of my neighbourhood unit.” Kimjongilia festival on the occasion of the Day of the Kim Un Jong

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 37 Romance of Weavers

ECENTLY WE VISITED A COOKING utensils, it was an excellent establishment for cook- R practice facility of the workers’ dormitory in the ing practice. Pyongyang Kim Jong Suk Textile Mill. It had Kim Rye Yong, a keeper of the cooking practice sounded strange when we had heard that a cooking facility, guided us to a materials shop first. We saw it practice shop had gone up in the textile mill, instead had all kinds of materials for cooking on sale so that of a public catering establishment. So we had felt the women workers could buy whatever they want at more curious about it. any time after the day’s work. Some years ago a modern workers’ dormitory was “Women workers staying in the dormitory are built in the mill, drawing the attention of the whole delighted with this cooking practice facility as they country, and now the cooking practice facility went can themselves make food as they like and learn up to the admiration of all the people. The facility different cooking techniques,” said Kim. stood side by side with the dormitory and they looked The practice shop was full of life—delighted girls like sister buildings. were hurrying to cooking rooms with materials When we stepped into the practice shop we could including meat, vegetables and seasonings; some see girls busy with cooking practice. It was housed in other girls were already absorbed in cooking with a two-storyed building, consisting of over ten cooking white caps and aprons on. I could smell something practice rooms, a food processing room and a food sweet. storage. Equipped with thousands of items of kitchen We saw young weavers engrossed in cooking in ►

In the cooking practice facility.

38 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Smart Leg (2)

(Continued from the last issue) team winning the match by 2:0. However, the joy of victory did not last long. On the false charge of defil- ASSING THE BALL TO SANG JIN, HO JUK ing the spirit of the “great imperial Japan,” the P San jumped into the air in an instance, drawing school announced Ho Juk San’s expulsion from the in his legs, so the Japanese players ran against school. Leaving the school amidst the jeering of themselves and screamed, rolling down on the Japanese students, he shed tears endlessly. No other ground. Though the Japanese defenders chased Ho schools would accept him. But at last, he was en- with set teeth, they were unable to catch up. rolled in the Longjing Middle School by the help of Ho ran straight forward with his fists clenched. the conscientious Chinese headmaster. Now he could see the goalposts and the goalkeeper Then, in the school’s football team he distin- with his arms spread in bewilderment. Running like guished himself by playing the leading role in win- wind, Ho felt his vision blurred, making it unable to ning all matches for the school. As he scored 2-3 goals see, but he did not slow down. Losing his temper, the in every game, he was awarded a prize as a top Japanese goalkeeper yelled, “You son of a bitch, scorer. As a result, he earned the nickname of “smart shoot it now.” But, Ho kept dribbling the ball towards leg.” All of his movements were precise just like a the goal line. As the goalkeeper came forward in machine, but he kept on training himself out of a haste, unable to endure any longer, Ho kicked the desire to improve his football skills further. He would ball to the right upper corner of the goal with all his repeat one movement more than 10 000 times a day. might. But he had no motherland to look after him, and so “Goal!” All the Korean spectators cheered with had to leave the school before long under the false their arms raised high, throwing up their caps and charge of match-fixing. But he was aglow with zeal kerchiefs. “We’ve won, Korea has won,” they de- for football. clared. Ho leaped into the air, raising his fist. So, He changed his arena of activity from Longjing to that day’s game ended with the Korean students’ Seoul and from Seoul to Longjing, and led his team ►

► the first room. It was really admirable—with an selves in the cooking rooms on holidays and birth- analysis table of food elements and visual aids of days. cooking techniques hanging on the wall. Pak Kyong “From olden times good cookery is one of the es- Ae, twisting worker, was making green-bean pan- sential qualities of women,” Rye Yong said, some- cake while Ri Mi Ae, another twister, was slicing times praising their cooking skills, and sometimes meat to make sauté. On the other hand yarn winders pointing out their faults. Then she told us that in the Kim Jin Suk and Jo Kum Ran were cooking rice and food processing room they prepare those kinds of food preparing steamed pollack. that need days of fermentation like kimchi. Meanwhile, girl spinners of the knitting yarn Saying she had cooked food herself for the first workshop were busy preparing fry-up referring to a time in her life, Jo Kum Ran added, “I learn both how cookery book in the tenth room and weavers were to produce cloth and prepare food in my factory. My taking photographs of their cooking activities in the mother tells me that she has never thought of my ninth room. Weavers of the general silk weaving cooking skill. She feels relieved that I have a good life workshop were already preparing a table with white in the dormitory.” hard-porcelain dishes of a dozen kinds on in the third Learning national and world cuisine, the workers room. There I could recognize some girls whom I had were preparing themselves as good wives. I thought known during my coverage—they were innovators at there would be many men and their parents who that time who had overfulfilled their annual assign- were eager to have such women for their wives or ment. Their cooking skills were really charming and daughters-in-law. I found I was right when I saw a pretty, the same as their weaving. They said that it number of men waiting for their girlfriends at the was more meaningful and enjoyable that they could entrance of the dormitory. offer their friends the foods they prepared them- Rim Ok

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 39 ► from victory to victory in matches. But owing to the stadium of Budapest, bringing victory to his team crafty tricks of the Japanese imperialists, who were and raising the honour of the motherland. afraid of the high spirits of the Koreans because of His smart and neat forte of powerful left-foot Ho, he was pressed into labour service in the end. He turn-around kick with his back against the goal line now regretted his own folly that he had believed he caused a great sensation among the world’s football could enhance the national spirits of the people and circles and fans. A foreign coach frankly said that he revenge the enemy by means of football. Further, he would like to have Ho, a back-seeing player, in ex- keenly realized that without a protector who would change for his three able players, and coaches of take one under his wing, one would only be victim- other countries, too, cast wistful eyes on him. After ized by the enemy in spite of one’s great technical that, Ho was known to the world as a football player proficiency. Escaping from the labour drafting, Ho with machine-like legs. When a sports delegation of Juk San took shelter in a deep mountain, where he Korea visited France in 1969, a person of the French met national liberation from the Japanese imperial- sports circles who had seen the football match during ists’ military rule on August 15, 1945. After libera- the festival asked them about Ho Juk San, football tion, he could give full scope to his talent. player No. 10 of Korea who had astonished the world In 1947, Ho received surprising news. Though with his superb football skills, in the hope of finding everything was in short supply, the leader out what he was doing. Kim Il Sung formed a youth delegation to the 1st Well aware of the worth of his life which de- World Festival of Youth, and before its departure, pended on his motherland that placed trust in him called a send-off athletic meet. At the meet, he deliv- and boosted him, he volunteered for military service ered the historic speech Korea of the Future Belongs when the Korean war (1950–1953) broke out. As an to the Youth. In an article about it, the newspaper officer in charge of naval transportation, he coura- Jongno said, “A basket of flowers was presented to geously went through war flames and died a heroic the representative athletes. Holding it, they silently death after honourably fulfilling important trans- made a firm determination to play well at the festi- portation duties. A football player with legs like a val of the world democratic youth.” machine, Ho added to the glory of the motherland At the international arena the young sportsmen with his unique football skills in time of peace and of Korea who had trained themselves earnestly un- sacrificed his youthful life for the country and people der the care of the people’s power for the two years in the grim days of war. He now lies at rest in the after liberation displayed their skills to the full. Es- Cemetery of the Fallen Soldiers of the Korean Peo- pecially, the Korean footballers defeated all their ple’s Army in Mt. Naphal, Wonsan, Kangwon Prov- opponents and won the final match with the team of ince. Czechoslovakia by a score of 6 to 1. Ho was greatly One day in August 1995 Chairman Kim Jong Il excited to hear the news. He recalled the past days told an official of the sports sector to improve the he had spent in the sorrow of a boy of a ruined na- country’s sports techniques to the world standard, tion: the straw ball he had used as a substitute for a and said that there was a football ace in the past football, the day he was expelled from the school for called “smart leg.” In February 1996 the Chairman the reason of his team winning a match against the saw Ho’s photo in naval uniform and watched the Japanese, and his detention in a Japanese police cell video showing his single breakthrough while drib- nd after a bloody match in Seoul. I’ll be the best player bling past Hungarian players during the 2 World adding to the honour of new Korea, he resolved and Festival of Youth and Students. Then, he gave in- put heart and soul into training. structions to launch a dynamic campaign to train sports stars like Ho Juk San, setting him up as a At every match, he distinguished himself as a model of sportsmen having special forte. Then, superb player with smart legs, winning the highest highly praising Sub-Lieutenant Ho for the self- popularity among all the Koreans, and his team sacrificing spirit he had displayed in the war, the emerged as the best team. Ho, a member of the foot- Chairman saw to it that a certificate of Patriotic ball team of the National Defence Ministry, was Martyr was conferred on his children. designated to the national football team that was to Today Ho Juk San is enshrined in the hearts of take part in the 2nd World Festival of Youth and the Korean people as a 26-year-old eternal youth. Students to be held in Hungary in August 1949. In answer to the trust placed in him, Ho ran about the (The end)

40 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 National Intangible Cultural Heritage (5) Acupuncture for Treatment of Deformed Spine

CUPUNCTURE IS A KIND is the needle-used remedy to treat ture. Even the cases of backbone A of Koryo medicine with a refractory diseases related with arcuation who had been refrac- long history. The Koreans began deformed spine. Backbone arcua- tory even after relevant opera- to make stone needles by grinding tion, lateroversion, slipped disk tions were fully cured by her stones and use them for treat- are typical kinds of diseases of method of acupuncture. ment of abscess in the Stone Age, deformed spine. Although there Acupuncture for treatment of and even exported them in 652. are methods of treatment on de- spine-deforming diseases is done In its first part, Hyangyak- formed spine in the world, they by piercing the needle into a jipsongbang compiled in 1433 are known to be low in effective- man’s body at certain places. indicates the spots for acupunc- ness. Acupuncture for treatment of ture and explains methods of acu- Kim Mi Hwa, doctor of the deformed spine was highly appre- puncture to be applied in accord Rungna Polyclinic in Taedong- ciated at several seminars of with diseases. Methods of acu- gang District, made a success in medical science for its value and puncture are described in detail in treatment of congenital and ac- vitality, and registered as na- Uibangryuchwi compiled in 1445 quired diseases of deformed spine tional intangible cultural heritage and Tonguibogam compiled in as well as ordinary diseases by of the Democratic People’s Re- 1610. The special book on acu- means of acupuncture. She put public of Korea last year. puncture, titled Chimgugyong- acupuncture for treatment of de- Different medical establish- hombang (Book on Experience of formed spine in each physical ments across the country are ac- Acupuncture and Moxibustion), constitution on a scientific basis tively introducing the technique was compiled in 1644. and treated many cases of back- in their medical service. Acupuncture has now devel- bone arcuation and lateroversion oped onto a higher level. Typical by her special method of acupunc- Rim Ok

OME TIME AGO A LARGE The grave mounds are of sin- A Koguryo S group of tombs from the gle or two stone chambers. The Koguryo period (277 BC–AD 668) floors of the stone chambers are Cemetery was unearthed in Chondok-ri, covered with hardened clay, Pongsan County, North Hwang- gravel or slates and plastered, Newly hae Province. A research team of and their walls are built up with the Archaeology Institute of the pebbles and slates. The ceilings State Academy of Sciences en- are vaulted or inclined on four Unearthed gaged in investigation and exca- sides, but most of them have vation of the relics of the crumbled. The double stone- Koguryo period, discovered about chambered graves are the same- 30 tombs arranged in a neat style buildings with the single- order in four lines underground chambered graves. In the ceme- in an area of 185 square metres tery are found bones of men and on a hill about two kilometres to horses as well as remains like the northeast of the Chondok-ri bronze spoons and ornaments, village. In view of individual silver-coated iron coffin nails, tombs found around the area, it ring-shaped iron coffin handles is presumed that originally it and grey ceramics. The newly was a large cemetery comprising unearthed Koguryo tombs and hundreds of graves. Most tombs the relics discovered there are of are about 10 metres across and great significance in clarifying some 2 metres high. The diame- the developed culture of ter of the biggest tomb is about Koguryo, a great Asian power 17 metres and its height 2.4 me- that existed for a thousand tres. And intervals between the years. tombs are about 10 ~ 20 metres. Pak Thae Ho

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 41 Mt. Myohyang (5)

Relics in Mt. Myohyang ages and pictures, wooden plates engraved with Buddhist Sutras, articles for Buddhist ceremonies, HE REMAINS IN MT. MYOHYANG ARE and household goods. A large portion of the cultural T important national heritage that show the heritage was swept away and lost, damaged or de- history of the Korean nation. In the mountain of stroyed by the floods of 1915 and the Japanese superb scenic beauty are well preserved lots of relics predatory policy of wiping out the national culture of and remains—old hermitages and sculptures, towers Korea. And then, during the Korean war (1950– and monuments, pictures and craftworks as well as 1953), more than 20 buildings and thousands of re- printed materials—which show the creative and mains were burnt down or severely wrecked by the artistic skills of the wise and diligent ancestors of the indiscriminate bombings of the US imperialists. Korean people. Thanks to the state’s policy of preserving the There are various styles of old wooden buildings cultural heritage, old buildings including the main that show the high standards of architecture. The buildings of the Pohyon Temple were restored to the construction of temples in Mt. Myohyang started original state and lots of relics were well preserved. around the 7th century. At first, temples were built At present, there is cultural heritage in the moun- on the north of Piro Peak and in the deep valley of tain like the old wooden buildings and hermitages of Naehyangsan, and then, after the 11th century they the Pohyon Temple, towers and pagodas, monu- were built in the area of Sinhyangsan. So, in the past ments, the 80 000 Blocks of the Complete Collection there were many temples in the mountain including of Buddhist Scriptures, and printing wooden plates. those within the main areas of the Ansim Temple They show the historical durability of the Korean built in 1028 and the Pohyon Temple built in 1042 in nation adding beauties to the famous mountain. The addition to those in different valleys which belonged building of the Pohyon Temple is of high artistic to the Pohyon Temple. According to the monumental value representing the architecture of the Korean inscriptions, there were more than 360 temples in nation in the early 11th century. It was built in 1042 the mountain. However, the names of over 150 of and subsequently rebuilt many times. The existing them appear in the historical records. main buildings of the temple were repaired time and These temples have lots of relics from the periods again between 1441 and 1775. The temple was of the Koryo dynasty (918–1392) and the feudal named after the Bodhisattva of Pohyon. Consisting Joson dynasty (1392–1910) as well as Buddhist im- of 24 buildings and towers at first, it was the biggest ►

42 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 In its main district, you will find old buildings including the Taeung Hall, Manse Pavilion and Kwanum Hall, a 9-storey quadrangular pagoda, a 13- storey octagonal pagoda, a stone monument to the Pohyon Temple and other relics like the Dharani Stone Monument brought from the Puljong Temple in Songdong-ri, Phihyon County, North Phyongan Province, and a bell (2.1 metres high, 4.1 metres round and weighing 7 tons) from the Yujom Temple, Mt. Kumgang. The temple buildings at this place constitute a grand architectural group. The cultural relics, peaks, rocks and waterfalls of the mountain have legends about the building of the ancient state, struggles against foreign invaders, beautiful natural sceneries of the mountain and their mysteries, religious traditions and various other things. The mountain is associated with the patriotic struggles of the Buddhist priests including Saint Sosan and high priest Samyongdang who fought bravely against the Japanese invaders at the time of the Imjin Patriotic War. The Japanese aggressors invaded Korea with a 200 000-strong force in April The Taeung Hall in the Pohyon Temple. 1592. After landing at Pusan, they pushed through to Seoul in May and reached Pyongyang in June. Now, ► temple in South and North Phyongan provinces and as the country was in an emergency, Saint Sosan of the centre of Buddhism in the areas north of the the Pohyon Temple, aged 73, turned out in the Chongchon River. Its main buildings numbering struggle against the Japanese invaders. Making a dozens added to the magnificent sight and beauty of nationwide appeal in writing to all the monks across Mt. Myohyang, but over ten buildings including the the country to turn out in the volunteers’ struggle, he Taeung Hall and thousands of relics kept in them himself formed a righteous volunteers’ army of were all burnt up or destroyed by the brutal bomb- monks with the priests of the Pohyon and other tem- ings of the US imperialists during the Korean war. ples in Phyongan Province and joined in the battle to But thanks to the state’s policy of preserving the liberate the Walled City of Pyongyang and played a cultural heritage, the Myohyangsan History Mu- great part in routing the invaders. After that, he seum was established and old buildings such as the returned to Mt. Myohyang and passed away at 85 in Taeung Hall and Manse Pavilion were restored to 1604. the original states. And a house was built to eter- Paek Yong Nam nally preserve the 80 000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scriptures. As a result, the Pohyon Temple is now a nice place for a visit.

The Pohyon Temple house where the 80 000 Blocks of the Complete Collection of Buddhist Scrip- tures are preserved.

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 43 Nationwide Movement Essential for Reunification

O ACHIEVE NATIONAL respectively. and reunification. T reunification however diffi- Along the road of the proud To put an end to the flunkeyist cult it may be—this is the stead- June 15 era, the second north- and treacherous government, fast will of the Democratic Peo- south summit meeting was held in improve the north-south relations ple’s Republic of Korea. This year Pyongyang in October 2007. At and advance peace and reunifica- the government of the DPRK ex- the meeting the top leaders tion in the Korean peninsula is horted the whole nation to pool adopted a declaration for develop- just the way for the south Korean their will and efforts to usher in a ment of north-south relations and people to survive— this is the heyday of the nationwide reunifi- peace and prosperity based on the public sentiment in south Korea cation movement. It appealed for June 15 declaration. They ex- at present. the north and the south to achieve pressed their belief that the north According to the result of the solidarity, make concerted efforts and the south can open up an era reunification-oriented conscious- and unite on the principle of sub- of national prosperity, a new era of ness survey 2016 made by the ordinating everything to national independent reunification when reunification and peace research reunification, the common cause they independently settle the re- institute of Seoul University, the of the nation, and revitalize the unification issue in the spirit of number of people recognizing the reunification movement on a na- “by our nation itself,” attach im- DPRK as the one to cooperate tionwide scale. portance to the dignity and inter- with was 8.5% larger than it was The history of the inter- ests of the nation and orientate in 2015. Korean relationship, especially everything to this objective. The answers that pointed the June 15 era recorded in the The June 15 era characterized north-south cooperation as essen- history of the reunification move- by reconciliation, cooperation, tial for reunification were far ment, shows the Korean people contact and exchange between the more than assertions for US- clearly that when the north and two sides clearly showed that south Korea cooperation. Accord- the south pool their will and ef- improvement of the north-south ing to an opinion poll targeting forts they will be able to pave the relations is the only way to peace the experts in the studies of the road to peace and reunification. and reunification. north carried by the research In June 2000 the north-south The present reality requires institute of modern economics summit meeting was held for the that the north and the south pro- 97.8% of the respondents said first time since the nation was mote active contact and exchange that reunification is needed and divided, resulting in the adoption with each other irrespective of 44.1% of them claimed federation- of the north-south joint declara- differences in their ideologies and style reunification based on one tion the keynote of which was the systems, regions and ideals, and state and two systems. ideal of “by our nation itself.” It classes and social strata, and hold The south Korean mass media was the grand prelude to the June a pan-national, grand meeting for and experts comment that the 15 era of reunification. Now the reunification involving all the view of recognizing the north not two sides open-mindedly dis- political parties and organizations as the enemy but as the compan- cussed and solved one problem including the authorities in the ion for cooperation is growing after another regarding the mu- north and the south, as well as further among different strata of tual relations through tens of the compatriots of all strata at the people despite the successive ministerial talks and seven home and abroad. nuclear tests and launches of rounds of general-level military From early this year south ballistic missiles. It is noteworthy talks. In the course of this they Korea has been conducting activi- that these changes in the view of brought about progresses in po- ties hostile toward the DPRK the north are clearly opposite to litical, military, economic and all without interruption. On land the the anti-north policy of the con- other fields—the Kaesong Indus- puppet south Korean army cre- servative authorities, and the trial Park was constructed and ated the warlike atmosphere by general public is feeling tired of propaganda activities and psy- firing various kinds of guns in- the anti-north policy of pressure, chological warfare were sus- cluding self-propelled artillery, the media noted. pended along the Military De- and in the sea the south Korean It is the invariable stand of the marcation Line. On May 17, 2007 warships busied themselves with DPRK to readily join hands with trial train operations were con- mobile exercises combined with anyone who prioritizes the funda- ducted successfully in the re- live firing drills. mental interests of the nation and linked railway sections between Intolerable are these moves is desirous of improving inter- the north and the south on that throw a wet blanket over the Korean relations. the east and west coastlines Korean nation’s desire for peace Rim Hye Gyong

44 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Disaster Caused by Sycophantic Policy

HE HISTORY OF THE ing about the so-called “extremely act sincerely now that Japan paid T south Korean regime is sim- grave situation beyond the na- a billion yen, that the withdrawal ply the continuation of syco- tional emergency,” argued that of the statue of a young woman is phancy with big powers and “the deployment of THAAD is an a matter of course, and that the treachery to the Korean nation. It inevitable choice”—this is a chal- “agreement” has to be imple- has brought unprecedented dis- lenge against the public opinion mented even if the “government” grace and shame to south Korea, and the international community. changes in south Korea. Despite which is currently the laughing Her stooges have run amuck for all those insulting practices, the stock of the international commu- the scheme, making absurd south Korean authorities are still nity. claims that “the north’s nuclear worrying about the Japanese The Washington Post and test has boosted the necessity for smile or frown. other media of the world made deployment of the THAAD,” and The Americans’ treatment is such comments as “south Korea is “we have to bring in one more no less humiliating, although the a colony politically subjected to THAAD unit.” south Korean authorities are the US while north Korea is a true As a sign of protest against the kowtowing to them. The new Korea,” “most young people of deployment of a THAAD, China American administration did not south Korea admire north Korea has launched an economic re- discuss about the nomination of while regarding south Korea as taliation measure against south their ambassador to south Korea an American colony with no po- Korea. Russia is also manifesting even when they appointed their litical power,” “south Korea re- a strong rejection, stating that it ambassadors to China and Japan. mains a satellite of the US,” and will pose an immediate threat to At present they are pressing “south Korea is a military base the strategic balance of forces. south Korea to increase the ex- that the US set foot on for aggres- The same can be said of the pense for the upkeep of their local sion of the Asian continent.” This problem of the sex slavery of the aggression forces. is a due outcome of the policy of old Japanese army. In the past the Referring to the situation, the the Park Geun Hye regime that Japanese imperialists forced hor- media are ridiculing the south has turned south Korea into a rible sex slavery on 200 000 Ko- Korean authorities, saying that prey of, and theatre of confronta- rean women and inflicted disgrace “the south Korean diplomacy has tion between, big powers through and death on them, which was an been reduced to an object of wrath a sycophantic attitude towards extravillainous anti-human crime. at the outset of the year as China big powers and a treacherous, But Japan has not yet recognized kicks this side when Japan kicks confrontation-oriented stand to- its past crimes, and has been that side while the US is paying wards the fellow countrymen. crazy about distortion of history no regard,” and that “south Korea The moves of the authorities and moves for reinvasion. has already become a drum which to deploy a THAAD in south Ko- In late 2015 the south Korean China, Japan, Russia and the US rea despite strong opposition of authorities made a humiliating can beat at will to attain their the Korean nation and “agreement” with the Japanese own interest.” neighbouring countries, have counterpart on covering up the The south Korean people will backfired terribly. If the Ameri- crime of sex slavery of the old never be able to avoid such dis- cans’ high-altitude interceptor Japanese army in return for a grace and humiliation as long as missile system is deployed, south sum of money. Enraged at this, they leave intact the moves of the Korea will turn into a dangerous south Koreans set up a statue of a traitorous and sycophantic anti- theatre of showdown between young sex slave in front of the reunification forces that, failing to foreign forces because strategic Japanese consulate general in see clearly who is the real arch- means in the Korean peninsula Pusan. The Japanese are behav- enemy of the nation, are trying to and in the neighbouring countries ing outrageously over the matter. find a way out in confrontation will fall into the range of watch The Japanese chief executive with the fellow countrymen. and strike of the US. himself showed up on the media, Nevertheless, Park, clamour- arguing that south Korea has to Mun Pong Hyok

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 45 Brazen and Disgusting Habit

HESE DAYS THE Japan is doing its best to cover taken and kidnapped for slave T Japanese politicians are up its past crimes. Last year ci- labour for aggression war, and vying to fan hatred for the De- vilian organizations from differ- more than a million were killed. mocratic People’s Republic of Ko- ent countries and regions of the In an attempt to stamp out the rea by stoking up the so-called world applied for registration of Korean nation, Japan forced 200 kidnap issue. This is a brazen the data on the Japanese army’s 000 Korean women to be sex practice, for Japan has suffered criminal past related to forced sex slaves for its soldiers, and merci- shame whenever those who had slavery. At the time Japan set it lessly killed them when they did- been believed to be kidnapped by as its immediate foreign policy to n’t obey. Koreans have to obey the the DPRK were found out one check registration as UNESCO Japanese law or die—this was the after another in the country. Last heritage of the materials on its logic of the war criminals who year alone several “missing peo- past crime of sex slavery arguing were crazy about stamping out ple” appeared, who had been an- that it would do all what it could the Korean nation. nounced to have been “taken to to prevent UNESCO from being The present Japanese au- north Korea.” abused for a political purpose, thorities consist in the criminals’ In June last year the Fukui including the reform of its sys- descendants. That is why they Prefecture police announced that tem. The Liberal Democratic resort to all means to break the Gazuya Miyautsi who the police Party, the ruling party of Japan, General Association of Korean had declared was most possibly made a reckless remark that it Residents in Japan, or Chong- “kidnapped” by the DPRK in 1997 was necessary to put pressure by ryon, an organization of overseas when he was 32 was found out in even shelving its share of ex- citizens of the Democratic Peo- the territory of Japan. On Decem- penses for UNESCO. The Japa- ple’s Republic of Korea. As for the ber 1 last the Tokyo Police Office’s nese authorities are still refusing members of Chongryon, they are public security department made to pay their share for 2016 to descendants of those Koreans who a statement that Masanori UNESCO. Public opinions are were taken by the Japanese im- Gatsuki who had disappeared in now commenting that the Japa- perialists to the exotic islands for Edogawa District in Tokyo in Feb- nese government is causing a all sorts of drudgery, so they de- ruary 1985 when he was 36 and financial difficulty of UNESCO serve care in view of the interna- the possibility of whose “kidnap by intentionally to foil the registra- tional law. Nevertheless, the con- the DPRK” had been recognized as tion of the data on their past servative Japanese rulers are not to be excluded was found in crime of sex slavery in the world indulging themselves in oppres- the territory of Japan in late No- list of heritage. sion and persecution of Chong- vember at the age of 68. The more Japan denies its ryon and other Koreans in Japan. Despite the facts, the Japa- past crime while covering up its Mobilizing numbers of armed nese politicians are making an- history of aggression and plunder, police and even armoured vehi- other racket about the “kidnap the deeper grudge the Korean cles, they forcibly ransacked issue” which has already been nation, victim of the crime, bears many branch organizations and settled—it is no more than a bra- against Japan. In the past impe- schools under Chongryon, and zen manoeuvre to cover up their rialist Japan committed extravil- committed random violence society’s crime of kidnapping and lanious crimes occupying Korea against and arrests of the Kore- make the most of the “issue” as militarily for over 40 years. ans. They instigated social scums means to shirk their duty to settle According to a cursory study, including the rightist gangs to the past. 8 400 000 Koreans were forcibly create a warlike climate across ►

46 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 The US Had Better Be Prudent

HESE DAYS THE sula and the rest of the world. It and integrated it in the O-Plan T Americans and their blind also strongly demanded that the 5015, a new war scenario. Soon it lackeys are misleading the world US and the south Korean au- carried out the test of B61-12 by making false and wrong argu- thorities stop their dangerous which is a gravitational nuclear ments about the self-reliant de- rehearsals for aggressive war and bomb to be used exclusively in its fence capabilities of the Democ- other military provocations that war against Pyongyang. These ratic People’s Republic of Korea. would aggravate the tension in developments took to extremes A scrutiny of last year’s the Korean peninsula. the danger of a new nuclear arms events, however, brings an imme- Ignoring the demand, how- race and a nuclear war in and diate conclusion that their asser- ever, the US drove the situation around the peninsula. tions are nothing but sophistry in the region into ever greater Despite the reality, the US which reveals their vicious hostile tension and instability through- found fault with the DPRK’s policy towards the DPRK based out the year. Misleading the launch of an artificial earth satel- on inveterate antipathy. world opinion with a false claim lite which is execution of the law- Reviewing the situation of the that the DPRK was to blame for ful right of a sovereign state, to country in 2015 when a touch- the worse tension in the penin- say nothing of its self-defence and-go critical moment arose in sula, it escalated the campaign for measures to cope with the for- the Korean peninsula, the DPRK sanctions and pressure in the mer’s provocations. reiterated its proposal for a peace international arena while making The American military made a treaty to the US that is a party to nuclear threats against Pyongy- test launch of the ICBM Minute- the Armistice Agreement in order ang. At its instigation the vassal man-3 on February 25, which to remove the root cause of war forces and mouthpieces talked they openly claimed was aimed at and achieve lasting peace in the much about the so-called “threat sending a signal of a “possible use peninsula. from north Korea.” The Pentagon of nuclear weapons against north In the early 2016 it reaffirmed announced at the end of 2015 the Korea.” Earlier on February 18, its principled stand that it will be 4D O-Plan aimed at launching a the White House formally brought faithful to the responsibility it preemptive attack against the into effect the “2016 act on assumes in the effort to ensure DPRK—for the underhand pur- stricter sanctions and policy to- peace and security in the penin- pose of starting a nuclear war— wards north Korea” in order to ►

► Japan in order to strike terror in ing up pressure by sending local thorities’ active protection and the Koreans. autonomies orders to reconsider instigation are causing great ap- The Japanese police and other the system of granting subsidy to prehension and anger at home law enforcement officers, instead Korean schools, and examining and abroad. of removing evils of their own the implementation of the orders. The more viciously Japan re- country, watch Chongryon work- The right-wing gangsters are sorts to plots to cover up its past ers and other Koreans on their going so far as to bring dangers to crimes by making propaganda of return from their homeland, put- Korean schoolchildren on their “inferiority” of the Korean nation, ting them under surveillance, way to school. And they intrude the more clearly it reveals its dogging and bribing them, and their schools to destroy facilities brazen face and immorality to the inflicting persistent persecution. and equipment. The vicious cam- international community. Meanwhile, the Ministry of paigns against Chongryon com- Education and Science is ratchet- mitted under the Japanese au- Choe Kwang Guk

KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 47 ► stifle the DPRK economically. On tary capabilities. at the lifeline of the US. With this March 3, it, abusing the UN Se- The moves of the US military the DPRK-US confrontation has curity Council, cooked up Resolu- for war reached extremes with changed into a completely differ- tion No. 2270 on sanctions against the Ulji Freedom Guardian joint ent strategic structure. the DPRK, which was a grave exercise from August 22 to Sep- The incomparably strength- violation of the UN Charter and tember 2, which was the largest ened war deterrent of the DPRK international laws. Still, it felt in its history. A tremendous force demonstrated its power during little satisfied, for it announced of aggression conducted smoke- the enemy’s joint military exer- measures of its own for sanctions. reeking games on the land, in the cises of all names in the Korean The Key Resolve and Foal sky and sea with the mobilization peninsula and the surrounding Eagle 16 joint military rehearsals of more than 30 000 GIs and waters. It is truly right for the from March 7 to April 30 last year strategic means of war like B-1B DPRK to choose the road of self- are a clear indication of the extent and B-2A strategic bombers de- reliant defence to defend its own of the Americans’ moves to start a ployed in the forward base in the state and system against the con- nuclear war against Pyongyang. Guam. Due to the drills the stant threat of nuclear war. The For those rehearsals they mobi- situation was on the doorstep of country is determined to crown its lized a huge force including war. Besides, the US carried out cause with victory by dint of self- 27 000 GIs, 300 000 puppet south different names of anti-DPRK reliant defence, the cause which it Korean troops and armies of war games like the Vigilant Ace started and has pursued with its their vassal nations, the nuclear- by mobilizing the Japanese Self- own efforts. powered aircraft carrier Stenis- defence Force and the puppet Referring to this fact, Ameri- led target force, B-52, B-2 and all south Korean army—as many as can experts of the Korean studies other kinds of equipment for nu- 40 exercises throughout the year say: The policy of pushing ahead clear war—over three times lar- 2016. with the nuclear buildup and ger forces than those hurled into Action is inevitably followed economic construction simultane- the previous year’s exercises. In by reaction. The American moves ously has turned out successful in the earlier years the Pentagon for war and nuclear blackmail reality. In the DPRK the national conducted in top secret different pushed the DPRK steadfastly to economy is getting more and more sorts of special drills for removal the effort to build up its war de- vitality thanks to the line of at- of the DPRK leadership and de- terrent and take more offensive taching importance to sci-tech struction of its system, but in and stronger measures in succes- development in economic con- 2016 it went so far as to make it sion. struction, and the cultural sector open that it was planning to get On January 6 last year Py- is also making radical progress. rid of the Korean leadership. On ongyang successfully carried out The strategic position of the April 26 when the joint exercises the first H-bomb test and a nu- DPRK in Northeast Asia has reached the zenith, Obama clear warhead blasting test in changed completely. blasted that “we can obviously September. And in August it It is high time the US had a destroy north Korea with weap- made a stride in developing its proper view of the completely ons,” thus driving the situation in nuclear force up to an advanced different strategic position of the the Korean peninsula swiftly to level by succeeding in a higher- DPRK and behave itself, shaking the brink of war. The 55 days level underwater launch test of off its congenital antipathy when the DPRK as one party and ballistic missile from a strategic against the latter. It would be the US and its followers as the submarine. The air and sea routes wise for the White House to be opponents were fiercely con- in the Pacific region used by the cautious and prudent regarding fronted was little different from Americans in the past for aggres- matters of the DPRK’s prestige wartime, a time of confrontation sion of the Korean peninsula are and security. between nuclear powers accom- now to be followed by the retalia- panied by demonstration of mili- tory weapons of the DPRK aimed Kim Yong Un

48 KOREA TODAY No. 4, 2017 Anbul Temple and Kumya Gingko

HE ANBUL TEMPLE, ONE OF KOREA’S over 2 130 years old, is 41 m tall, 16 m round at the T historic relics built in1393 and rebuilt in 1843 root, 15 m round at the breast height, 4.8 m across at during the feudal Joson dynasty (1392–1910), is the root, and 4.6 m across at the breast height. The situated in Tonghung-ri, Kumya County, South diameter of the crown is 40 m from east to west and Hamgyong Province. Its main building Kuknakbo 50 m from north to south, looking like a huge um- Hall is a valuable historic relic showing the Korean brella. The area of the tree’s shadow is 1 800 m2. The people’s excellent architectural skills and talents at trunk divides into three boughs at the height of 1.5 m that time with its gorgeous painting, exquisite for- and many branches shoot out from them while two mation of brackets, and unique architectural struc- young boughs grow out from the lower part of the ture. It is a small-size gable roof house, but charac- tree. On the main trunk two processes like nipples teristic of gallant decorations. have come out at the height of three metres. A proc- The temple is also noted for the Kumya gingko, a ess is said to arise in one thousand years. The tree natural monument, that grows outside it. The tree, also bears fruit every year. Seen from a long dis- tance, it looks like a small hill, and coming under the tree, people are interrupted from the view of the sky and feel as if they were in a deep forest. This adds to the charming scenery of the historic relic. As the largest and oldest gingko in the country, the tree has scientific importance, and so has been designated as a precious natural monument and is preserved with special care. Choe Chol

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