KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 51 KOREA TODAY Monthly Journal (725) Printed in English, Russian and Chinese

C O N T E N T S

Flood-affected Areas Revive Miraculously ··············································································· 2

Popular Health System of Socialist Korea ··············································································· 4

For Improvement of People’s Health ······················································································ 6

Researchers in Metabolic Diseases ························································································· 7

Our Doctor ························································································································· 8

Story Told by Second Daughter ····························································································· 9

Popular Sanatorium ·········································································································· 10

Best Socialist Country ······································································································· 11

Victorious Advance of Cause of Socialism ············································································· 12

Master of Youth Power ······································································································· 14

The DPRK—Great People’s Power (2) ·················································································· 16

52 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016

For Implementation of Decisions of

the Seventh WPK Congress

New Notebook Factory Starts Operation ···································18

Mother Factory ······································································20

Home Production of Telecommunications Equipment ··················22

Developers of Document Correction Technology ··························23

Front Cover: Research- Nampho University of Agriculture ············································24 ers of remedy for metabolic diseases Home of Orphans ···································································26

Photo by Ri Song Ik His Effort ··············································································29

In Full Sail for Sixty Years ······················································30

Central Zoo (1) ·······································································32

Greetings Card ······································································35

Kimchi, One of World’s Five Health Foods ·································36

Short Story

His Heart ··············································································38

Mt. Kuwol··············································································40

National Classic—Muyedobothongji ··········································42

Royal Mausoleums of Koryo Dynasty

Unearthed Newly ···································································43 Back Cover: Sonha Stream in Outer Kumgang. Inter-Korean Agreements Should Be Respected ··························44

Photo by Ri Kuk Chol Human Rights Violations in South Korea ··································45

Crimes Never to Be Erased or Concealed ···································46

13502 ㄱ-68231 How Long Will They Say No? ···················································48

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 531 Flood-affected Areas Revive Miraculously

TYPHOON FLAILED THE A North Hamgyong Provincial area in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from August 29 to September 2 this year, bringing uncontrollable disasters ever seen since the country was liberated in August 1945. Due to the rainfall which was the greatest since they began meteorological observation in the Tuman River basin in northern Korea, the water spilled over the river, leaving Hoeryong City, Musan County, Yonsa County, Onsong County, Kyongwon County, Kyonghung County and parts of Rason City inundated, and caus- ing colossal calamities. Hundreds of people were dead or disap- peared, and 68 900 became homeless. A total of 29 800 dwelling houses were damaged, 11 600 of them demolished ir- reparably. More than 900 production facilities and public buildings were destroyed or damaged. Roads were blocked at 180 sections and over 60 bridges seriously destroyed, thus the traffic was shattered. As many as 100 sections of the railway were blocked with silt and the bed washed away, leaving the rail transport in suspension. The electric power substations in Musan and Yonsa counties were inundated or buried in silt and the electric cables cut, thus the power supply was discontinued. Equipment, dams and channels Soldiers and other people have turned out in of a number of minor power the battle to recover from the flood damage. plants were damaged. The communications network was cut off. The colossal disaster brought of the Party and the State to sta- As many as 27 400 hectares of an unbearable heartbreak to bilize the livelihood in the af- farmland were washed away or Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the fected areas on the preferential buried in silt, embankments of Workers’ Party of Korea. He basis, the power and water sup- rivers and streams broken at changed the main thrust of the plies resumed in several days. 150 spots, and dams and spill- 200-day campaign to the restora- Road and communications net- ways of reservoirs in Kyonghung tion front in the north. And he works were restored, thus open- and Kyongwon counties gave made sure that specific measures ing the traffic of streams of con- way. The floods caused tremen- were taken to carry out the reha- voys carrying food, clothes, medi- dous calamities to the economic bilitation project forcefully by cal supplies, building materials development and the people’s enlisting an all-out effort of the and equipment and other relief livelihood in North Hamgyong whole Party and society. goods and construction forces to Province. Thanks to effective measures the rehabilitation sites. ►

2 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► On September 10, 2016 the provide flood-hit people with to our happy life after all because WPK Central Committee sent an warm cradles and turn the flood- we are under the guidance of our appeal entitled “Let us achieve damaged region into a fairyland respected leader Kim Jong Un.” the miraculous victory of convert- in the era of the Workers' Party The army and the people are ing misfortune into favourable within this year…. launching a forceful joint struggle conditions on the front of recover- “The battle of restoration in to finish the rehabilitation cam- ing from the flood damage in the the northern areas means the one paign as soon as possible. The northern part of North Hamgyong to defend and serve our people, army is playing the leading role. It Province with the tremendous the one of our Party whose lifeline is carrying out the most difficult, might of single-minded unity!” to is pinned to the people-first prin- laborious tasks in the spirit of “At all Party members, officers and ciple.” a go.” A huge number of builders men of the Korean People’s Army The Party appealed to save and other people are working at and all other people. The appeal the inhabitants in the affected the reconstruction sites voluntar- reads in part: “Our Party is de- areas from the imminent rigours ily. They are doing the building termined to work a miracle of of the cold winter even if it would jobs at the highest possible level of turning the misfortune into fa- cost the whole wealth of the quality to be admired even in the vourable conditions by recovering country. distant future, making as sincere from the disastrous damage in The decision and operations efforts as they would do for their the shortest possible period of plan of the Party received hearty own flesh and blood. time through general mobiliza- response from all the service per- All fields and units including tion and concentration of all hu- sonnel and other people. True to the Cabinet, ministries, national man, material and technical po- the intention of their leader agencies, factories, cooperative tentials of the State for the resto- Kim Jong Un, the entire army organizations, are forcefully con- ration of the northern areas. In and all the people turned out as ducting the activities of producing this connection our Party took an one to develop the victimized even a ton of more cement and important measure of rapidly areas into a wonderful place to even a kg of more rice and raising dispatching the main units active live in the era of the Workers’ even a penny of more funds to be in the major sites of the 200-day Party of Korea by turning the supplied to the rehabilitation campaign including the construc- misfortune into good luck. project as soon as possible. tion of Ryomyong Street to the Ri Sang Gwan, chairman of Meanwhile, all the people sites for the recovery from the the North Hamgyong Provincial across the country are offering flood damage and ensuring that People’s Committee, says, “We selfless spiritual and material the whole Party and army and all felt helpless to suffer the unex- aids regarding it as their own people focus all their efforts on pected calamities. We were at a affair to relieve the victims of the rehabilitation operations…. loss what to do. Yet there was one their misfortune and sufferings. “Direct all efforts to the con- thing we were sure of. We be- struction of dwelling houses to lieved we would be able to return Yom Song Hui

The first train passes only a dozen days after the railway rehabilitation campaign began.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 3 Popular Health System of Socialist Korea

T IS A CENTURIES-OLD DESIRE OF THE their heart’s content under the protection of the law. I people to enjoy a long life in good health. Socialist Korea is meeting the desire on the highest possible Universal Free Medical Care System level. It can be verified through the popular health system established in the country. The system is The universal free medical care in Korea origi- guaranteed by the Socialist Constitution and the nated from the free medical service which was en- Public Health Law of the Democratic People’s Re- forced in the guerrilla bases of the form of liberated public of Korea and executed through the systems of area during the anti-Japanese revolutionary strug- universal free medical service and preventive medi- gle in the 1930s. The free medical service was intro- cal care. duced in Korea from January 1947 after its liberation from the Japanese imperialists in August 1945. Public Health Law, Guarantee Since then the blue- and white-collar workers and of People’s Health their dependants were treated gratis at the State expense. In the thick of the Fatherland Liberation The Public Health Law of the DPRK was adopted War the universal free medical care system was as Ordinance No. 5 of the Supreme People’s Assem- enforced from January 1953. The country introduced bly in April 1980. Later, it was revised and supple- a complete and universal free medical care in Febru- mented in 1999 and 2001. The promulgation of the ary 1960 when the economy of the country was law became an important occasion in providing a gradually recovering from the aftermath of war. legal guarantee for materialization of the Korean In the DPRK all the working people, including people’s centuries-old desire to live in good health the industrial workers, farm workers, soldiers and without worries about treatment. intellectuals, have the right to free medical care The law stipulates as follows: Public health ser- irrespective of sex, age, residence and occupation, vice in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a and the quantity and quality of labour done while worthy and honourable work to protect the lives and special State benefits are directed to the children, promote the health of people, the masters of nature pregnant women and nursing mothers. All sorts of and society and the most precious beings in the medical services are free of charge such as outpatient world, and to enable them to contribute actively to and inpatient treatments, sick calls, diagnoses, tests the accomplishment of the socialist cause. and experiments, functional tests, operations and The law also specifies that the State provides foods at hospital, and the State or cooperative or- every citizen with the benefits of complete free ganizations bear the travel expenses to and from the medical service, that the industrial workers, farm places of recuperation. Moreover, such services are workers, intellectuals and all the rest of citizens have given gratis as health checkups, health consulta- ► the right to free medical treatment, and that the State regards it Modern hospitals have gone up to contribute as a main duty in its activity to to improvement of people’s health. take measures to prevent the people from being affected by disease and directs efforts first and fore- most to prophylaxis in public health work. It stipulates that in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea health agencies are popular agencies that protect the lives and promote the health of the people, the masters of the State and society, so as to guarantee their happy life and satisfactory social activities. Actually in Korea, secure material and technical conditions have been laid to provide the people with the substantial right to and benefits of free medical service. Today the people enjoy the benefits of the free healthcare to

4 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► tions, preventive vaccinations, delivery of the preg- technology have been actively introduced into study nant women, dental prostheses and other prostheses and practice of prophylactic medicine to suit the for the disabled persons, treatments and medicines. development of medical science, thus putting it on a higher level. It has reduced the death rate and the Socialist Medicine Is case rate, thus increasing the average life span re- Prophylaxis-oriented markably. The State regards it as an important part of its Socialist medicine is based on prophylaxis, as was popular policy for improvement of the people’s living famously stated by President Kim Il Sung in 1960. standards and prophylactic medicine to maintain the True to his instruction Korea’s socialist medicine is principle of rationally laying out residential districts, based on the principle of preventing diseases, and production facilities and sanitary and service estab- protecting the lives and promoting the health of peo- lishments for the good of the environmental conser- ple. State measures were already taken in the 1960s vation and the people’s health. for prevention of diseases and improvement of There was a crude furnace at the then Songjin health. Steelworks when the country was under the military Hygienics, infectious disease science, microbiol- occupation of the Japanese imperialists (1905–1945). ogy, epidemiology, clinical epidemiology and the like The Japanese rogues produced steel at a sacrifice of are directly contributing to the preventive medicine many Korean workers. Though a ton of steel counted in order to provide clean environmental conditions in the building of a new country after liberation, the and prevent epidemics and other diseases before- Korean government saw to it that the electric arc hand. And in all spheres of medical science including furnace was blown up completely, declaring that the internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics and gynae- lives of workers could not be bartered for steel. cology they put primary attention to the prevention The State is improving the hygienic and anti- of diseases, and conduct researches and medical epidemic work. Health and other agencies, enter- service activities to this end. The State has main- prises and organizations are intensifying the hygi- tained the principle of preferentially establishing enic publicity and education so that the people par- science research institutes and facilities in the sector ticipate in the hygienic work voluntarily, protect and of preventive medicine and giving precedence to the look after their health and prevent diseases. All development of prophylactic medicine. Achievements residents, especially children, are provided with all in the sector of basic science such as virology, immu- sorts of preventive medicines free of charge each nology, molecular biology, cell engineering and gene year. The preventive medicine-oriented medical ser- engineering, and in the cutting-edge science and vice system is in operation, and the public health workers are waging dynamic activities to prevent and cure diseases in time in dongs and neighbourhood units, and at agencies and enterprises they are in charge of. And efforts are made to create and keep a hygienic and cultured living environment, and provide safe working conditions. In the DPRK the State takes the whole responsibility for the health of the people all over the country, and there is a system under which doctors are in charge of a certain number of households. The section doctor system which has been enforced since the early 1960s is a system of looking after residents so as to prevent the outbreak of diseases; it is a medical service system which offers special treatment to residents in time by bringing the special service closer to the lowest echelons of the healthcare estab- lishment. It is a common occurrence in the country that doctors go to see patients instead of patients going to see doctors. Deep concern is directed to the protection of the health of women and children through policies like maternity leave. The States does not seek economic profit regarding the matter of people’s lives and health. In recent years alone it has built the Breast Tumour Research Institute of the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, the Okryu Children’s Hospital and the Ryugyong Dental Hospital and other modern hospitals to meet the requirements of the new century. These establish- ments are positively contributing to improvement of the people’s health. Yom Song Hui

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 5

For Improvement of People’s Health

Combining Koryo Medicine if necessary, so that people could have hot-spring with Modern One bath and treatment there. Later, in September 2009, the Chairman vis- N AUGUST 1959 PRESIDENT KIM IL SUNG ited the Hwangjin Hot Spring village which was I attended the opening ceremony of the then laid out flawlessly in harmony with the scenery of South Phyongan Provincial Central Hospital. Sea Chilbo of Mt. Chilbo. Arriving at the place he Walking up to the third floor of the newly-built wore a smile pleased to see the new community. hospital he made the rounds of treatment rooms, After hearing about the village he acquainted the operation theatre and labs. Noting that they himself with the spring which was well known should provide better medical service to the people from of old along with Sea Chilbo as it is very effi- he said that modern medicine and Koryo medicine cacious in treating different diseases such as hy- should be developed in good combination in the pertension, dermatosis, neuralgia and gynaecopa- sector of public health in future, that diagnosis thy. should be made through different examinations After the construction of the village people and experiments by means of modern medical came to have treatment as much as they could do science, and that it would be better to combine at bath houses, the hot spring and the outdoor modern medicine and Koryo medicine in giving treatment space on a hillside. treatment. He explained that modern medicine could af- Detailed Instruction ford accurate diagnosis through roentgenography, blood test and urinalysis by using modern medical One day in June 2012 the supreme leader appliances. He continued to say that Koryo medi- Kim Jong Un visited the Breast Tumour Re- cine is superior in treatment, though, that unlike search Institute under construction at the Py- chemical drugs, the Koryo medicinals play the role ongyang Maternity Hospital, the modern medical of adjusting functions of organs and protecting facility for women, despite of the sultry weather. them having no side-effect even if they are used for He looked round treatment rooms, CT rooms chronic cases for a long time. The President and wards. He said that it would be good to fix stressed that man is the most valuable being, and plastic veneer or paste PVC wallpaper on the cor- that they should develop therapeutic treatment ridor walls, instead of painting them white, and steadily while focusing on preventive medicine for that tiling the corridor floor would be good but not improvement of the working people’s health in the in case of the floor of treatment rooms because the future, too, as they had done earlier. joint between tiles could be the breeding ground of bacteria. And he gave detailed instructions for Story About Hot Spring Village providing thoroughgoing sterility of the operation theatre. In March 2007 Chairman Kim Jong Il, talking He stressed the need to establish a system of with officials concerned, said that Korea has many regular checkup in the sector of public health for hot springs and mineral waters, that they should the early detection of breast cancer. let the people use them widely, that the people The leader emphasized that doctors should could not use spas to their full as they had done in have high medical art if they are to fulfil their the past, that mineral springs should be brought mission as engineer in charge of human life, and under unified control, that modern rural dwelling that world-class medical appliances including CT houses should be built in large numbers in areas equipment should be supplied if they are to diag- with spas, and that an additional room should be nose correctly whether women have breast cancer attached to those houses for accommodation of or not. He added that remarkable research suc- people from other regions. He continued to say cesses should be produced in the tumour research that Hwangjin Hot Spring in Mt. Chilbo should be sector by intensifying study about cancer, and that developed as finely as that of Onpho Hot Spring in the institute should work hard to reach the world Kyongsong County, and that one hundred blocks of level in preventing and treating women’s masto- dwelling houses should be built additionally pathy and breast cancer. around the Hwangjin spring, by State investment Kang Hye Ok

6 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Researchers in Metabolic Diseases

SUFFERED FROM OBESITY FOR YEARS. utes to the improvement of people’s health can you “I The researchers at the metabolism laboratory deserve it.” of the Academy of Koryo Medicine cured my disease Un Sim and other researchers engrossed them- that I thought was incurable in modern medicine.” selves in the study again. Repeating discussions to “It was really marvellous. When my obesity was find a clue, they finally learned a new method of cured by acupuncture and medication and complica- combination. After a long-term study, they succeeded tions were treated completely, I wanted to shout ‘Our in making the Golden Pill Against Obesity. Koryo medicine is the best.’” As it decreases the body-weight and the thickness These are parts of the stories told by people who of subcutaneous fat without applying any diet or have shaken off their years of sufferings from meta- exercise cure, the pill is believed to be superior to bolic diseases thanks to the effort of the metabolism existing remedies of obesity or foreign pills or other laboratory. means of treatment. The new cure helps slimming The researchers began their study by under- and gives fortitude and harmonious metabolism. In standing such classic medical theories as Tongui- bogam and the global trend of research into obesity. They experienced failures sometimes, but put strenuous effort in the study. In this course, they developed efficacious medicines for obesity, including Kugija Obesity Granules, Kyongsin Pulo Tea and Hwadam Kyongsin Tea. Along with this, they established long-term methods of treating obesity, like the treatment by pills for curing obesity, and the combination of Koryo medicine and acupuncture. They redoubled their efforts to find a method of slimming on everyday diets. Different from the old method of diet, they developed a new efficacious medicine called Golden Pill Against Obesity, with Korean medicinal herbs, technology and facilities. “The process of making the Golden Pill Against Obesity convinced us of the truth that when loving addition, it turned out to be helpful to treat compli- our own things and believing in our own abilities, we cations like arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes can do anything,” said researcher Kim Un Sim. and fatty liver that come from obesity. People who Making analysis of the ten-year-long clinical have taken the new medicine say in unison that it experience, the lab came to a conclusion that proper has no side effect and brings about clear progress in combination of the ingredients of medicinal herbs the treatment. richly available in the country could be efficacious in The researchers have developed many programs treating metabolic diseases. On this basis, deep at- on the basis of their achievements and data from the tention was paid to finding out substances of medici- tens-of-year-long study. Among them, the program nal herbs and identifying the most reasonable ratio “Diagnosis of obesity and Koryo treatment support of combination. system—Kambi 2.0” was awarded a gold medal at What seemed possible in theory turned out to be the 23rd national IT achievement exhibition. This a failure in the first experiment. Some people of the year they presented “Diagnosis of obesity and Koryo lab argued that theory did not mean practice, giving treatment support system—Kambi 3.0” which gained advice to use an old method to finish the project great public favour. early. When Un Sim was going to accept it, Ri Their research is going full steam ahead. Ran Hui, head of the laboratory, said, “Of course, honour is important, too. But only when it contrib- Rim Hye Gyong

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 7 Our Doctor

HEN I VISITED THE OKRYU CHILDREN’S ited the family. The reason of no coming was that W Hospital a few days ago, I heard an interest- they were healthy and that they thought it was no ing story from a patient’s mother in the department use having injection. Saying the socialist medicine is of limb trauma and orthopedic surgery. It follows: a prophylactic one, Ri took out an injector. The fam- The woman was unaware, for lack of experience, ily members felt sorry and said, “We have enjoyed that her daughter—it was her first child—was suf- the benefits of the system of free medical care and fering from congenital dislocation of thigh bone joint. prophylactic medicine since we were born, and now One day the doctor in charge of her family examined we sometimes forget its worth.” the baby and said she seemed suffering from con- Ri sometimes remembers the day and encourages genital dislocation of thigh bone joint. Then she sent the family doctors to work with the consciousness of the baby to the Children’s Hospital. As it received being a life engineer responsible for residents’ treatment in time, it got well and was to leave the health. hospital in a few days. She introduced Doctor Ri Kum Hui to me saying The mother said, “My family doctor takes good that it would be more helpful for my coverage to see the doctors myself. When Kum Hui was about to have a talk with me after writing in the clinical chart of a patient she had just seen, the phone rang. A resident under her charge asked for detailed information about effect of a drug he had purchased. As soon as she finished the call, there was another one that requested the doctor’s visit. I decided to follow her. While walking with her I saw many people greet her. The caller was a hypertension case. He was relieved after having the prescribed drugs and manual treatment. She promised to see him the next day and left the house. And she walked toward Neighbourhood Unit No. 3, Tongdaewon-dong No. 1 to see if there was any new case. care of her charges with responsibility. Thanks to She rang the bells of dozens of houses one by one her, all my family as well as my daughter are getting and asked how they were. Among them were two on with a healthy life. All the residents are grateful cases—one of them caught flu and the other had to their doctors.” digestive troubles. She took a measure for them on To see the doctors respected by the residents I the spot. She also told them about seasonal diseases visited the Tongdaewon Polyclinic in Tongdaewon and taught some remedies. District, Pyongyang. Entering a polyclinic office, I A woman in her nineties said, “I can recognize found the head doctor inquiring about residents who you from afar even by your step. I like the moment were suffering from diseases of high case rate and when you knock at my door.” mortality. Her name was Ri Jong Hwa and she had Now Ri went over to another neighbourhood to been in charge of the polyclinic for a dozen years, so examine the conditions of a woman who had had a she was well aware of conditions of the residents in baby a few days before and her baby. Seeing her I her area. She told me a story about what she had found the ninety-year-old woman was right when she done when she was a section doctor. said, “The doctor’s knocking at the door will always The polyclinic once launched a vaccination pro- sound pleasing.” This was what I wanted to say after gramme. All the residents but one family had vacci- seeing the ordinary doctors of the polyclinic. nation in the polyclinic. The clinic called the absent family several times but still no coming. So she vis- Rim Ok

8 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Story Told by Second Daughter

OME DAYS AGO, RODONG games with her family, and some- S Sinmun, the organ of the times defeating all her rivals. Central Committee of the Work- Ri still has a good eyesight, so ers’ Party of Korea, reported that she can read newspapers and put Ri Ok Suk, an elderly woman the thread through the eye of the resident in Somun-dong, Central needle without the aid of glasses. District, Pyongyang, received a She also has a good memory. After spread from the State on her 100th reading the newspaper, she tells birthday. her family members the details of Prompted by curiosity, I, as the articles about the happy life of journalist of Korea Today, decided people. At the time she never fails to go to see her who has lived a to tell a story about her past. full century. As soon as I pushed Ri was born in 1916 when the the doorbell on arriving at her country was under the military house, an elderly woman full of occupation of the Japanese impe- vigour opened the door and rialists. She could not eat enough Ri Ok Suk, a centenarian. greeted me. I told the purpose of and dress herself properly since injections or valuable medicines. my visit, when she welcomed me she was born into a poor tenant And I live in a house surrounded in, introducing herself as Ri’s family. She was put in prison with trees and a river nearby, so I second daughter Kim Yong Ae, several times for the absurd rea- enjoy fresh air all the year round. nearly 70. son that she hated the Japanese Everything is OK for me. It’s too When I entered a room guided imperialists and their stooges. natural I live a long life in good by her, I found it very clean and She survived the torture with her health.” tidy. Yong Ae told me that it was strong will and met the liberation Yong Ae told me a long story thanks to her mother’s daily rou- of the country. But she often be- tine. According to her, Ri always came bedridden because of the from her memory and added that lives in a regular way following illness she had taken in prison. her mother has meals with her her daily schedule, tending potted Gradually, however, Ri got own teeth because she has got flowers and cleaning the house better and better under the bene- dental treatment on a regular and yard early in the morning. fit of the free medical service of basis. In particular, the elderly She is so diligent that even the State. She worked so hard woman likes to have vegetables youngsters find it hard to catch that she received official com- that she grows herself. Yong Ae up with her. During the day she mendations and a number of continued that her mother had makes working gloves for workers State orders. As she got older she gone to her grandson’s in the at construction projects that are was registered as macrobian. morning to help with their house- underway to improve the people’s Whenever her visitors asked work because they are busy with living standards. As she had once about the secret of her longevity, their social life. “My mother never worked at a textile mill, she was she would say, “The authorities of changes her daily routine there,” good at needlework until ten our district look after me as if I Yong Ae said, and added, “She years ago. She always shows were their kinsfolk. My doctor always emphasizes that we much interest in everything and, comes to measure my blood pres- should work hard to repay the in particular, she is fond of think- sure and temperature almost benefit of the beneficial system.” ing. She enjoys the evening very everyday and if there is anything much, playing yut and kkoni unusual about me they give me Ri Chung Ho

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 9 Popular Sanatorium

HE KANGSO SANATO- Kangso mineral water with man- improvement in her health. T rium under the direct control ual therapies. The efficiency is Moreover, she had some intercur- of the Ministry of Public Health is great.” rence while she was being situated in Yaksu-ri, Kangso Dis- Early in September 2015, treated. One day, an official from trict, Nampho. It is an institution Song Chol was checking a new- the District People’s Committee for treatment of digestive diseases comer, when she asked if he could visited her and advised her to go with the Kangso mineral water as cure a more than ten-year-old to the Kangso Sanatorium, offer- the main curative material. A lot disease. She was Son Kyong Ok, ing a ticket. of people visit it. It is housed in a resident in Inhung-dong No. 2, Learning her history Song four-storey building with the spa Moranbong District, Pyongyang. Chol made a plan of treatment on and facilities for both treatment She was suffering from digestive the basis of her examination. He and relaxation. It is beautiful like disorder, which had begun after let her drink mineral water every a park covered with green foliage, she had a child. And she had day and applied manual therapies matching well with its surround- stomachache whenever she took a while he was carrying out gastric ing scenery. step. As the days went by her irrigation. After a week Kyong Ok According to a legendary tale, illness became worse, so she went felt it easier to breathe and had no hundreds of years ago a serious to a hospital. There, she was told gas in her bowels; 20 days later drought swept the area. One of that she had serious gastroptosis she had less stomachache. Kyong

Manual therapy and electric treatment. those days people happened to see which was the cause of her head- Ok says, “I already knew that the cranes gathered in one place. ache, dizziness, insomnia, fatigue Kangso mineral water is good but There they found a spa. A histori- and weakness. She was admitted it goes beyond my expectation. cal document reads that the pre- into the hospital and received Everybody including my family sent spa was discovered in 1636 varieties of treatment including was surprised to see me because I and used for treatment. acupuncture and moxibustion as was cured of my old disease com- O Song Chol, doctor of the well as modern medicines. She pletely in the sanatorium. Now treatment department of the felt she was getting better at my family uses the mineral water sanatorium, said, “We treat peo- first, but days later the symptoms to boil rice while drinking it regu- ple by applying physical thera- returned again. She went to some larly.” She stayed at the sanato- pies. We combine the use of the other hospitals, but there was no rium for a month and later she ►

10 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Best Socialist Country

try and they will be the leading this year I saw the new appear- force of the country. ance of the Mirae Scientists The Sci-Tech Complex is well Street and the Ryomyong Street furnished. It is situated not far has reached the stage of comple- from the Mirae Scientists Street. tion. It is hardly possible apart It is one of the centres that pro- from the wise leadership of His vide a good condition for Korean Excellency Kim Jong Un. scientists to engross themselves Every time I visit Korea I see in research. I was really im- streets much cleaner and more pressed. The building is of a mod- beautiful, and I can see new modern style, and it keeps valuable els of trolleybuses and facelift of scientific and technological docu- apartments. ments in store. It also helps sci- President Kim Il Sung and entists to rejuvenate their re- Chairman Kim Jong Il made a VISIT THE DEMOCRATIC search projects. It has also infor- great contribution to the develop- I People’s Republic of Korea mation on display to give children ment of the country. Now His almost every year and this is my basic knowledge. It shows that Excellency Kim Jong Un is 19th visit. I looked round the Py- Korea has a bright future. faithfully carrying forward the ongyang Middle School for Or- Human development is the cause of his predecessors. He is phans and the National House of most important in the social de- developing it more creditably. Class Education. Also I visited the velopment. The DPRK puts ef- Especially, the DPRK has made a Sci-Tech Complex for the second forts in education of children, and new great progress in all areas time. pupils and students are really including science. I would like to In the middle school I could lively and cheerful and enthusi- declare the DPRK is the best so- understand that the government astic about studies of science. The cialist country in the world. takes warm care of orphans with complex is a visual indicator of parental love. I was impressed by which road Korea is following and Prof and Dr. Songchit Pullarp, the teachers who pay far more how much it will develop in the Chairman of the Juche Idea attention to the orphans than future. Study Organization of their parents would do. As the The DPRK changes year after Thailand Korean government looks after year, and, especially, it has be- the orphans with a parental heart come much faster in the era of His they are growing happily without Excellency Kim Jong Un. For want of love and affection. They example, a new street went up represent the future of the coun- every year since 2012. In April

► had recuperation in the sanato- great service for health improve- carbonic acid-based bathing, rium annually. ment of the working people by sauna, sand bathing, air bathing, O Myong Hwan, director of expanding the realm of Koryo therapeutical sports, massage the sanatorium, says, “Every year treatment.” and so on. Especially, patients of thousands of working people re- The sanatorium applies the digestive disorders including ceive treatment in my sanato- drinking of the mineral water, chronic gastritis, gastroduodeni- rium free of charge under the mud-used treatment, electrical tis, chronic enteritis and colitis, care of the state. The mineral treatment, irrigation of stomach chronic hepatitis and chronic water is good for not only diges- and gastric canal with the min- cholecystitis are well treated and tion but also treatment of high eral water, irrigation of bowels leave the sanatorium in happy blood pressure, arteriosclerosis and absorption of the mineral mood. and so on. We are going to render water. We also use the methods of Pak Yong Il

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 11 Victorious Advance of Cause of Socialism

ROM OF OLD THE POPU- early 1990s. The imperialists At this juncture, Chairman F lar masses desired to have a including the US ones were Kim Jong Il of the National new independent society free from scheming to disintegrate socialist Defence Commission of the De- exploitation and oppression and countries from within and induce mocratic People’s Republic of Ko- waged a protracted arduous them to reform and open their rea made public a treatise So- struggle to attain their desire. In social systems in an attempt to cialism Is a Science in Rodong the course of this, Marxism, a restore capitalism while proac- Sinmun, organ of the Central socialist, communist theory, came tively inciting impure forces in Committee of the Workers’ Party into existence and, as a result of those countries to an anti-socialist of Korea, on November 1, 1994. In the struggle guided by the theory, campaign. In time with the impe- the work he said: “Socialism has the October Socialist Revolution rialists’ anti-socialist moves the been frustrated in a number emerged victorious. Later, social- renegades of revolution in some of countries, but scientific ism expanded to the worldwide socialist countries introduced socialism is as alive as ever in scale, and the socialist countries pluralism by fanning up the wind the minds of the people. The achieved enormous socio- of reform and reorganization, and imperialists and reactionaries economic development in the his- thus they degenerated socialism are fussing about the ‘end of torically short span of time. Such rapidly and pushed restoration of socialism,’ with regard to the a historic course of development capitalism. As a result, there events in some countries showed that the ideal of socialism came an abnormal situation in which had been building so- is just, and that socialism is in- which socialism collapsed in the cialism. The renegades of so- comparably superior to capital- Soviet Union and other East cialism try to justify their des- ism. European countries in quick suc- picable betrayal, claiming The people’s cause of inde- cession, giving way to capitalism. that the ideal of socialism it- pendence and socialism, however, The imperialists and reactionar- self is invalid. However, the was confronted with vicious chal- ies, availing themselves of this truth cannot be concealed or lenges of the imperialist and re- opportunity, defamed the ideal of obliterated. The crumbling of actionary forces in the period socialism while talking about the socialism in various countries between the late 1980s and the “end of socialism.” does not mean the failure of ►

An international seminar was held in Pyongyang on the Juche idea for anti-imperialism, independence and solidarity.

12 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► socialism as science but the study sessions on the aforesaid clarified that the illusions about bankruptcy of opportunism works were held dynamically in and fear of imperialism should be which has corrupted social- the international scale. At the dispelled in order to oppose impe- ism. Although socialism is seminar of the leftist parties in rialism and dominationism, and temporarily experiencing a Latin America and the Caribbean that international unity and co- heart-rending setback be- region on the works of Chairman operation among the progressive cause of opportunism, it will Kim Jong Il they decided No- people of the world must be without fail be revived and vember 1, 1994 as the day of res- strengthened. Then he illumi- win ultimate victory for its toration of the global socialist nated the specific ways to attain scientific accuracy and truth.” movement and the day of advance the aim. The work actively encouraged of the cause of socialism, and Chairman Kim Jong Il wisely the struggle of the world’s revolu- made public an appeal calling led the struggle to frustrate the tionary people aspiring to social- upon the progressive parties to imperialists’ moves of interven- ism. In a little over three months contribute to the cause of accom- tion and suffocation. Historically, after its publication it was carried plishing socialism by organizing the US imperialists have been or introduced by over 200 media significant functions on the anni- hostile to the DPRK and, taking of the world, and over 60 coun- versary every year. Meanwhile, advantage of the decline of social- tries studied and disseminated it the participants in the interna- ism in some countries, made a in different forms and methods tional conference on socialism in desperate attempt to stifle the such as seminars, lectures, read- the 21st century held in Nepal country, the bulwark of socialism ings and explanation meetings on confirmed that the last decade of and the home of the Korean peo- 220 occasions. In February 1995 the 20th century was the period of ple, by mobilizing the imperialist an international seminar on the struggle when the socialist force allied forces from around the Juche idea for global independ- was restored, and that the 21st world. In the 1990s the world’s ence was held in Copenhagen, century would surely be the cen- political structure changed from Denmark, attended by leaders, tury in which socialism would the former USSR-US confronta- delegations and delegates of par- advance and emerge victorious tion to the DPRK-US confronta- ties, delegations and delegates of centring on the DPRK. tion, and the DPRK’s fight with the Juche idea study groups and The Chairman firmly safe- the US meant a decisive battle to social organizations, and figures guarded the cause of socialism defend the destiny of socialism. of academic circles and mass me- from the challenges of the allied The Chairman led the dy- dia of different countries. The forces of imperialism and led it namic campaign to safeguard seminar adopted the work as offi- along the road of new develop- socialism through Songun politics cial document. In February 1996 ment and advance. The US-led and pushed ahead with the vigor- an international seminar on the imperialist camp made a vicious ous struggle to build a socialist Juche idea for independence, attempt to suppress and obliter- power true to the banner of peace and friendship was held in ate the Juche character and na- Songun. Thanks to his wise lead- Moscow, Russia, and an international identity of other countries ership the Korean people turned tional seminar on the Juche idea and nations in the name of misfortune into blessing, demon- for independent development of “globalization” and “integration” strated the dignity and honour of Latin America in Cuenca, Ecua- of the world, and assimilate the socialist Korea and trans- dor, in April the same year. them. formed their country into a single- The Chairman made public Regarding the struggle to de- hearted, invincible politico- such immortal classic works as fend independence against impe- ideological power, a nuclear state The Historical Lesson in rialism and dominationism as a and a military giant. Building Socialism and the task of special importance for the Today Kim Jong Un, General Line of Our Party, victorious advance of the cause of Chairman of the Workers’ Party Abuses of Socialism Are Intol- mankind for independence, the of Korea, is carrying on the so- erable and Giving Priority to Chairman published the immor- cialist cause of Juche successfully. Ideological Work Is Essential tal classic work On Preserving He is staunchly championing and for Accomplishing Socialism, the Juche Character and Na- maintaining the Chairman’s ide- wisely clarifying the cause of col- tional Character of the Revo- ology and exploits, approaching lapse of socialism in some coun- lution and Construction on all problems arising in the revo- tries and its historic lessons, the June 19, 1997. In his work he lution and construction the way truthfulness and scientific accu- fully exposed the reactionary the Chairman did, true to his racy of socialism and the inevita- nature of the imperialists’ soph- ideology and intention. bility of its triumph. ism of “globalization” and Seminars, short courses and “integration” of the world, and Pak Chol

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 13 Master of Youth Power

OW, THE DEMOCRATIC Always march straight ahead, nation prosperous, believing N People’s Republic of Korea is following the Party! January in the great patriotic enthusi- in its heyday in the building of a 26, 2012. Kim Jong Un.” This asm, limitless mental strength youth power under the wise was a declaration of his strong and inexhaustible courage of leadership of Kim Jong Un, faith and will to hasten the final our young people…. Chairman of the Workers’ Party victory of the building of a pros- “I want to seat them on of Korea. perous nation by the leading role golden cushions and pluck In January 2012 when the of the youth. stars from the sky for them so whole nation was in the greatest On the occasion of Youth Day that the world will envy them.” sorrow over the demise of their that year, he saw to it that cele- His trust and love for the supreme leader Kim Jong Il and brations took place on an unpre- youth was more clearly shown in was faced with the imperialists’ cedentedly big scale. He sent a the construction site of the Paek- challenges and suffocation moves, congratulatory message to all tusan Hero Youth Power Station Kim Jong Un sent the Korean young people in the country. In consisting of a series of three young people his handwritten the message he said, “Our young power plants in the upper reaches message, reading, “The prosper- people are the point-men in of the Sodu Stream in Paegam ous tomorrow will be ad- the general onward march…. County, Ryanggang Province. It vanced thanks to vigorous “Our Party is planning new was a difficult and large-scale steps of the young people. projects aimed at making the project that would have to be done ►

A scene from the torchlight procession of the youth vanguard “Charge Forward, Youth Power, Following the Party!” held in celebration of the 9th Congress of Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League.

14 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 The Youth Movement Museum.

► in the most unfavourable natural heroes. Then he named the power ple, soldiers, youth and students and geographical conditions in station the Paektusan Hero Youth should visit there to emulate the the history of the construction of Power Station. Paektu youth’s ideological and hydraulic power stations in the A grand inauguration cere- spiritual qualities and culture. country. The young people were mony of the power station was He also initiated young peo- entrusted by the WPK to carry held on October 3 that year. In a ple’s conferences in succession, out the project as a whole. historic speech there the leader including the fourth conference of In 2015 alone, Kim Jong Un said, “In the course of building workers of primary organizations inspected the construction site the Paektusan Hero Youth of the Kim Il Sung Socialist three times. Visiting the site in Power Station have been cre- Youth League, the second na- April last year he said that the ated the charging spirit and tional conference of exemplary patriotism displayed by the youth culture of young people that young people of virtue and the 9th shock brigade members in the are representative of the congress of the league. Saying construction was a powerful dem- Songun era, which constitute that the Korean youth’s ideologi- onstration of the fact that the a precious asset for the pro- cal and spiritual trait and laud- DPRK is the only youth power in motion of the youth move- able deeds are more valuable than the world. He rendered a high ment in our country…. a mountain of gems, he expressed honour to young people by calling “It is the unshakeable de- his confidence that they should them “master of the youth power.” termination and will of our creditably play their role as the After his inspection, the young Party to put forward young young vanguard of the Party by shock brigade members wrought a people in the vanguard of the devoting their youthful strength, miracle. The formidable task ranks of the general onward wisdom and passion to the ongo- which was as great as what they march as masters of the times ing historic march. had done for the project for the and help them put up the Seeing a performance of the past ten years was carried out in a doorplate of a thriving coun- central youth artistic motivation little over four months through a try before anybody else.” group and the torchlight proces- fierce struggle day and night. His trust and love encouraged sion of the young vanguard which On his second visit to the con- the youth to work another mira- was held on the occasion of the struction site in September that cle. They finished the Paektusan 70th founding anniversary of the year, he said that the young peo- Hero Youth Power Plant No. 3 WPK, and visiting the newly-built ple had written a world-startling project in less than half a year. Youth Movement Museum, he legendary story of heroic youth, Paying a visit to the plant on its gave energetic guidance to the and that all of the builders are completion he said that the peo- youth movement, attaching im- ►

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 15 The DPRK— Great People’s Power (2)

HAT IS SINGULAR who is obliged to analyse and was that the technical recon- W about the Democratic represent the social reality truly struction and development of People’s Republic of Korea is that and impartially. Nevertheless, I productivity are inconceivable the word people can be seen and could not contain my admiration without man and that if they heard anywhere. People is incor- for the President. harm the popular masses they are porated in the names of the State When a topic was raised about in no way permissible. and the army. The word can also the technical revolution during More impressive was the fact be found in the names of the State the interview, he said that the that the President of the DPRK, organs including the people’s goal of the technical revolution is who was nearly 70, was giving committee and the people’s court to free the working people from field guidance to a local city far and the facilities for the working difficult and hard jobs. This was a away from the capital city, pre- people like the Grand People’s completely new idea to me be- siding over a meeting to solve Study House, the People’s Palace cause I thought that the develop- problems in the metallurgical of Culture and the People’s Hos- ment and introduction of new industry. I had visited a lot of pital. Such a social climate and technology are aimed at earning countries, but I hadn’t seen or system that ensure the popular greater profits by increasing the heard a story about a national masses’ position and dignity on productivity. leader giving on-site guidance to a the highest level did not come of In retrospect, the industrial complex’s technical reconstruc- its own accord. They were pro- revolution started with the invention project for the country’s de- vided by the leaders who regarded tion of new technology brought velopment and the people’s hap- the people as God, loved them about tremendous increase in piness. best and devoted their all to the productivity, but the working After the interview, we mem- welfare of the people. people’s condition got worse and bers of the delegation said in uni- One of my heirloom is the worse. Though the flow-line in- son that Kim Il Sung was not Arpan dated July 6, 1979. It troduced by the Ford Motor Com- merely a state leader but a great carries a photo of President pany of the US brought about leader and the only person to Kim Il Sung receiving us jour- radical development of productiv- make the whole world happy. nalists from Nepal on June 19, ity, the workers fell into a more It is said from olden times that 1979, and his answers to four wretched plight as part of ma- the people are the foundation of questions we raised on the occa- chinery. As a result, the technical the country. However, for ages the sion. That day we met the progress in the capitalist society word people had been a synonym President in a city in northeast has nothing to do with the popu- for the ruled and exploited classes Korea. He made time for us in the lar masses. and the absence of rights. Even middle of an important conference The technical revolution in the now a number of politicians and on economic matters. DPRK, however, beyond the heads of state put on a show of The meeting was a continua- meaning of the development of advocating administration of the tion of heart-warming impres- productivity, is to help the work- country “for the people,” “of the sions. I did, and do, think that ing people enjoy their work like people” and “by the people,” but it private feelings are a taboo dur- music. One of the requirements of is nothing but a slogan to deceive ing news coverage for a journalist the Korean technical revolution people. ►

► portance to and showing care for trust is the valuable nourishment view of life. The DPRK is alive the youth. for the Korean young people to with youthful vigour. The young He firmly believes in the youth grow as people with admirable people are working miracles at all as his comrades-in-arms who can personalities and models of noble posts of the building of a thriving share life and death with him in virtue. nation, befitting the title of Youth the struggle to make a beautiful “Let us glorify the youth!”— Hero. future of the country. His love and this shows the Korean youth’s Kim Chol Hyon

16 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► President Kim Il Sung, re- the name of my country. The Nep- when I heard of Kim Jong Il’s garding the people as his God all alese people’s desire for another continuous field inspection of the his life, attached people to the saint for over 2 000 years has not army. In the harsh trials which names of the State and the army. been realized yet. might have been so unbearable His leadership changed the DPRK The Korean people, to our for others as to put up the flag of into the country with universal admiration, were lucky to have surrender readily, the leader free compulsory education system another popular leader after launched a life-and-death strug- and universal free medical care Kim Il Sung. I and all other gle to defend the people’s destiny system and the only one with no members of my delegation ex- by holding high the banner of tax. He was a great, popular pressed great admiration. building up the military force. leader who unfolded a new page of The bronze statue of the It was not merely for defence. history of prioritizing, respecting Chairman on Mansu Hill re- On his way of field inspection of and loving the people. minded me of his ordinary image the army, he gave the army the On Mansu Hill in the centre of at the Congress hall 32 years task of rezoning the arable land of Pyongyang are bronze statues of before. His simple jacket and the country as befits the socialist President Kim Il Sung and quilted coat, which impressed me land and led it wisely. With ex- Chairman Kim Jong Il, the whenever I saw photos and videos citement I contributed this news greatest leaders of the 20th cen- about his field guidance, showed to Arpan. When joint military tury. In 2012 I had the honour of his noble personality who shared drills of the US and south Korean taking part in the ceremony of sweets and bitters with the ordi- armies were waged against the unveiling the bronze statues, nary people. With such a great DPRK almost everyday in the which was held with a large at- image he devoted all his life to southern part of the Korean pen- tendance to celebrate the 100th serving the people. insula, the solemn sound of the birthday of the President. I can After President Kim Il Sung land realignment reverberated never forget the moment when the passed away in July 1994, the far and wide overriding the firing Korean people with deep emotion DPRK came to face unprece- sound of aggression. This came gave enthusiastic cheers looking dented harsh trials. The imperi- from Kim Jong Il’s great love. In up at their leaders’ images. alist allied forces’ raging wind of the showdown with the imperial- Cheering together with the suffocation and consecutive natu- ist allied forces, he mapped out Koreans, I remembered the ral calamities swept the country and led the grand nature- President who had met my jour- fiercely, driving the Korean peo- remaking project to cultivate the nalists’ delegation. And I was ple, who had suffered the greatest people’s happiness. He was truly reminded of the moment when I loss of their leader, into a critical the guardian of the people’s des- saw the Chairman for the first condition. Worse still, the lack of tiny and the creator of their hap- time. In October 1980 I was fortu- food, fuel and power was threat- piness. nate to cover the 6th Congress of ening the nation every moment. It was not all. In such a diffi- the Workers’ Party of Korea. At Referring to the timetable of the cult period, the DPRK continued to the time I had the honour of see- DPRK collapse which was adver- enforce the popular policies at an ing for the first time the young tised by the US-led anti-DPRK expense of a huge sum of money, leader Kim Jong Il on the plat- hostile forces, the world mass including free medical care system form of the Congress hall. Looking media were guessing the coun- and free education system. up at him, simple but very attrac- try’s lifetime—whether it would When I visited the country in tive, I thought of a saint related to be three months or three years. I February 2007, I happened to see the name of Nepal. There was a knew well the spiritual strength a convoy of vans in the street saint named Nemuni in Kath- of the Korean people who had everyday. My guide told me that mandu in the 3rd century BC. defeated in the Korean war the the vans printed with the words When he died after having done a US imperialists who had boasted “soya milk” were going to see the lot of good things for the sake of of being "the strongest" in the children who are regarded as the the people, commanding their world. They had changed their king of the country and that the respect and love, people called the country into a socialist industrial Korean people call them the royal Kathmandu region Nemuni Pali state to the admiration of the van. with the intention to carry for- world people. But I myself was Manju Ratna Shakya, ward his achievements. As time watching the DPRK apprehen- PhD in Socio-political Science, went by, Nemuni Pali was abbre- sively. President of the Nepal viated as Nepal and it was fixed as My worries began to recede Journalists Association

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 17 For Implementation of Decisions of the Seventh WPK Congress

New Notebook Factory Starts Operation

HE MINDULLE NOTE- Earlier he made sure that new means the children’s singing of T book Factory, which went school uniforms and satchels the song We Are the Happiest in online this year, specially pro- were supplied. Now under his the World; and that the factory duces notebooks to be supplied to care a modern notebook factory should be run without a moment’s the children and students across was set up for the children and stop to ensure their bright smile the country—from kindergarten students—this is associated with and happiness. The factory as- to university. the WPK’s love for younger sumes a very important duty in To implement the behests of generation and future which carrying out the Party’s policy of President Kim Il Sung and firmly guarantees the bright giving precedence to education, he Chairman Kim Jong Il who future of Korea. noted, and specified tasks to be worked hard to provide quality In the factory, there is a large- tackled by the factory, especially notebooks to the children and size picture which implies the annual production of 50 million students, Kim Jong Un, noble intention of the Party. notebooks at the moment and 150 Chairman of the Workers’ Party Along with the images of happy million in the future. of Korea (WPK), proposed build- schoolchildren running against Being proud of their mission, ing the factory in August last year the background of the Sci-Tech all the employees of the factory and gave directions on its plan. Complex, it features a large in- are now bringing about innova- Then he named it Mindulle Note- scription on it, reading, “Run For- tion after innovation in the pro- book Factory. ward to the Future.” duction to materialize the Party’s Seeing the factory’s sample Pak Pyong Ho, chief of the loving care for younger generation notebooks, the supreme leader Mindulle Management Bureau, and future. Drawing notebooks was happy that the country could says, “We work hard for the fu- are made each in a moment by the supply the children and students ture. I think the mind of loving flexible plate perfecting presses with quality notebooks. He wrote the future is just a patriotic one.” handled by a skilful girl operator, on them “Knowledgeable, Virtu- When the supreme leader vis- and other notebooks of language, ous and Healthy,” “Let’s Learn for ited the factory in last April, he mathematics, music and other Korea!” and “We Are the Happiest said that the buzzing sound of subjects are slipped out of the in the World.” machines in good operation multispindle-wire binding ma- ►

18 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 The integrated control room. A flexible printer.

The folding process. Products are responsibly conditioned.

► chine after being automatically notebooks are produced in a few factory is promptly solving all the folded in the mixed folding ma- minutes. problems arising in the produc- chine. In this way a mountain of The managers and technicians tion and management through a of the factory are now putting the complete integrated manufactur- main emphasis on the upgrading ing and management system, of the IT indexes in its business thus putting the production on a management, while controlling scientific basis. Thanks to their arrangement and direction of the tireless efforts, the factory will production in keeping with the surely attain the goal of producing high spirit of their employees. 150 million notebooks in the near Having set a target of break- future. ing through the cutting-edge, the Jon Song Il

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 19 For Implementation of Decisions of the Seventh WPK Congress

Mother Factory

HE WORKERS OF THE PHYONGSONG condition, none of the workers wanted help from T Artificial Leather Factory fondly call theirs their senior organs or any others. mother factory. It is not only because it is a parent According to their unanimous opinion the factory factory that supplies materials to daily necessaries decided to propel the project of modernization while factories across the country but also because it is continuing with production. And it chose to solve the permeated with the parental love of President problems in their own way. A lot of ideas were sug- ► Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il for the people. It was built under the warm care of the President who ensured that a great investment was made to fully supply the people with quality shoes, and its radical development was attributable to the devoted effort of Chairman Kim Jong Il who visited the factory in the last year of his life. The workers of the factory are fully displaying their wisdom and enthusiasm to implement the instructions of the leaders. Their determination to support with their labour achievements the noble intention of the Workers’ Party of Korea to offer a richer and more civilized life to the people is developed into the spirit of self-development. A few years ago when the factory launched a modernization project, they encountered a number of problems. It was important to purchase a set of equipment and fix it asap to ensure its normal operation. Yet a greater problem was lots of labour needed to reshape the existing buildings in accor- dance with the new facilities. Despite the difficult

20 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► gested to save the time, labour and materials. One of creasing the production and the variety of colours them was to separate the equipment by parts and and styles of their products with the consciousness of assemble them again in buildings without changing being a member of the mother factory.

the basic structure of the buildings. Thanks to the Chae Kwang Myong ideas the factory got an amazing achievement— finishing the assembly of the equipment in a few months and getting into normal operation. And it also hastened the modernization of the existing facilities by dint of their own tech force to secure more production potentials. A fine sci-tech learning space was established and has been in regular operation. As a result the production process of the factory has been automated as a whole and production increased in both quality and quantity. The artificial leather produced by the factory is supplied to the Wonsan Leather Shoes Factory and the Ryuwon Footwear Factory to make varieties of shoes, which are the favourite of the people. And the bags of various colours and styles from the factory are highly appreciated by the people as well. Kim Ye Won, a veteran worker leading a work- shop, says, “Mothers are the kind of people who try to put their children forward as finely as others and create happiness by their own effort whatever the difficulty. As long as we have the love of the Workers’ Party of Korea that encourages us to cope with hardships and trials caused by the sordid sanctions of the enemy, my factory will remain a glorious, favourite factory of the people in the future, too.” Today the workers and technicians of the factory have risen up as one in the project of sharply in-

Different styles of bags of various colours are made of the artificial leather.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 21 Home Production of Telecommunications Equipment

first trial product of switch a year later. Now they conducted opera- tional tests on the field, and continued to develop other components—needed to establish a new generation network of the Korean style—such as large-scale trunk gateway, an integrated network management system and an online charging system. In this way they made communications appliances with their own efforts. They also put all wire and wire- less communications networks (including traditional wire tele- ECENTLY THE DEMOC- which had long been developed in phone network, mobile telecom- R ratic People’s Republic of the mode of circuit switching has munications network, data com- Korea developed a soft switch changed or is now changing into munications network and cable amidst the dynamic struggle to another mode in the current cen- television network) and audio, develop the telecommunications tury. The point of this project was image and data transmissions on industry. The developers are re- to develop a soft switch which can one integrated infrastructure, searchers of the Cutting-edge comprehensively control a new thus laying a firm foundation for Science Research Centre of type of communications network. unified control of the network. Kim Il Sung University. When the researchers started They have introduced the In 2006 the team began to their project, few people believed switch into many units, demon- research into the IP telephone they would succeed in developing strating its advantage and bring- communications, an advanced the switch, the acme of modern ing huge economic profit to the technology—for the first time in communications technology, be- country. Their success serves as a the country—and developed IP cause they had developed no more sure guarantee for production of telephone private exchange ser- than IP telephone switch for indi- all components of the communi- vice system to be used at institu- vidual organs. cations network of the country tions and various technical appli- The researchers, however, set and development of them up to ances for it. Thus they realized out to make the switch in close the advanced level. The latest the modernization of communica- connection with the officials in communications technology prod- tions at scores of major projects, the Ministry of Posts and Tele- ucts developed by the researchers organs and industrial establish- communications. Most of them are winning favour from users as ments, and the technology won were young scientists who had they have superior indexes in special prizes and first prizes just graduated from university. quality, efficiency, stability and several times at national sci-tech They pooled their wisdom and capability of diagnosis and moni- festivals and national exhibitions strength to conduct experiments. toring. of IT achievements. They pushed ahead with the They are redoubling their Not content with this they search of huge data in the com- efforts to attain a high aim of buckled down to the research into munications sector along with the turning the entire communica- a next generation network tech- study of field technology with the tions equipment of the country nology, which is an industrial active support and cooperation into Korean models in the sector application of IP telephone com- from officials and technicians of of information communications. munications technology. The tele- the Central Information Commu- phone communications mode nications Agency, and made the Sim Hyon Jin

22 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Developers of Document Correction Technology

NE EVENING IN MARCH LAST YEAR, A work of developing a Korean language document O meeting happened till late at night in a room at correction support program and its introduction for the Mathematics Research Institute of the State about 20 years, and achieved a lot of successes. In Academy of Sciences to discuss a new research task this course, they had studied and analysed over tens for modernization of publication technology. The of thousands of pages of documents and millions of oppressive silence hung on for a long time in a expressions to make a massive database of diction- highly-charged atmosphere. ary. Based on it they had developed a Korean lan- It was an enormous task. They had to analyse a guage document correction support program. This bulky document of over 75 000 pages and solve sev- program applies an artificial intelligence technology, eral problems of latest science and technology in- a cutting-edge technology to imitate human intelli- cluding the document and image retrieval technol- gence in understanding language and controlling it ogy. As it was equivalent to all the research tasks with the use of computer. For the reason it generally they had carried out for several years, nobody dared demands a large amount of work. Well aware of their to take up the task. responsibility in pioneering the natural language At that time Dr. Kim Yong Chun, head of the technology, the researchers investigated the world natural language section of the institute, said, of science step by step. At last they had developed “When we were developing the document correction error-checking functions including wrong usage of support program for the first time, it was not smooth. words and the first version of document support But we did it under no one’s direction. What is im- program with the error-finding rate of over 90%. portant is to have a confidence that we can do it Now, building on this experience, they buckled without fail.” down to the work of developing a document support In fact, the research group had conducted the program for practical use. Encouraged by Kim’s ►

Researchers discuss how to improve detection of documentary errors.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 23 ► words, the research team launched the struggle OME TIME AGO I VISITED THE NAMPHO the next day. There were no specific time and S University of Agriculture in Nampho City. The university consists of several faculties like the agri- place for their research. They continued the pro- cultural science faculty, departments and the corre- ject day and night. In the course of this they en- spondence faculty. It also has a research centre, a countered a bottleneck. What was important in postgraduate school, an institute studying agricul- developing a higher version of program was to find ture in reclaimed tideland, a modern laboratory, a machinery practice room, a practice plot and a a retrieval method by which to correctly examine greenhouse, which are conducive to the education of relevant original text image data when a specific students and the work of researchers. text was given. It was an untrodden path and an Mun Kyong Chol, vice president in charge of re- unknown world to them, but there was no other search affairs, said, “My university has produced 205 persons with academic degrees or titles, including choice. The only way out is to rely on our own winners of the February 16 Scientific and Techno- strength and technology, they thought. logical Prize, holders of world’s invention certificates The job of inputting tens of thousands of pages and patent rights, People’s Scientists, Merited Sci- of text into image data was quite difficult, but the entists, candidate academicians, professors and persons with PhDs. Thus it is recognized as a prestig- scientists including Choe Song Min, Kim Hyon Il ious university.” He added that his university has and Ri Yong Hak intensified their study, relying recently developed a blue-green algae-based bioac- on their own strength. In this course they devel- tive compost which is believed to make a remarkable oped a new program by introducing a latest docu- change in grain production, and a mobile rice com- ► ment and image retrieval technology, thus making Veteran researcher Hong Kwang Bom (right) a breakthrough in their research work. At last has devoted all his life to the research they successfully created a document and image of agricultural science. database in six months, which had been expected to take three years. The researchers in charge of developing new algorithm and program for analysing sentences and checking all sorts of errors fulfilled their task by pioneering their own way step by step, not by following others’ way. Thanks to their devoted effort the second version of document correction support program of the highest level was developed wonderfully, and now it is an indispensable program in document correction. The State Certificate of Registered Sci-tech Achievement was conferred on the Korean Lan- guage Document Correction Support System, and later, the system received the State Certificate of Introduction of Sci-tech Achievement. When Sec- tion Chief Kim Yong Chun is asked about the secret of developing a program which some people thought was impossible, he says, “Science has no national boundary, but we have the socialist motherland. This spirit led us to success.” Recently the scientists of the natural language processing research team have developed a new method of finding syntactic errors and established its theoretical foundation. They are now engrossed in the work to raise the rate of finding errors in documents. Rim Hye Gyong

24 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Nampho University of Agriculture

Studies are made of characteristics of crops.

► bine harvester; it has achieved research successes of the country at last. Not content with this success, he national significance, thus rendering great service to started in 1998 to develop a new kind of microbial agricultural production and improvement of the fertilizer to steadily increase the amount of humus in people’s living standards. Then he talked about Hong soil and apply an organic-based farming method. Kwang Bom, a veteran researcher who has devoted Three years later he succeeded in finding two kinds all his life to the study of agricultural science. of blue-green algae with a high capability of photo- Hong graduated from Kye Ung Sang Agricultural synthesis and nitrogen fixation. The possession of a College of Kim Il Sung University and has worked technology to cultivate the blue-green algae was not at the Nampho University of Agriculture since 1968. an easy job. The research team led by Kwang Bom He keenly felt farms had an absolute shortage of continued their work for a dozen years and made a source of humus soil which is badly needed to in- blue-green algae compost. The introduction of the crease the fertility of soil. Taking a measure to in- compost at many cooperative farms in the country crease the agricultural production of the country is proved that the fertility of soil increased sustainably my duty, he thought, and buckled down to the work every year, thus saving a lot of nitrogenous fertilizer to solve the problem. while producing 1 or 1.5 tons of more crops per hec- With his untiring zeal and quest he developed a tare. method of producing bioactive compost which can The original bacteria of bioactive compost and the rapidly increase the fertility of soil with a small original bacteria of blue-green algae Hong developed amount of organic materials like rice straw and corn all his life received DPRK patents, certificates of stalks. The method of making bioactive compost, an invention, certificates of registered sci-tech achieve- organic fertilizer, is to mix 200-300kg of quality cal- ment of the Ministry of Agriculture and certificates cium hydroxide with a ton of organic material, and of introduction. And the blue-green algae-based bio- inject bacteria with a strong ability of degrading cel- active compost won high appreciation at an interna- lulose to raise the rate of decay up to over 90% in 40- tional symposium on organic farming, a national sci- 50 days. The amount of active humus contained in tech festival, the national invention and new tech- one ton of this kind of compost is equivalent to that of nology exhibition and other sci-tech achievement 20 tons of ordinary one, so the necessary amount of exhibitions and symposiums at home and abroad. bioactive compost per hectare is no more than 1 or 1.5 The managers and workers of different coopera- tons per hectare. Some people, however, opposed the tive farms who have introduced the compost say application of the bioactive compost for fear of de- unanimously: “The compost plays a great role in crease in the crop yield, saying that it was premature increasing the fertility of soil. This compost makes it to use the bioactive compost in the nationwide scale. possible to increase grain output with a smaller Hong was not dispirited, but waged a dynamic amount of other kinds of fertilizers.” work to introduce the compost at several cooperative Now the university is making every effort to help farms in South Phyongan, North Phyongan, South hit the target of grain production set by the Seventh Hamgyong and North Hwanghae provinces. Several Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea with greater years later the method of producing bioactive com- research successes. post was introduced at all cooperative farms across Pak Un Yong

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 25 Home of Orphans

26 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ECENTLY WE VISITED with one of his wishes accom- knowledge easily through the R the Pyongyang Middle plished to grow orphans as hap- national network and intranet. School for Orphans which was pily as anyone in the world. She continued to say that a lot of newly opened in July last. We Ri told us that orphans have students had won the July 15 could see the hanging board bear- the 12-year compulsory education Honour Student Prize which is ing the frame of open notebook, like other children and that they given to top honour students for the fence embossed in the pattern attend junior and senior courses studying. The school receives a of pen point, sunflower and ball, according to their age. lot of letters from the graduates the spacious playground and We stopped in the classroom who are at university, the army school buildings for instruction for the junior 3A. It was a mother and other posts. and other purposes. Passing the tongue lesson. Students were Stepping out of the classroom, gate, we headed for the four- writing their wishes—to become we saw a student coming towards storey building adjoining the foot- a scientist, doctor, pilot, artist, us. Ri introduced him to us, say- ball field covered with artificial football player and so on— in ing that he was Kim Chol Man turf. Ri Pok Sil, assistant mistress their white notebooks, and the who took part in the Seventh in charge of education affairs, title “Wish” was written on the National Meeting of the Korean guided us. Entering the ground whiteboard. Ri told us that the Children’s Union. Chol Man said, floor past the central hall, she school is furnished with not only “Frankly speaking, I used to be told us a story: Supreme leader a physics laboratory, a chemistry timid as I had no parents. But Kim Jong Un visited the school. laboratory, a biology laboratory, unexpectedly I was honoured to He said that since a wonderful an art room, a dancing and music participate in the Seventh Na- school was built for orphans he room but also multi-functional tional Meeting of the KCU like was as happy as if he had plucked classrooms and an on-line educa- those with parents. I was moved a star from the sky. He felt at ease tional room so as to give scientific to tears when I thought that I’m ►

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 27 ► under a warmer care than that As the days go by Then, we visited the dormitory my own parents could give me.” They are piled as high behind the school building. There With delight he told us about his as a hill. were no students in it as they schoolmates and senior students were at class. We could see some who had participated in the cele- Oh, my! What is that? people tidying up beds, blankets brations of the Youth Day and the My wardrobe is getting fatter and wardrobes. Ri said, “They are celebrations of the 66th anniver- Under the warm care of after-school instructors who look sary of the foundation of the KCU. Our leader Kim Jong Un. after the orphans with parental We parted with him and walked care.” up to the second floor. We could We opened a poem book, and There was parental love eve- hear a voice reciting a poem from saw it full of poems about the rywhere in the school. We left the the classroom for the senior 2A. warm care of Kim Jong Un who school picturing in our mind the “Then, you try, Jang So Yon,” the had provided stuffed specimens, future of the orphans who are teacher said. Jang stood up and varieties of experimental appli- growing happily with a hope of recited a poem titled, Potbellied becoming pillars of the country. ances, winter clothes and shoes, Wardrobe. and sportswear. Ri Chung Ho

Our leader Kim Jong Un Sent us lots of gift clothes. As the days go by My wardrobe is getting fatter.

There are quilted clothes And summer skirts. There are too many to wear all.

28 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 His Effort

ORE THAN A DECADE AGO, A MAN OF

M sturdy physique came to the Sunchon City Juvenile Sports School located on a hillock in Sunchon, South Phyongan Province. He was Mun Su Gil, once a wrestler in his career, on his return home. Meeting the deputy principal of the school, Ri Chol Su, Mun said he wanted to work at the school and make it famous for wrestling. Ri was very pleased to hear it. Now Mun said the following story: While he was in a sports team he won national championships several times. His team appreciated his talent. How- ever, he was not qualified for international competi- tions because he was past the age limit. Thus, he Ri Se Ung, one of the team members, said, “My participated in national contests alone. It was be- teacher is strict in training but warm-hearted in cause he belatedly chose wrestling—suitable for his life.” constitution—only after he had tried different sports Han Song Suk, Mun’s wife, helped his husband’s events from his childhood. After a deep consideration job. When Mun taught his students special tech- he decided to organize a wrestling team by enlisting niques according to their ages and mental qualities children of under 10 and train reserves in his home his wife brought varieties of nutritious foods to the town, refusing an offer of the sports team to work as trainees. Thanks to their efforts, the team took first coach. That way he would leave no more regret in his place in team events at a number of national compe- life, he knew. titions. That is how a wrestling team was organized in Today the school is well known across the country the school. They won a silver medal and five bronze for wrestling. A lot of students received the certifi- medals in their debut in August 2006. When the cate of Young Sports Ace and were admitted to many school administrators and parents of the team mem- sports teams—the number of such students reached bers congratulated him on the achievement Mun was 350. Ri Se Ung who won the title in the men’s 42kg far from satisfied. Greco-Roman wrestling at the Second Junior Olym- Realizing that the level of the students’ attain- pic Games in 2014, and Mun Su Jong, daughter of ment depends on the teacher’s, he made a heavy Mun Su Gil, who won the title in the women’s 40kg demand on himself. wrestling at the Asian Junior Wrestling Champion- He made a thorough plan to improve his ability ships in 2015 are disciples of Mun Su Gil. and introduce new techniques. He exerted himself to In January last, when Ri Se Ung and Mun Su carry it out. In his spare time he obtained a lot of Jong returned home all Sunchon citizens turned out dynamic images of international and national con- to welcome them. There was Mun Su Gil among the tests, and used them to improve the students’ tech- citizens. Seeing his disciple and daughter who re- niques. Now they could learn a high level of special ceived bouquets and were happy to enjoy the blessing techniques including leg grip, rear waist lock, throw of the people, Mun decided to train more reserves to and rolling. On the basis of it, he drew up a training support the construction of a sports power. program for team members and carried it into reality Today he is exerting himself to rear young wres- steadily. It was not an easy job for the trainees to tlers. He is fondly called “Our wrestling instructor.” acquire the technical knacks. It was a much more difficult task for those who stayed in the dormitory. Kim Il Ryong

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 29 In Full Sail for Sixty Years

NE OF THESE DAYS A RACING BOAT WAS O sailing down the Taedong River, catching the eye of an elderly man standing on the deserted promenade. It was Won Yong Son, 80, a Merited Artist. The boat sliding over the water surface left waves of memory in his mind. Won was born in Songchon County, South Phyongan Province before his country was liberated from the Japanese imperialist military occupation (August 15, 1945). In his childhood when he played on the Piryu riverside, he used to find a white sailing boat so beautiful. In particular, he was so excited and full of ambition, though so young, when he saw the boat navigating vigorously with the white sail wide open against the glowing sky at sunset. Hence the first picture he drew in a bright classroom after liberation was a boat on the river. Still he did not imagine that the drawing would become a decisive one in his life. The day he was complimented by his teacher on his picture, he decided in the evening to draw everything he would find beautiful. His teacher took special care of him and was assiduous to help him with Merited Artist Won Yong Son. his drawing. It wasn’t the technique alone that he learned from his teacher in those days. The teacher The Korean war (1950–1953) unleashed by the often told Won that Korea was called golden tapestry US imperialists was really an unexpected blow to of three thousand ri from of old and that he should him. But the small boat cherished in his heart was work hard to develop the liberated country that had sailing more vigorously powered by the fervent sym- been trampled down by the Japanese imperialists. pathy for the reality and love for the country and Viewing the land with the eye, Won found many people. He gradually became interested in sculpture things worth being represented—fertile paddy-fields and the heroes of his works were the villagers who that now belonged to the peasants, his father making turned out in all-people resistance to defend their a smile while tilling his land for the first time in his homeland. Peasant Pulling a Cannon, part of the life, the village path along which villagers returned sculpture group of the Grand Monument on Mansu home with their oxen singing Peasant’s Song pleas- Hill (established in 1972), later appreciated by antly and a puppy running merrily ahead of them President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il, and skylarks chirping in the sky. As he drew those was a typical example of his work based on his per- things, he came to nurture, though young, the love sonal experience during the war. for the beautiful mountains and streams of his coun- After the war he rose into prominence in ceramics try. He gradually decided to become a favourite artist as well by representing the merits of the national of the people by depicting everything in the country culture. Ceramics was a new branch he chose to vividly. He was buoyed up by the dream. repay the benefit of the country that appointed him ►

30 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► in his early twenties as member of the Mansudae Art soil scent and clarity of our blue sky. Seeing the Studio, one of the authoritative artistic groups of the works I am proud of being Korean. Indeed I feel as if nation. He wanted to create immortal works that are I had been to parts of our beautiful country.” dedicated to the show of the brilliant realities in “I am impressed by the beautiful, soft colours and every decade of socialist construction. The principle traditional patterns. They are wonderful.” he adhered to was to create things of greater harmo- These are some statements made by overseas nious beauty while preserving the style of Koryo Koreans and foreigners looking round Won’s private celadon that has a long history and the elegance of exhibition opened in 2004. An Yong Gi, a former the white porcelain created during the feudal Joson unconverted long-term prisoner and a calligrapher, dynasty. As for colour he decided to develop a pleas- also appreciated his works, saying, “Every work he ant emotion by combining the traditional tone that created after the traditions of Koryo celadon and gives a sense of stability with vivid, deep and bright white porcelain of the feudal Joson dynasty shows colours. He tried particularly to make a copy of daily the creative zeal and patriotism he has kept for doz- life and ensure practical utility as well as artistic ens of years. Its delicacy and harmony of various interest as much as possible. That led him to creation colours imbued with the national soul are leading of porcelain of unique attraction. people to ecstasy.” His achievement is to be seen in the fact that dozens of his works have been listed as articles in the A voice was now calling in the heart of the vet- State possession, bringing him prizes at each of the eran artist who was looking at the sailing boat that dozens of national art exhibitions. He is now devot- was coming back past the turn. ing, though well over 60, himself to the work of Now they say I’ve made a unique dedication to training young artists while producing new works. glorifying the traditional culture of the nation. But This shows that the small boat cherished in his heart my works are the fruits of our national character and in his childhood has now become a giant steamship of socialist reality. As long as they are there for me, I’m patriotism. sure my boat of hope will be able to sail on and on. His works are great favourites of the public. “In his works I felt anew our national aroma, our Kim Chol Ung

Some of Won Yong Son’s works.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 31 Central Zoo (1)

FEW DAYS AGO I gate, who told the history of the facility for the people’s cultural A visited the Central Zoo fol- zoo. and recreational enjoyment as lowing its improvement project. According to her, the zoo was well as an educational establish- When I arrived at the zoo at the established on April 30, 1959. Its ment that gives rich knowledge foot of the picturesque Mt. Tae- development has been a close about animals to the people and song in Pyongyang, I saw a huge concern of the Workers’ Party of students and imbues them with sculpture of Korean tiger at the Korea and the government. It is the idea of loving nature of the entrance—it seemed to welcome in no way a means of making country. It was modernized this me. I met guide Kim Hyang at the money or finding a diversion but a year as required by the 21st cen- ►

32 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 The reptiles house.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 33 ► tury under the competent guid- was the most important task and reptilian age. There were also to ance of Kim Jong Un, Chairman that in the aquarium there were be seen a sculpture of dinosaur, of the DPRK State Affairs Com- freshwater fishes and seawater natural rocks, and a stone bridge mission. The size increased five fishes, including Korea’s indige- in good arrangement, and trees, times as much as its initial one, nous ones such as sterlet, snake- plants and grassland were spread now occupying over 100 hectares. head, catfish and silver carp, and to offer conditions necessary for Listening to her I got to the tropical freshwater fishes such as the animals’ ecological environ- aquarium first. There I met Rim electric eel, Siamese shark, colos- ment. Students were scrambling Chol Yong, chief engineer, who soma and piranha, and inverte- for dragon head-shaped telescopes was doing his rounds. He told me brate animals such as octopus, to view the reptiles’ world. a good story: When you enter the trepang, and sea urchin. I also went to the aviary. My aquarium you feel as if you were Looking around the water guide said that the aviary was in an undersea world as its inter- tanks one by one I felt anew how patterned after an egg and a nal walls and floors are decorated concerned the government is to feather and that it is divided into in fresh blues. It is divided into provide the people and students temperate, subtropical and tropi- areas of natural scenery, tor- with an enjoyable life. cal areas. There were the Korean toises, marine animals and so on. Now I headed for the reptiles national bird of goshawk, owls, Giant vessels attracted me, in house. It was a tortoise-shaped vultures, bramblings, seagulls which thousands of fishes— building and the route inside was and white-fronted geese in the freshwater fishes like famous gold shaped like a loop providing com- temperate area, and southern fish of Korea and Sarusa comet, fort for the people to look around. grackles, crowned cranes and saltwater fishes—were swimming The house is divided into a com- parakeets in subtropical and in them. Past large bowls and an prehensive lecture hall, and areas tropical areas. arch-shaped water tank where of rainforest, marsh, savannah, Ri Jong Rok, a student from ornamental fishes were swim- semi-desert and so on. When I the Sopho Junior Middle School in ming leisurely, I arrived at a pool entered the house I felt a fresh Hyongjesan District, said he had where there were loggerhead tur- cool air but when I saw a number been there several times after the tles weighing over 100 kg. All of banana trees and palms over- modernization project, that he along the route I could see wall head, I felt as if I were in a tropi- had learned a lot, and that he pictures that give knowledge of cal zone. There were amphibians would continue to visit it to have various fishes, methods of fish such as Chinese giant salaman- more knowledge. Now I went over growing and their evolution. ders, bull frogs and tortoises and to another site in the zoo. Explaining about the tor- reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes toises— their physiological fea- and lizards. And the route was Sim Yong Jin tures and ages— Rim said the decorated on various formative preservation of the species of the and artistic patterns, and on the tortoises and taking care of them walls were murals showing the

The aviary.

34 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Greetings Card

N NOVEMBER 16 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT Mother’s Day. Among them, there were those who O the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had a lot of children and received the title of Labour celebrate the Mother’s Day. That day I went out to a Hero, and those who had worked hard for the sake street in Pyongyang. It was unusually animated. I of society and the collective. They all considered could see people buying flowers in stands and those cards as congratulatory greetings from some couples consulting how to congratulate their Kim Jong Un to all mothers across the country in mothers. recognition of their services for their families and I was attracted by a shop crowded in front of the their sons and daughters. Some kept the cards as Pyongyang Railway Station. It was the Pyongyang their heirloom. Card and Souvenir Shop and a lot of people were Listening to her story, I looked at the customers buying greetings cards. An assistant there said that carefully. Among them, I could see a young man it had been rather quiet in November earlier and writing a congratulatory message in the card, a that now it was crowded with the Mother’s Day young couple looking at pictures of cards with their ahead. She told me a story about greetings card. lovely baby between them, a middle-aged customer On November 16, 2012 the Mother’s Day was smiling with a card in his hand. I wondered whether instituted and it elicited a great reaction from the they knew the story of the Mother’s Day cards. public. It is the anniversary when President Cha Su Jong, living in Okryu-dong No. 1, Tae- Kim Il Sung made a speech entitled The Duty of donggang District, Pyongyang, said, “No word is Mothers in the Education of Children at the First holier and dearer than mother. The personality of a National Meeting of Mothers. Celebrating the first mother decides that of her children and their moral- Mother’s Day, the Fourth National Meeting of Moth- ity. It also influences the future of the nation. So ers was held and a lot of activities to celebrate the mothers try hard to bring up their children as up- day significantly took place. More than ten kinds right people. I feel happy and proud as a mother of greetings cards were published—some showed when I receive greetings cards and bouquets from my beautiful bouquets, some portrayed a happy mother children on the Mother’s Day. I would send a greet- embracing her baby, and inscriptions “I love my ings card to my mother if my mother were alive now.” mother” and “Congratulations on Mother’s Day” I left the shop weighing the importance and pre- were borne. They were designed under the guidance ciousness of the greetings card which is as small as of the supreme leader Kim Jong Un. Every design my palm. I told myself: I will offer this card and of the greetings cards reflects children’s respect for greetings to my mother. I will tell people the story of their mothers. The participants in the Fourth Na- warm love of our leader Kim Jong Un who respects tional Meeting of Mothers received such greetings and treats mothers preferentially. cards at the same time on the morning of the Rim Sang Jun

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 35 Kimchi, One of World’s Five Health Foods

IMCHI IS ONE OF THE NATIONAL K dishes of Korea, which is tasty, nutritious and appetizing. Every Korean enjoys it. From olden times, Koreans never missed kimchi in the menu, even when rare dishes were prepared. Thus, they rinsed their mouth with kimchi juice after eating good meat and they enjoyed drinking kimchi juice while eating rice cake and pancake. Some say that they could not manage to survive even a day if they failed to have kimchi. The fact that Koreans like kimchi the most is to be verified in the song Song of Sliced Radish Kimchi. Part of its words goes that you’ll have no appetite without sliced radish kimchi on the table of all delicacies. Since people considered kimchi important in all seasons, kimchi making developed in various ways. It is uncertain when kimchi began to be eaten in Korea, but it is obvious from existing history books that it has a long history. An old document, Songhosaesolryuson, reads that an envoy of Sui China visited Koguryo (277 BC- AD 668) and bought lettuce seeds which he named “Priceless Vegetable.” This gives the supposition that vegetables were cultivated in Koguryo, and that Koguryo people must have known how to prepare kimchi because they knew how to grow vegetables. In winter, when it is unsuitable to cultivate vegetables due to the cold weather, it was by no means an easy job to have a supply of fresh vegetables as in summer. Through vigorous activities to transform nature into more helpful one for people and many years of experience, Koreans developed a method to obtain fresh vegetables in winter—it is just the custom of kimchi making. Old documents, Sallim Kyongje and Kyuhap Chongso, show the high level of development of Ko- rean kimchi in the 18th - 19th century. Koreans regarded kimchi making for winter as an important task and exerted their efforts to prepare delicious kimchi. The kimchi-making season was different from place to place for the differences

in local climate conditions. And yet they prepared ►

36 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► kimchi around Riptong, one of the 24 seasonal divi- ment protein. While kimchi is fermenting, the pro- sions that falls on the first half of November, and it is tein of the fish is dissolved into amino acid and reflected in old historical documents. Tongguksesigi, fishbone becomes the source of calcium supply after an old historical document, says that kimchi is pick- it is dissolved. The organic acid in the fermented led in a jar with radish, bok choy, garlic, cayenne kimchi stimulates the appetite. As it is of high nu- pepper, salt and so on in early lunar October and tritional value, kimchi is one of the world’s five that it was regarded as a great domestic task. An- health foods. other historical document, Haedongjukji, reads that A foreign magazine introduced kimchi under the every family prepares kimchi with radish and bok title “Best Health Food in the World” saying that the choy around Riptong, that the job is called Kimjang, Korean kimchi, a kind of fermented food, is a low-fat that people are busy preparing kimchi made of bok health food with a rich amount of fibroid materials, choy and radish seasoned with leaf mustard, ginger, vitamin A, vitamin B group and vitamin C, germs onion and garlic and burying jars of kimchi in the good for health, and that it digests well and is effec- ground. Those documents speak that the 19th cen- tive in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. tury’s method of preparing kimchi of bok choy and Last year, amidst the growing interest in kimchi radish mixed with many kinds of flavourings in the around the world, the 10th session of the Inter- jar and burying the jar in the ground was the same governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the as the one employed later. In this way the methods of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, held in preparing and storing kimchi became traditional Windhoek, Namibia, decided to put the kimchi- ones of the nation. making custom of Korea in the Representative List of Soft roughages of bok choy and radish, main ma- Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. terials of kimchi, prevent constipation, and other materials including fermented and raw fish supple- Kim Il Ryong

Kimchi-making season at the Pyongyang Rest Home.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 37 Short Story His Heart

By Pak Yun

(Continued from the last issue) her secondary school is also wor- vented. rying about her.” “Mr. Writer,” Rim addressed HE GIRL’S REDDISH “I know, mum. We’re the same me finally. “Frankly speaking, a T gaunt hands holding the age. But I am still on the starting great challenge on the road of paper boat came in and out of his line of the race, so to speak.” scientific research is nothing spe- sight. The boy of composed nature “Well, just take her to our cial. For me, encountering a diffi- was looking at her of his age for home, and I will deal with what- cult problem is rather pleasure. fun. Only after a good while he ever the problems. Don’t worry. My research work was not bound picked up a stick on the riverside She’s waiting for you…. I’ve to a laboratory table. It was and stepped into the water to shaken off my chronic indigestion mostly done in steep mountains stretch it out to her. Even in the thanks to her sincere devotion, and among patients. The pleasure state of confusion the girl did not you know.” I felt when I saved dying per- fail to hold the boat. She tottered … sons—maybe you can hardly un- out of the water holding the stick “Myong Suk, you’ve hated me, derstand it. with the other available hand. haven’t you?” “When I was university stu- She said with an angry eye, “You “Everything’s endurable… as dent I once went to a hospital for did nothing but keep your eyes long as I’ve got trust.” practice. I can still remember the shut when I was nearly drown- “Probably you’d have to keep doctor’s face I saw that day. He ing….” waiting for me with the trust was a neurosurgeon and then he “Myong Suk, shall we release alone.” took charge of an operation on a this boat?” the boy asked. “I… always think of the paper young shock brigade member who “No,” the girl refused. boat floating to the sea. I’ll wait had been injured in his head in a “This paper boat will go far to until she develops into a giant cave-in accident and I joined him the sea.” steamship.” as an assistant. When his head “The sea?” The paper boat floating to the bone was cut open, I was shocked “Yes.” sea… to see it. It was an unexpected The girl’s eyes were twinkling. The girl grew up to become a state unprecedented both in “Then we let it go.” wife and a mother! Both time and clinical practice and medical For a long while, the boy and the river flew to the sea! theories. Brain tissues were in a the girl looked at the white paper mess because of bleeding, and boat receding far into the fog on “You must have encountered a they began decaying. I thought it the stream of thawed water. great challenge, I suppose,” I said, impossible to revive him. But the … talking to Rim. doctor—he had been a service- “Myong Suk, it has been 20 He made no response but man—was far from confused. He years since we last came here smiled slightly before turning his disinfected his mouth, and care- together. That river bend and eyes out of the window of the of- fully sucked out the blood around rock are still there as they were.” fice. the brain for a good time before “I come here every year with He is in his late 40s but he has stitching it up. my pupils.” no grey hair, I said to myself. His “Pak Kwon, the neurosurgeon, “I myself thought of this place round face with elastic skin is is still working in the provincial often when I was a soldier. And wrinkleless and harmonious, and people’s hospital. He is now an the paper boat….” it is giving an impression of neat- authority. And the patient now “You have only a few months ness and kindness. He is of stout works as first secretary of a city left before your graduation, don’t physique. The middle-aged man youth league committee. Human- you?” with broad shoulder and still ity is fundamental to the man who “Sure. I think I will go on to strong muscles… It is an excep- devotes himself entirely to the the graduate school.” tional appearance in contrast to medical science. … his chequered past of frustrations “Even in difficult situations, “My boy, what are you going to and trials. Probably it is attribut- you can’t waver only if you remain do? Now Ryang Myong Suk is also able to the miraculous health food steadfast in scientific conviction twenty-nine. The headmaster of of the new century he has in- and stand. Yielding to your own ►

38 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► vacillation is maybe the biggest You can always use the labora- No. 1. So in the next spring we problem.” tory. The hospital director will finally succeeded in synthesizing Suddenly Rim made a painful approve of it. I’m sure that it the CGF, which is a special ma- expression. His elastic young face would be more profitable.’ terial for promoting growth, the became serious and had lines at “I was ashamed to show him key of the research target. the corners of his eyes. At the my face with tearful eyes, so I But….” moment he looked old. I wondered couldn’t but mumble with my why. head down. ‘You are being selfish Choe Jang Su glared offen- Rim’s story continued. again. So you want me to do re- sively at Ma, the hospital director, “One autumn day that year I search among patients…. This is after looking round the treatment was doing physical labour shoul- to strike two birds….’ rooms and patients’ rooms of the dering a pole carrier at a con- “‘With one stone,’ the Party Koryo medicine department with struction site after I left the re- secretary snatched the last words, a voluminous briefcase under his search institute following the and, putting his arm on my arm. break of the research team. I was shoulder, guided me slowly to the “I don’t like your work,” Choe only thinking of giving up every- park in the hospital. said. “I’m here to discuss the thing and rather making a contri- “‘Sin Hae,’ he said, ‘I heard all problem we talked on the phone.” bution to the country with my from Kim Chang Sun. I know you “Yes, sir,” Ma responded. sincere labour. At the time Kim have had a lot of mental suffer- Choe slumped in the armchair Chang Sun called on me again. ings. The hospital director hesi- in the director’s office and panted After the day’s work I went to the tated at first but not disagreed. occasionally stroking his breast. hospital to see the new Party Let’s work together. I want to say “Director, why don’t you obey secretary as he recommended. only one thing. Our medical sci- my bureau’s instruction?” Mr. Writer, can you guess who the ence should exactly embody the Director Ma dropped his man was? It was really unbeliev- idea of attaching importance to shoulder with a sidelong glance at able.” and loving the people. Sin Hae, I Rim who was standing uncom- “Who was it?” I asked. know you are going to complete fortably at the door. “It was Pak Chol Jin, my po- the recent project of modern mo- “Where is the Party secre- litical commissar during military lecular biology by the folk reme- tary?” Choe asked. service. He had been demobilized dies of our traditional Koryo “He is on a business trip.” Ma after spending years in hospital medicine. What a brilliant idea it replied. “Probably he will be here for his wound he had got in the is! I received a call from Depart- today or tomorrow.” front line and then he had been ment Head Choe Jang Su yester- “Umm,” Choe said. “Mr. Ma, working as Party secretary of the day and I hesitated a little. But I medical technology is related to large hospital. It was an unex- finally made a decision after a human life, and it cannot be pected meeting…. night of thinking. When I made a achieved with a subjective desire “After looking round the hos- suggestion to the senior Party alone. We must live as we can, not pital, I said I would use an empty organization, they also approved as would.” warehouse of the supply depart- of the project with which you’re “Mr. Choe, we developed the ment of the hospital for my re- going to bring profit to the CGF mainly from Koryo medici- search room. Hearing me, he said, people by pioneering a new medi- nal materials in our country. It ‘Sin Hae, why are you choosing cal field. Head of the physiother- has shown its scientific values in that isolated place? Your old apy department Kim Kyong Ho at several experiments and treat- squad leader Kang Chang Mo xx hospital informed us of his ments. And it has never caused used to polish his medical art intention to help us with our any side effects,” Rim said po- among soldiers and cure them, research work using the newly litely, but Choe still drove Ma. but you….’ developed function diagnosis pro- “The relevant jury of my bu- “‘But…’ I interrupted him. gram.’ reau reported me the opposite “He frowned and then smiled “Mr. Writer, what would be result,” Choe cried out. “This stroking me gently on my shoul- impossible when I worked with treatment can never be permit- der. such a steady group and had the ted. It’s so dangerous. Have you “‘You listen to me,’ he said. trust of such honest people? In already forgotten that Kaeng- ‘You’d better take a room in the the days of strenuous research saeng No. 1 was suspected for its treatment office of Koryo medi- the invention of a substance for poisonous substance? Stop the cine department and treat pa- control of the central nerve was in research at once.” tients while conducting your re- steady progress on the basis of search there. What do you think? Kim Chang Sun’s Kaengsaeng (To be continued)

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 39 Mt. Kuwol

T. KUWOL IS LOCATED cies of them are high trees. Many cured from Sinchon, Samchon, M in northwest South medicinal herbs— wild insam, Anak and Unchon areas were Hwanghae Province in Korea. It astragalus, forest asiabell, Angel- kept in the western storehouses was named Kuwol (September) ica gigas, Schizandra chinensis, and those from Unryul, Songhwa, after its beautiful scenery of Arisaema japonicum and wild Kwail, Jangyon and Ryongyon ► golden leaves in autumn. It is ginger—grow in the mountain and associated with the revolutionary the animals like roe deer, wild activities of Kim Hyong Jik, out- cats, pheasants, orioles, cuckoos standing leader of the anti- and owls live there. Japanese national liberation Mt. Kuwol has different scen- movement in Korea, in Unryul eries from season to season. The County, South Hwanghae Prov- mountain has a good deal of his- ince, around the time when the torical remains and relics. There Korean National Association was were several ancient buildings formed. The mountain is made of like the Phaeyop Temple that granite and granitite. Having were built in the early 9th century. been cut by the action of the The temple was completely ruined Samhyongje Pools in Tanphung weather and erosion, it consists of in the brutal bombing of the US curious rocks and cliffs, cone- or imperialists during the Korean pyramid-shaped peaks and deep war. valleys. In the deep valleys in- And there is a site of the Ku- cluding the Sansong Ravine, wolsan Fort whose wall runs there are waterfalls—Ryongyon 5 230 metres around. The wall (dragon pool) and Samhyongje stood on ridges and peaks with (three brothers) waterfalls which sheer cliffs and dangerous geo- have crystal-clear water making graphical features. Built in the rainbows in the fog overhead— Koguryo dynasty (277 BC–AD 668), and pools. Streams like the fort is shaped like a ship: high Namdaechon and Kuwolchon rise and long from north to south, in the ravines. In the middle of short from east to west and low in the mountain is the famous Sok- the central part. It is all sur- dam, a spring which is said to rounded by the ridges, but its never go dry even when there western section is low letting the comes a 7-year-long drought. water from the ravines run to the As a typical forest area in the west to make a waterfall. The western region of the province, the wall was mostly trimmed on both mountain has tens of species of sides leaving some sections un- trees like pine, oak, chestnut and touched on the outer side. It has maple. Various kinds of flowers three gates—one in each of the bloom at the foot of the mountain east, west and south. and the scenes of ripening fruits There is a site of a kiln used to like chestnut, jujube and persim- bake Koryo ceramics in the fort. mon in autumn are so conspicu- During the feudal Joson dynasty ous. Mt. Kuwol with rich vegeta- (1392–1910), storehouses were tion resources is a nature reserve. built inside the eastern and west- In this area, more than 600 spe- ern gates respectively to keep cies of plants are growing; 86 spe- provisions in store: Grains pro-

40 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 ► areas in the eastern ones. and foreign invaders. While the Guerrilla Unit and used the fort to The Kuwolsan Fort was an Japanese imperialist aggressors deal sharp blows to the American important place in managing the were occupying Korea (1905– invaders and the stooges. administration of provisions and 1945), the patriotic-minded people Now the Kuwolsan Fort is an weapons of several regions in put up a volunteers’ struggle with important study of the research South Hwanghae Province cen- arms based in the fort. During the into Koguryo’s fort building. tring on Mt. Kuwol. Fatherland Liberation War It is now a popular public re- The fort is associated with the (1950–1953), the people in the sort for sightseeing and recrea- patriotic struggle of the Korean South Hwanghae Provincial area tion. people against the feudal rulers formed the Kuwolsan People’s Kang Chol Jin

Ravine. A wall site in Mt. Kuwol. Frostwork in Mt. Kuwol.

A road to the Kuwolsan Fort.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 41 National Classic—Muyedobothongji

types of martial arts was published with 12 types added to the original. By supplementing six types to the 18 types of martial arts, the book titled Muyedo- bothongji (Illustrated Book of Martial Arts) was published. It contains pictures and illustrations of movements with main weapons including sword, spear, bow and stick used on the ground or on horse- back in the feudal age. Pictures drawn by Kim Hong Do, famous painter in the period of the feudal Joson dynasty, give vivid description of movements of martial arts. The book was published as part of the publishing business of the feudal government in the 18th century to be used as manual of martial arts training for the army of the feudal Joson dynasty, and was published several times later. The book gives a good idea of the historical development of martial arts in Korea as it additionally explains martial arts newly introduced after a war (1592-1598) to repulse the Japanese invaders. In 1952 Muyedobothongji was collected in South Phyongan Province and donated to the then State Central Library thanks to a measure taken by President Kim Il Sung to find out and preserve all national cultural heritage during the Fatherland Liberation War (1950–1953). The book is of great importance in studying the UYEDOBOTHONGJI IS AN OLD BOOK traditional Korean martial arts, origin of Taekwon- M which gives a comprehensive and systematic Do, and the Oriental martial arts that boast the description of Korea’s traditional martial art, the history and advantages of their original martial arts. historical root of Taekwon-Do popular in more than The 7th session of the MOWCAP of the United 120 countries over the world. Printed in April 1790 Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Or- with wooden blocks, the book explains movements of ganization held in Vietnam in May last decided to the martial arts of neighbouring countries with the register Muyedobothongji in the Asia-Pacific list of main stress on movements of traditional Korean the Memory of the World of UNESCO. martial arts. Earlier, in the 16th century a book titled The book is available at the Grand People’s Muyebo was in use about six types of martial arts, Study House in Pyongyang. and in the mid-18th century a similar book on 18 Ri Song Chol

42 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Royal Mausoleums of Koryo Dynasty Unearthed Newly

ECENTLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S three sections by granite embankments. In the top R Republic of Korea two royal mausoleums of section there is a grave mound, in the middle section Koryo dynasty (918–1392) were newly unearthed in stone figure sculptures, and in the bottom section the the Kaesong area, as part of the work to survey and site of memorial service—as a whole this is the well- unearth historical relics of Korea. known architectural style inherent to the royal The archaeologists from the Archaeological Insti- tombs of Koryo dynasty. The size and building tute of the Academy of Social Sciences, who had ex- method of the mausoleums are the same as other cavated two Koryo kings’ mausoleums in Koup-ri, royal tombs of Koryo ever known. Based on the Jangphung County years before, made an analysis of analysis of archaeological materials and old docu- old documentary materials including Koryosa mentary records, the archaeologists decided that the (History of Koryo) and came to a conclusion that newly unearthed mausoleums belong to Koryo’s 9th there might be mausoleums still buried in the region king Tokjong (1032–1034) and 10th king Jongjong of Haeson-ri, Kaesong. Then they carried out a sur- (1035–1046). vey of the region. They were positively helped by the Several stone pillars support the ceiling of the students of the history faculty of the Songdo College burial chamber of the second mausoleum which of Education, teachers of Tapdong Senior Middle stands farther down the slope—this is a new archi- School and workers of the Haeson Cooperative Farm tectural form different from others, so it draws the in Kaesong City—they regard the work to preserve attention of the academic circle. In addition, there the Korean national legacies as a national, all-people were discovered gilt-bronze arrowheads, gilt-bronze task. nails, gilt-bronze plaques, silver ornaments, silver Finally two mausoleums were found in the ring and broken pieces of celadon like small and southern slope of a hill which is about four kilome- large bowls. tres northeast of the seat of Haeson-ri where the The mausoleums newly unearthed in Kaesong Mausoleum of King Wang Kon (877–943), founder of that has a lot of historical relics put on the list of Koryo, stands. The newly found mausoleums are world cultural heritage are of importance in studying some 250 metres away from each other. the historical development. Each of the mausoleum areas is divided into Sim Hyon Jin

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 43 Inter-Korean Agreements Should Be Respected

O RESPECT AND IMPLE- century changed suddenly from There will be nothing to be T ment the north-south joint mistrust and confrontation to afraid of or impossible to do only if declarations sincerely—this is the reconciliation and cooperation. the north and the south share one fundamental premise for develop- The nation’s unity and reunifica- purpose and join efforts—this is ing the inter-Korean relations tion and cooperation and ex- the truth substantiated by the and hastening national reunifica- change in several fields were past June 15 era. Now the US is tion. If the north-south agree- furthered by the agreements seeking tenaciously after the ill ments are made null and void on made at the inter-Korean minis- ambition to dominate the whole account of the changed situation ter-level talks from the attitude Korea using the south as the and replacement of government, to prioritizing the Korean na- springboard, and the right-wing any bilateral agreement to be tion’s desire and interests. Re- conservative forces of south Korea reached in the future will be use- unification-oriented agreement are eking out their existence by less. Now the Korean nation’s was also made at several dia- toeing the US line. They are mak- precious gains have been totally logues and contacts between the ing desperate attempts to check stamped out, the inter-Korean north and the south, including the return of the June 15 reunifi- relations exposed to the worst conferences of the inter-Korean cation era. This is why the Korean ever phase of confrontation, and economic cooperation committee nation’s reunification movement even contact and travel between and its subcommittees and their is suffering turns and twists. the north and the south blocked working contacts, the Red Cross The Korean nation is steadfast fast. Such a grave situation shows talks and working talks of the in regarding the inter-Korean that attitude to the north-south military authorities. In addition, agreements like the June 15 agreements is the touchstone family members and relatives North-South Joint Declaration as to distinguish patriotism from who had been separated over half the milestone for national reunifi- treachery, and reunification from a century before came to meet cation and carrying them out. anti-reunification. Respecting and several times in Pyongyang, The south Korean authorities implementing the agreements of Seoul and Mt. Kumgang. South should have a proper understand- the Korean nation continuously Koreans of all strata went on ing of the strong will of the nation and opening up a vista of inde- tours to Mts. Paektu, Kumgang to improve the north-south rela- pendent reunification is a critical and Myohyang and other scenic tions and hasten the cause of issue in ending up the tragedy of spots in the north. Severed rail- independent reunification of the the national division and pre- ways and roads were relinked country. They should make a re- venting the nation from being between the north and the south sponsible and reasonable choice reduced to a plaything of the for- and even air and sea routes at the important crossroads at the eign forces. opened. moment. In June 2000, 16 years ago, a The October 4 Declaration was When reunified as has been north-south summit meeting adopted in 2007 as the practical looked forward to by the entire took place in Pyongyang, adopt- programme of the June 15 Joint nation, Korea will demonstrate its ing the historic June 15 North- Declaration, bringing a hope of grandeur as a dignified world South Joint Declaration for the reunification again to the whole power with an 80 million popula- first time in 55 years since the nation. The reality proves that tion and enormous national division of the nation. As soon as the only way to put an end to the strength, a nation with an ad- the joint declaration was made present abnormal inter-Korean vanced civilization that is supe- public, it received wholehearted relations, achieve the nation’s rior to others thanks to its in- support and sympathy of all the unity and reunification and open domitable national spirit and Korean people from the north, up an avenue for independent unexcelled resourcefulness, and a south and abroad, and brought reunification is to implement the nation of justice playing the lead- about a dramatic change in the three principles of national reuni- ing role in ensuring peace in cause of national reunification. fication and the joint declarations Northeast Asia and the rest of The north-south relations which under the uplifted banner of By the world. had been hostile for over half a Our Nation Itself. Kim Hyon Ju

44 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Human Rights Violations in South Korea

ECENTLY THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS Headquarters of the Pan-National Alliance for Ko- R Council released a report on poor human rights rea’s Reunification were arrested for the violation of conditions of south Korea. The south Korean au- the “national security law” and forced ideological thorities, in an attempt to shake off the public dis- conversion upon them. And in October that year the grace, are now stumping busily around to save their National Teachers’ Trade Union, a typical progres- image, courting denunciation and derision alone sive organization in the education circle of south from home and abroad. Nevertheless, they are mak- Korea, was branded as the “pro-north organization” ing a fuss about the “human rights” situation in the and forcibly deprived of its legal position. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as part of In December 2014 she carried out the forcible their scheme to conceal the actual conditions of their dissolution of the United Progressive Party. The community which is the worst ever human rights south Korean authorities hatched a terrible political desert and the land devoid of democracy. The revela- plot of accusing an MP of the United Progressive tions in the investigation report of the UN Human Party of forming an underground revolutionary or- Rights Council are nothing but a tip of an iceberg. ganization and scheming to raise a “rebellion.” They arrested him in the “National Assembly” hall in Political terrorism, as good as broad daylight and sentenced him to a severe pun- “Yushin” dictatorship ishment. With this, the party was disbanded. International human rights laws including the When hearing of time of “Yushin” dictatorship, world human rights declaration and the international the south Koreans become indignant. Such a dark rules on civil and political rights stipulate prohibition age has come back to south Korea. The present south of cruel and inhumane treatment and punishment Korean ruler who inherited bad dispositions of her like torture as core provisions to ensure the personal father, the “Yushin” dictator, has resorted to the liberty. On the contrary south Korea has a growing political terror, unhesitatingly arresting, imprison- number of prisoners of conscience, who are groaning ing and removing anyone who stands in the way of in prison or suffering political murders due to forcible her dictatorship. investigations of the south Korean judiciary. In 2013, the first year of her power, she saw to it In addition in March this year, the “law on pre- that vice-chairman Ro Su Hui and other core mem- vention of terrorism” was manufactured as an un- bers—who were of advanced ages—of the South heard-of fascist law to legalize surveillance of and ►

South Koreans are out in a struggle against the present regime.

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 45 ► crackdown on any people or organizations. Thus it has become “lawful” in south Korea to conduct po- Crimes Never litical investigation which is treated as a felony even in the US, the origin of political terror. to Be Erased Worst ever crime of strangling democracy or Concealed The social being is entitled to elementary democratic rights, that is, the freedom of speech and expression, meeting, association and demonstra- tion. But in south Korea these are trampled on and HIS YEAR GERMANY AND POLAND killed mercilessly. agreed to compile by 2020 a history textbook In the early days of her power, Park Geun Hye T declared that she would “not pursue control of the (four volumes) covering even the modern ages of press.” But this was a deception. She has resorted to Europe. The international community welcomes the a more cunning and vicious policy of taking the positive moves of Germany to break with its unsa- control of the press than those of her predecessors. voury past, develop friendly relations with She planted her close associates in important offices neighbouring countries and promote peace in of the leading mass media by controlling behind the scenes the personnel problems of the public broad- Europe. casting stations. She has not allowed anyone to On the contrary, Japan, styling itself as a paci- speak, write or make programs against her inten- fist state, is engrossed in shameless acts, still deny- tion. Park has imposed her “speaking guideline” ing its past crimes. A typical example is that history and “broadcasting guideline” on the press at any textbooks which consist of distorted contents passed time, and forced them to instantly delete articles state examinations without a hitch and are now in that hurt her feelings even a little as well as those representing justice and criticizing her dictatorship. use at Japanese schools. In the textbooks, Tok Islets She has also labelled pressmen, who were critical of which have already been recognized historically and the “government,” as “north followers” and mobi- by the international law as belonging to Korea are lized the National Intelligence Service, public described as the “Japanese territory” and there is prosecutors and police to crack down on them. even the mentioning of such a pseudo-theory as the In eight months after she took office, more than one on “Imna under Japanese control,” which 23 790 articles were deleted from Internet sites and hundreds of sites forcibly closed according to the turned out to be groundless and unscientific long “national security law.” In February last year the ago. (The Korean historians proved that “Imna un- Internet newspaper Jaju Minbo which had worked der Japanese control” mentioned in the book Nihon for social progress and justice for 15 years was Shoki (History of Japan) was a synonym of the Ya- closed by force. mato state’s official agency or its head in the Kaya An artist, who had painted a picture showing the present incompetent ruler as a puppet when the (Imna) ministate in the Kibi region in west Japan, Sewol ferry sunk, suffered oppressions of all hues. and that “Wae,” one of the characters inscribed in When an overseas Korean woman said that “the the Monument to King Kwanggaetho, which was beer is excellent and the rivers are very clean in the cited as key proof of the theory on “Imna under north” while talking about her impressions from her Japanese control,” indicates the forces of the Kaya visit to the DPRK, she was banished forcibly from lineage in the area of Itoshima peninsula in north- south Korea on the “charge of praising and encour- aging the north’s system.” ern Kyushu, instead of the Yamato government in The south Koreans of all strata condemn Park’s the Kinai region. The circumstances, absurdity, suppression of the press as “indiscriminate abuse of reactionary nature, and falsehood of the theory were public power against the press” and “acme of sup- fully exposed and criticized and it was decided to be pression of the press putting the past Chun Doo a pseudo-theory.) In terms of the past sex slavery Hwan junta in the shade.” International human rights organizations and watchdog press have issue, under the pretext of the “agreement” with the pointed to south Korea as the worst violator of the present south Korean authorities to cover the sex freedom of speech. slavery crimes with a trifle of money, the expression These are not all. Denouncing Park Geun Hye “it was legally settled” was inserted instead of the who has changed their land into a worst ever hu- deleted expression “the military was involved in the man rights desert and a land devoid of democracy, effort to collect the sex slavery.” the south Korean people are vigorously struggling against the present “government.” Japan’s distortion of history is not confined to Rim Hye Gyong the Korean nation. It reduced and changed much of ►

46 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016

Japanese and south Korean students demonstrate for apology and indemnity for sex slavery crimes of the Japanese army.

house for examination and also rejected several times other textbooks until the government’s plan of revision was accepted. Then, what does Japan seek to have through the distortion of history? It wants to realize its ill ambition of reinvasion of Asia and the old dream of “the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,” based on revanchist feelings of the coming generations. As a re- ► the data on its crimes in other Asian countries. It sult, the Japanese distortion of history is not merely publishes and uses the textbooks which deny the an academic problem, but criminal manoeuvres to present reality and claim its possession in the matter revive the militarism. of territory, provoking a strong anger in neighbour- At present, the Japanese distortion of history is ing countries. one of the most dangerous political issues in the As mentioned above, it gives the students a dis- international community. A foreign press once said: torted historical view by using the textbooks full of “Abe economics” is nearly on the verge of bank- lies, thus corrupting the mind of its younger genera- ruptcy, “Abe politics” is under suspicion of violation tion. Now among the Japanese young people, of the constitution and “Abe military science” is rac- “superiority of the Yamato nation” and national ing hard for arms buildup; but even if these are all chauvinism are rising and Japan’s past atrocities are put together, they will be less dangerous than the deemed as the “liberator’s mistake” and “inevitable harm that “Abe pedagogy” will do to Japan itself and sacrifice.” More serious is the heavily inclined con- the Asia-Pacific region in the future. ception that “Japan is the victim, not criminal,” and In spite of such an apprehension of the interna- that “Japan must take revenge on its enemy.” tional community, Japan is getting more bellicose. This has all been brought about by the inten- The present Japanese authorities, with a delusion tional manipulation and high-handedness of the that they could realize the ambition of Tojo who present Japanese government running headlong to ended up in ruin trying to make Japan “leader” of the ultraright. In March last, Asahi Shimbun dis- Asia and claiming the world supremacy, must know closed the fact that the Japanese government put one thing clearly: it is a present international cur- pressure tenaciously to make a drastic revision of the rent to liquidate the guilty past and head for recon- contents of the high school textbooks to suit its taste ciliation and peace. during the state examinations. According to it, the Oblivion of the past will bring about a bigger Japanese Ministry of Education and Science gave as blunder. many as 206 items of instruction for revision of the textbook History of Japan presented by a publishing Kim Hyon Ju

KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 47 How Long Will They Say No?

ODAY MANY COUNTRIES ARE MARVEL- involving the DPRK, USA and south Korea in the T ling at the reality of the DPRK. They admire the 1980s, and negotiation between military authorities country for its manufacture and launch of artificial of the DPRK and the US to establish a new peace satellites, its powerful nuclear deterrent, and its mechanism to cope with the prevailing situation energy in pushing the building of a socialist power. caused by the latter’s moves to wreck the armistice However, only the US is neglecting such a reality machinery in the 1990s. with constitutional antipathy toward Pyongyang, On the other hand, the DPRK has made pains- making a desperate attempt to stifle it while clinging taking efforts to remove the US’s nuclear threat. In to the policy of sanctions, isolation and suffocation. 1959 it made a proposal to create a nuclear-free, peace zone in Asia, in 1981 the one to create a nu- Sanctions, Isolation and Suffocation clear-free, peace zone in Northeast Asia and in 1986 After False Charge the one to turn the Korean peninsula into a nuclear- free zone. Whenever the DPRK launched a satellite the In recent years the DPRK made proposals of United States doggedly claimed it as “launch of a crucial importance to deal with the situation in ballistic missile,” applying sanctions against the which the US’s anti-DPRK hostile policy has gone to country. When Korea launched its first satellite, the such an extent of making a reckless threat of nuclear US clamoured about “military countermeasure,” strike against Pyongyang endangering the nation’s ignoring agreements between the DPRK and the sovereignty and destiny. It also proposed that the US USA in which it commits itself to no hostility but make a bold political decision to halt joint military respect for Pyongyang. It went so far as to forge exercises conducted under the cloak of “annual” and “sanctions resolutions” and “presidential state- “defensive” program while the DPRK taking corre- ments” one after another in the name of the UN, sponding practical measures at the same time. The enumerating all sorts of sanctions items to isolate US, however, branded all the endeavour of the DPRK Korea. Moreover, it abused the UN arena to instigate as “camouflaged peace offensive” and an effort aim- its vassal nations. ing at “publicity effect,” aggravating the situation What makes matters worse is that the US is more serious. These days, clamouring about the seeking such a mean policy while it recognizes Ko- “possible collapse” of Korea, it is resorting to sanc- rea’s success in the satellite launches. When Korea tions and joint military rehearsals to translate its launched Kwangmyongsong 3-2, the North American scheme of “occupation of Pyongyang” into reality. Aerospace Defense Command recognized it wholly. Suffering from the US’s nuclear threat for scores Nevertheless, Washington fabricated a “sanctions of years the Korean people found their own way out. resolution” at the UNSC. Regarding the launch of In March 1993 the DPRK government made public a earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong 4 early statement declaring its withdrawal from the Nuclear this year the US strategic forces command acknowl- Non-proliferation Treaty and conducted the first edged the satellite’s entering into orbit, and similar underground nuclear test in 2006. And in January voices of acknowledgement were heard across the 2016 it successfully carried out an H-bomb test. world. Nevertheless, the US cooked up another sin- Consequently, the structure of confrontation came ister “sanctions resolution” with its vassal forces in into being in the Korean peninsula—between the the name of the UNSC. housebreaker with nukes and the master who is Commenting that the Americans’ concern is not determined to defend himself with nukes. When the what is done but who does it, the Western media DPRK successfully launched its artificial earth sat- judged that to determine legality and illegality by ellites exercising its right as sovereign state, the US the difference in systems is obviously double stan- said “no,” and when there came voices favouring dard. Korea’s deterrent in the international community and even in America, Washington always insisted Result of Inherent Antagonism “no.” It still says “no” to the DPRK’s proposal to ter- minate the tragedy of division and create a peaceful Over the past decades the United States has environment in the Korean peninsula. seriously violated international laws and neglected Now Korea has enough power to tackle any mode the DPRK’s strenuous effort to keep peace and secu- of warfare wanted by the US and is ready to take rity in the Korean peninsula and the region. tough countermeasures against the hostile forces’ Immediately after the armistice the DPRK pro- violation of its sovereignty and provocation. This is a posed to hold a political conference of a higher level result from the successive US administrations’ in- to establish a stable peace mechanism in the Korean herent antagonism toward the DPRK. Now it is the peninsula, and has since made numerous proposals US’s turn to answer the question, “How long will you for peace. Some typical ones are the proposal to hold say no?” the DPRK-USA talks in the 1970s, three-party talks Kim Yong Un

48 KOREA TODAY No. 11, 2016 Kwangbop Temple

HE KWANGBOP TEMPLE IN TAESONG- ages including that of Sakyamuni, and pasted a T dong, Taesong District, Pyongyang, was built Buddhist painting. The hall is gorgeously painted. during the reign of King Kwanggaetho in the There are carved images of young monks astride an Koguryo dynasty (277 BC–AD 668), and overhauled in elephant and a lion in the Haethal Gate and those of 1727. It was completely destroyed in the bombing by four heavenly guardians in the Chonwang Gate. the US imperialists in July 1952 during the Korean Preserved in the temple are a lotus pond with a war, but restored to its original state in 1990. long history, a monument to the Kwangbop Temple The temple is composed of the Haethal Gate, the erected in 1727 and a monument to the extension Chonwang Gate, the Taeung Hall, east and west and painting of the Kwangbop Temple which was Buddhist monasteries and a five-storey octagonal erected later. The epitaph on the monument to the pagoda. The buildings are arranged symmetrically temple records a legend about nine dragons and 99 with the pagoda-crossing line as the axis. It was a ponds in Mt. Taesongguryong. common method of building temples in the period of The temple in the beautiful Mt. Taesong is a Koguryo to locate buildings on four sides centring on valuable cultural legacy showing the advanced ar- a pagoda. chitectural art of the Koguryo people. It is an impor- The Taeung Hall, the main building of the tem- tant study of the history and culture of Koguryo and ple, is a grandiose two-storey building with a gabled successive states. It is well preserved as national roof. It has three bays in facade and three bays on treasure. side. Inside the hall are placed three Buddhist im- Ri Kyong Chol

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