Monument to Party Founding

The tower was unveiled on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary (October 10, 1995) of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Monthly Journal (765)

C O N T E N T S

3 Legitimate Masters of Society

Women in Korea, as masters of society, play

a great role in making a new breakthrough in

socialist construction.

5 Scientist of Strong Faith 6 Women Fighters and Revolutionary Honour 11 Quality Certifi cation Widely Under Way 12 Factory in Apple Orchard 14 Pride 16 Priority to Science and Technology

18 Best Way to Turn

Monthly journal Korea Today is printed and posted on the Internet site www.korean-books.com.kp in English, Russian and Chinese.

1 20 World of Researchers

21 Educator Couple

22 Suited to Children’s Psychology

24 Doctor’s Recollection

25 Egg-boiling Pool

26 With Love and Sincerity

Front Cover: At the 27 Seventy-fi ve Years of WPK (3) Yangdok Hot Spring Resort Society for Rallying Comrades Photo by 28 Fiercer Gale Makes Higher Banner Hwang Jong Hyok 30 Endless Stream of Study Tourists

32 Patriotism and Devotion

34 Quick-reading Education Develops

36 True story

I’ll Remain a Winner (6)

38 Paduk Family in Nampho

40 Seeing Nation’s Yesterday and Today

42 Vigorous Tree-planting Campaign

44 Great Haunt of Pyongyangites

45 National Intangible Cultural Heritage (40) Back Cover: People march Pongsan Mask Dance to old revolutionary battle sites in the Mt Paektu area 46 From Servant to Famous Painter Photo by An Kang Rim 47 Another Crime of Japan

48 Mt Kuwol (2) 13502 ㄱ – 208026

Edited by An Su Yong Address: Sochon-dong, Sosong District, Pyongyang, DPRK E-mail: fl [email protected]

© The Foreign Language Magazines 2020

2 Legitimate Masters of Society

OME TIME AGO A KOREA imperialists’ military occupa- SToday reporter had an inter- tion (August 15, 1945) that our view with Cha Hyon Ok, vice- women became able to celebrate chairwoman of the Central Com- their holiday for the fi rst time. mittee of the Socialist Women’s Probably it is the Korean women Union of Korea. who keenly felt the genuine sig- nifi cance of August 15. In 1910, March 8 this year is the when March 8 was designated 110th anniversary of the In- as the International Women’s ternational Women’s Day, Day, the country was complete- and we, on this opportunity, ly turned into a colony of the extend warm greetings to Japanese imperialists. The Ko- Celebration of March 8: the Korean women who are rean women of the ruined nation The liberation of the Korean adding happiness to fami- never knew the day. Whenever nation on August 15 brought lies and the society with the day came round many other about the liberation of the Ko- their pure affection, tender- women in the world celebrated rean women. It is the fi rst time heartedness and sincere ef- it, but few Korean women knew that the liberated Korean wom- fort. I think March 8 in Ko- about such a holiday. en celebrate the March 8 Inter- rea is not only a festival The liberation of the coun- national Women’s Day. March 8 day giving pleasure of life try gave the Korean women the is the day of struggle of women to all women in the country right of women and joy of the all over the world for their social but also a historic day that day. The then organ of the Cen- emancipation and the equality makes them recall the his- tral Committee of the Workers’ of human rights and freedom, tory of their destiny. Party of Korea wrote as follows and the day when they pledge It is after the liberation of in its article titled Announce- to participate in the building of the country from the Japanese ment to the Korean Women in a social state by pooling their ►

Women are full of delight after voting for deputies to the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly.

No. 3, 2020 3 Scientist of Strong Faith

CIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS FAR FROM “Ssomething anyone can manage. You cannot make a good career in research without the will to rise to the challenge of new things and pioneer a cutting-edge fi eld.” This is what Jo Su Gyong, a re- searcher of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering for Natural Resources Development, Pyongyang University of Mechanical Engineering, always says to graduates of the university’s graduate school and researchers of the university. Women have a good time on the International Women’s Day. Working as a researcher for over 20 years, Jo has accomplished research projects of great value strength, and put the pledge into Fatherland Liberation War, and ahead of schedule, scientists ► conducive to the development of the country’s sci- practice. when the country underwent who are dedicating their all to ence and technology and modernization of the na- Since then our women be- the dif cult period of the Ardu- cutting-edge research projects fi tional economy, including the one of making an au- came able to signifi cantly cel- ous March and the forced march, with a bold goal of astonishing tomatic hosiery packing machine. Whenever asked ebrate the day as their holiday. our women invariably support the world, and athletes who are how she engaged herself in mechanical engineer- were in high spirits at fi rst. But with the passage of The country made sure a wom- their country, and they are ful- making painstaking effort in ing, Jo says she hoped to become a violinist in her time some of them lost heart with repeated failures. en’s organization was formed ly aware of the fact that their training to create a sports leg- childhood and a doctor in her middle school days. Then department head Kim Sin Ung visited embracing broad sections of life, family and happiness are end. Jo’s father was a doctor. In the school days she the research team. Seeing Jo at a loss what to do women, and adopted a law on inconceivable apart from the Last year was of decisive saw him enjoy public respect, and made up her without confi dence, Kim said, “It is diffi cult to pio- sex equality some time later. country. signifi cance in the implementa- mind to become a fi ne person like him. neer the cutting edge. But what is more diffi cult is Thus they were provided with Therefore, they unhesitat- tion of the target of the fi ve-year One day, however, she was seriously reproved to keep your faith until you complete scientifi c re- the same rights as men in all ingly volunteer to work in re- strategy for the development of by her father. Her school had recommended her to search. The door to success will open for those of strong faith and will.” Listening to him, Jo rumi- spheres of political, economic mote mountain regions and de- the national economy, and the the aforesaid university as she was unusually good nated on the meaning of the word faith once again. and cultural life, for example, velopment zones, on seas and women in the scientifi c and ed- at studies. After receiving the relevant notice, she Now she realized that ability is not just faith and the right to elect and to be elect- solitary islets if the country calls ucational sector brought about came back home and made complaints to her fa- that only when they had the will to complete the ed and those to labour, remu- ther about it. Her father said: I am afraid you’re upon them to do so, and are ful- a revolution in the educational research task at all costs could they rise from fail- neration, social insurance and complaining about the university as we have such fi lling without fail their nation- work, thus training a lot of tal- ures to success. education. a good social system. What a good thing it is for the al economic plans overcoming ent who would shoulder the de- Reproaching herself for yielding to diffi culties Thanks to the proclamation manifold hardships under the velopment of the socialist econ- daughter of an ordinary doctor to go to university! Don’t insult your teachers and schoolmates who even for a while, Jo restarted the research, followed of the law the Korean women’s banner of self-reliance. Among omy, and played a great role in by her team members. Their painstaking efforts led age-long desire to live a life wor- them are model weavers who making a new breakthrough in recommended you to the university. What is impor- tant is not what kind of job you do but how sincerely to the completion of the design of the machine, and thy of human being free from have fi nished their annual plan socialist construction by waging ► then to its successful manufacture and installation humiliation, ill-treatment, con- you fulfi ll your duty. You should learn this if you want to become a true person. in the Pyongyang Hosiery Factory. tempt and fetters was realized. Women make innovations in their workplaces. Seeing hosiery being packed by the machine, Indeed, the Korean women Accepting his advice, Jo made efforts to become a true person. In the course of this she realized workers of the factory unstintingly praised the sci- are the blessed. So the socialist what a scientist’s faith is. entists for their ability. country reverberates with the Ten years ago her faculty organized a team to Later Jo carried out lots of research tasks in- songs Love Your Wives and Song develop an automatic women’s summer hosiery cluding the modernization of equipment of the Tae- of Women. packing machine, the kind of which was the exclu- donggang Foodstuff Factory and the introduction of Now the Korean women sive property of some countries. There were few an automatic canning machine in a fi shing station. have grown up into a power- technical documents to refer to. As a National Meritorious Person of Socialist ful force staunchly turning The team consisted of young researchers with Patriotism, Merited Scientist and Doctor, Jo is still one of the wheels of revo- Jo as its head as she had previously displayed her making exact demands on herself. lution, and are performing unusual ability in different research projects. They Kim Hye Gyong their role as legitimate mas- ters in all sectors of socialist construction under the up- ► a brisk mental war, a technological war. ing daughters of helpless elderly persons are being lifted banner of self-reliance. Besides, there is increasing the number of wom- continuously displayed among women. You’re right. As they did en who take warm care of war veterans and disa- Like this women play an important role in the days of the bloody anti- bled soldiers out of patriotism, and such beautiful in achieving the single-hearted unity of the Japanese struggle and the fi erce traits of adopting parentless children and becom- whole society. ‰

4 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 5 ► the enemy pursued them tena- al liberation for which she had conviction of all Korean commu- ciously to capture the guerrillas. longed so eagerly. The women nists. She was surrounded, got a bul- guerrillas were so overcome with I repeat that Choe Hui Suk is let through her leg and was cap- grief that they could no longer a woman revolutionary who can tured. eat. take her place proudly in the fi rst The enemy put her to torture I was lost in sorrow for a long line of our revolutionary ranks Excerpts from President Kim Il Sung’s Reminiscences With the Century brutal beyond all description to time. amongst all the others who over- extract the secret information However, we derived great came trying ordeals. from her. They even gouged out strength from her words, “I can Pak Won Chun, Choe Hui Women Fighters and her eyes. No threats or torture, still see victory in the revolution!” Suk’s husband, served a prison however, could break her revo- She had shouted this under the term in Sodaemun Prison. Revolutionary Honour lutionary spirit. Just before her worst imaginable circumstances, There were many other wom- death she shouted: “I have no manacled as she was and with her en fi ghters who died with enor- eyes, but I can still see victory in eyes gouged out by the enemy. mous courage, as Choe Hui Suk the revolution!” What an unbreakable, proud rev- did. HROUGHOUT HIS LIFE PRESIDENT the battlefi eld and on the gallows, not seeing the Enraged by her shout, the en- olutionary spirit shines through An Sun Hwa also ended her TKim Il Sung often recollected women guer- day of national liberation, women who remained emy carved out her heart to see these words! Not everyone could life heroically. It is not easy to die rillas who had heroically laid down their lives in loyal to the revolution until death. He recalled: what sort of heart a communist shout such words of defi ance un- a heroic death. had. What difference is there be- der similar circumstances. These An Sun Hwa was Ri Pong Su’s tween the heart of a revolutionary are famous words, the kind that wife. They fought in the same Choe Hui Suk was a ranking not just because she was older, ing the torn uniforms of her com- and that of others? A heart bears can be spoken only by those con- unit, her husband working as the veteran among women fi ghters of but also because she was always rades by the campfi re, warming no marks to indicate a revolution- vinced of the validity and truth of surgeon and she as the head of the Korean People’s Revolution- so exemplary in her everyday her frozen fi ngers now and again, ary or a traitor. their cause, only by fi ghters with the sewing unit. ary Army. She joined the army life and in carrying out her du- in the dead of night when the The heart of a revolutionary a strong sense of revolutionary … probably in 1932. This was when ties. And she took good care of others were all asleep. She never beats for his country, nation and honour. The words are the very An Sun Hwa was captured by the anti-Japanese armed forces her comrades-in-arms. She had rested for a few days before fi n- comrades-in-arms, whereas the summary of the life of the woman the enemy in the spring of 1938. were being organized throughout worked for several years in re- ishing any job, even if it meant heart of a traitor beats only for fi ghter Choe Hui Suk. One day when the guerrillas in the counties of eastern Manchu- gional organizations, such as the having to allay her hunger with himself. “I can still see victory in the the secret camp were preparing ria, wasn’t it? There were many Young Communist League and water. Whenever we talked about I was told that as soon as they revolution!”–this has now be- to leave for southern Manchuria women fi ghters in the KPRA, but Women’s Association, and among success in her work, she always took Choe Hui Suk prisoner, the come the maxim of our people, es- by order of Headquarters, the en- only a few of them had enlisted as the Chinese anti-Japanese units. gave credit to her comrades-in- enemy robbed her of the gold ring pecially our younger generation, emy’s “punitive” force suddenly early as 1932. A soldier who took In the course of all this she had arms for it. I can still remember that we had awarded her. Never- which symbolizes revolutionary pounced upon the camp. up arms in 1932 is worthy of be- acquired high political qualifi ca- her embarrassment on receiv- theless, they could not take away optimism. This woman fi ghter’s The secret camp at that time ing treated as a veteran. tions and leadership ability, so I ing her gold ring and watch at her cherished trust in us and her shout still rings in the minds of was staffed mainly by medical As far as I remember, I met used to give her a lot of diffi cult the awards ceremony for men loyalty to us. our people. personnel and members of the her fi rst in the spring of 1936. assignments. She continued to and women of merit as she stam- Even after they had torn out I value optimism and love op- sewing unit. An Sun Hwa was In that spring many women who work as the head of the sewing mered out: “Many of us worked her heart, they failed to under- timistic people. “There will be a captured by the enemy and put had been fi ghting in the units ac- unit of the KPRA after the Xiao- hard to make uniforms. If I alone stand how she could have re- way out even if the sky falls in!” is through cruel suffering. tive in Yanji and Helong were ad- haerbaling meeting because she am accorded special treatment in mained so honourable. one of my important mottoes. Be- The enemy tortured her, de- mitted into our main force…. enjoyed our trust. this way. ...” Those who do not love their cause I am an optimist myself, I manding the whereabouts of the All the women fi ghters ad- The commanding offi cers and After the Xiaohaerbaling country with a pure heart can have been able to go through hell guerrillas, foodstuffs, ammuni- dressed Choe Hui Suk as “elder soldiers of the main force con- meeting, she took part in small- never know what revolutionary and high water without vacilla- tion and medicine stores. The sister”. Many men fi ghters did stantly marvelled at her absolute unit operations. On her way to honour is, nor can they under- tion or deviation and continue to commander of the “punitive” too. By age, she was an elder sis- loyalty and revolutionary spirit. Headquarters to convey some im- stand the noble and beautiful lead the revolution and construc- force also tried enticing her with ter to most of us. She was several Everything she did touched the portant information one day, she spiritual world that grows out of tion in good health today. honeyed words, saying it was years older than I. I think among hearts of her comrades-in-arms. encountered “punitive” enemy a communist outlook on life. I still remember the words pointless for her to shed her blood the women soldiers she was one More than once I was moved by troops, who were going over the At the news of Choe Hui Suk’s that Choe Hui Suk, robbed of her and waste her precious young life of the elders, next to Kim Myong her noble sense of morality and mountains with a fi ne-tooth comb death, all of us mourned, bit- eyes, shouted at the last moment in a hopeless cause. Hwa and Jang Chol Gu. by her personality. During the in search of us. ter with regret that she had died of her life because they represent Had An Sun Hwa answered She was called “elder sister”, Arduous March I saw her mend- Discovering her small unit, ► without seeing the day of nation- the strong will and unshakeable their questions obediently, afraid ►

6 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 7 ► of torture, the enemy would not band Ri Pong Su had bought her for several months. The enemy ► ria, kept her honour as a revolu- that of a mother. My mother’s brother’s death in the Yulang- have killed her. with the money he had earned put mother and daughter into tionary. hair inside my shoes was the tru- cun guerrilla zone, where she had The Japanese in those days as a stevedore in Vladivostok separate cells, saying it was an Another heroine, Kim Su Bok, est manifestation of her maternal been staying. used the method of offering “gen- towards the end of the 1920s, as “extravagance” to keep mother was arrested and killed while con- love. At dawn the following day erous treatment” to defectors in well as a desk cloth she had not and daughter in the same cell. In ducting underground activities in When the Korean Provisional she untied her hair, cut it off and order to disintegrate our revolu- fi nished knitting. order to bring Han Ju Ae to her Zhujingdong, Changbai County. Government in Shanghai was set braided it. tionary ranks. A defector could She had kept her serge skirt in knees, they brought her daughter A hero or heroine is not a spe- up and Independence Army or- She sent the braid to her escape death by writing down his her knapsack without wearing it to meet her mother occasionally cial being. Ordinary women, such ganizations such as Jongui-bu, mother with the following note: guarantor’s name and putting for ten years, I was told. Why had in an attempt to take advantage as Choe Hui Suk, An Sun Hwa Chamui-bu and Sinmin-bu came “Mother! What pain you must be his thumbmark on the defector’s she kept it so carefully? She must of Han Ju Ae’s maternal love. No and the seven women martyrs of into being in Northeast China, feeling at Brother’s death in addi- application, even if he had been have wanted to wear it after the enemy trickery, however, could eastern Manchuria, can also be- imposing taxes on the Korean tion to my leaving home! engaged in armed resistance and country was liberated. This fact make her abandon her revolu- come heroines. residents, a considerable number “Please do not grieve over it, had been shouting “Down with alone shows us how fi rmly con- tionary principles. … of Korean women sold their hair though. Do not show your tears to Japanese Imperialism” only the vinced she was of the coming vic- The enemy fi nally shot her The story of the hair is elo- for independence contributions, I the enemy. day before. tory in the revolution. The desk on the bank of the Ussuri River. quent proof of what a great and was told. Their hair was a symbol “I am sending you my braid, It was really great that An cloth she knitted at odd moments The interrogators at the Japa- laudable revolutionary Comrade of their patriotism. Mother. I may not come back to Sun Hwa, a frail woman, should with thread she had unravelled nese gendarmerie had told her Ri Kye Sun was. Looking at it, I I am recounting past events see you for a long time. Look on have resisted the enemy’s cajol- from a worn-out shirt must also that they would spare her life if think of the pure-hearted, strong- related to hair while talking this braid as if it were me. With ing and endured their torture. have been intended to be spread she admitted that she repented willed devotion of all Korean about Ri Kye Sun because her all my heart I wish you the best of The enemy kicked her, stomped over her husband’s desk after the of what she had done, but she re- mothers, sisters and women revo- hair can give us a full picture of health till the day of victory in the on her and pulled out her hair. liberation of the fatherland. fused to give in to the last. lutionaries to their principles. her personality. revolution!” As she stubbornly resisted, yell- When covering her dead body Eight members of a sewing Korean women are outward- Comrades Kim Il and Pak This was her farewell to her ing “You, beasts!”, “You, fi ends!” with that serge skirt, her husband unit of the guerrilla army active ly gentle, but strong-minded on Yong Sun also know about her mother. There was no doubt that at them, the enemy drove wooden sobbed bitterly at the sight of the in northern Manchuria, includ- the inside. They are also strong- because they fought together with she was determined to devote the stakes into her chest and belly, pleats of the skirt, which were still ing An Sun Bok and Ri Pong Son, ly faithful to their fundamen- her. If you want to collect mate- rest of her life to the revolution. saying they would not waste bul- perfectly straight after ten years. while fi ghting against the enemy tal beliefs. I keenly felt this in rials about Ri Kye Sun, you had … lets to kill her. In the anti-Japanese armed that was closing in on them, threw the course of our revolutionary better interview the First Vice- Some time after her enlist- A man instinctively makes a units fi ghting in northern Man- themselves into the deep waters struggle against the Japanese. I Premier Kim Il and Comrade ment we sent her to a fi eld hos- face if a thorn pierces the palm churia also there were many of the Mudan River before they must say that Ri Kye Sun’s hair Pak Yong Sun. Some people claim pital because she was suffering of his hand. What agony An Sun women fi ghters like Choe Hui could be captured. There was a symbolizes the faith of all our it’s dull talking to Kim Il because from frostbite and unable to fi ght Hwa must have suffered as the Suk and An Sun Hwa. similar instance also among the women revolutionaries. he is so taciturn. They don’t know in the combat unit. At fi rst she re- stakes were driven through her Han Ju Ae is a good example women fi ghters of the guerrilla When I was carrying out the him well enough. Though he nev- fused to go, begging me in tears to body, tearing into her fl esh and of how strongly devoted Korean army in eastern Manchuria. On underground struggle in Man- er boasts of himself, Kim Il is loud be allowed to remain on the battle bones! women fi ghters in northern Man- their way to Neidaoshan, seven churia, my mother had placed and voluble in praise of others. front. Despite the pain, however, churia were to their revolution- young women fi ghters encircled her hair inside my shoes, the cut- Ri Kye Sun took the road However, I did not listen to An Sun Hwa never gave up her ary principles. In charge of the by the enemy committed suicide off hair she had kept carefully for to revolution in the wake of her her entreaties. I told her: “You principles as a revolutionary. She sewing unit, Han Ju Ae was mak- by drowning themselves into the several years since in her days brother, Ri Ji Chun. When I was don’t seem to know how dread- said what she wanted to say and ing padded uniforms of the guer- Fuer River. Their heroic death in Korea. One cold winter day I in the Jilin Yuwen Middle School, ful frostbite can be. You will have remained faithful to her convic- rillas at a service camp. One day, created yet another legend in the trudged across an uninhabited Ri Ji Chun studied at a normal many chances to fi ght later, but tions to the end. The moment the caught in a sudden attack on the history of the anti-Japanese revo- region in a raging snowstorm. I school in Jilin and was engaged in you must go to hospital right now. stakes penetrated her body, she camp by the enemy’s “punitive” lution. walked a long distance, yet my the revolutionary struggle under My father also died as a result shouted with all the strength she force, she was captured with her One year when I was visit- feet were not cold; on the contra- our guidance. Later, when he re- of cold injuries. How useful will could muster, “Long live the Ko- little daughter. ing China I saw and was deeply ry, the longer I walked, the more turned to Helong where his par- you be if all of your toes rot and rean revolution!” and “Long live The Japanese seized her while moved by a fi lm describing the warmth I felt in the soles of my ents lived to guide the work of the you become a cripple, walking on the emancipation of women!” she was fi ring back hopelessly at struggle of the eight women mar- feet. Reaching my destination, Young Communist League there, crutches?” At this, she reluctant- After her death, her com- the “punitive” troops, deliberate- tyrs of Mudanjiang. I pulled off my shoes, inspected he was arrested and killed by the ly agreed to get treatment at the rades-in-arms took everything ly exposing herself to them in or- Not only the women fi ghters them and found my mother’s hair enemy. The enemy set fi re to his hospital. out of her knapsack to dispose of der to give her comrades-in-arms in northern Manchuria, but also lining the interior. dead body, so that he was killed … her few possessions. Among these the chance to get away safely. Ri Sun Jol, a dear “sister” to the I thought at that moment that twice, so to speak. While we were away from the

was a serge skirt that her hus- She was kept behind bars guerrillas in southern Manchu- ► there is no greater affection than Ri Kye Sun heard of her Mt. Paektu area for a while, the ►

8 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 9 ► enemy hurled “punitive” troops against enemy suppression and daughter of the Korean nation at the service camps of our unit. fi ght the war of resistance to the and the perfect model of a woman Quality Certifi cation The hospital in charge of Doctor Japanese.” revolutionary. Song was also taken by surprise. Ri Kye Sun did her best to Ri Kye Sun’s mother had Widely Under Way Pak Sun Il fell in the battle and the last moment of her life to dis- worried herself sick for a long Ri Kye Sun was captured by the charge her mission and duty as a time because she did not know We are conducting the rele- Samilpho Specialities Factory enemy and dragged to Changbai servant, educator and informa- whether her granddaughter, Ri vant examination in compliance and other factories across the County. tion worker faithful to the people. Kye Sun’s daughter, was alive with the DPRK Law on Quality country are producing excellent … What a great surprise it must or dead. Only after the Korean Certifi cation and detailed regu- goods a lot. Along with a new …Ri Kye Sun was shot to have been to the enemy to hear War did she fi nd out that her lations for the enforcement of turning point in improving the death on a market day. The en- the woman of the communist granddaughter was studying at quality certifi cation. quality of goods lots of consumer What kinds of manage- goods and foodstuffs, including emy had gathered all the local army speaking up for revolution Kim Il Sung University. It was ment system certifi cation are functional cosmetics and the residents in a school playground, against the Japanese, quite con- then that she handed over her there? Kaesong Koryo insam processed boasting that a “converted” trary to their bragging that she daughter’s braid to her grand- There are different certifi ca- goods, are being produced to the woman of the communist army would “recant”. daughter. The braid that had tions such as ISO10901 (quality delight of the people. Many of OME TIME AGO A KOREA management system certifi ca- them, including internationally- would make a public “recanta- I’m told the old-time inhabit- been handed back and forth over SToday reporter had an inter- tion), ISO22000 (food safety certifi ed Pomhyanggi cosmet- tion”. They had also herded all ants of Changbai still remember three generations was a symbol view with Jin Yong Sok, director management system certifi ca- ics from the Sinuiju Cosmetics the peddlers from Hyesan into vividly the sight they witnessed of the valuable life of martyr Ri of the Central Quality Certifi - tion), ISO11305 (medicine pro- Factory and the Kangso Mineral the playground. that time. This means Ri Kye Kye Sun. The mother, whose face cation Offi ce of the Democratic duction and quality manage- Water specially good for health People’s Republic of Korea, on Why had Ri Kye Sun asked Sun’s speech obviously made a and voice had faded from the ment certifi cation), and ISO and longevity, are those we can the matter of quality certifi ca- 14000 (environment manage- boast to the world. the enemy to give her an offi cial great impact on the inhabitants memory of her daughter because tion which is widely under way ment system certifi cation). Recently the Pyongyang opportunity for addressing the of the area. of their forced separation when in different sectors. These certifi cations will be Cosmetics Factory developed local people? I think we can see Ri Kye Sun became a famous the daughter was still only a further subdivided in the fu- functional cosmetics of 25 kinds here the true nature of Ri Kye woman fi ghter because she illu- baby, coming back to her daugh- I think quality certifi ca- ture. Because the number of whose main raw material is tion has been conducted talent is growing thanks to the the Kaesong Koryo insam, the Sun as a communist. She want- minated her last moments with ter as a braid of hair—what a widely in different sectors country’s policy of attaching im- speciality of the country, and ed the people all together in the such a heroic deed. The crowning tragic meeting it is! The daugh- recently. portance to talented personnel, their quality was certifi ed by playground because she intended glory of her life was her last mo- ter wept and wept, rubbing her Now remarkable develop- and they are playing leading the Eurasia Economic Union, an to bid farewell to them by speak- ment. It can be said that the high cheek against the braid. ments are being achieved in dif- roles in all sectors. Under the infl uential regional economic or- ferent sectors, especially in food ing up for the revolution and point in one’s life means the time Ri Kye Sun’s daughter is now banner of self-reliance, they are ganization. processing, pharmaceutical and creating new things with their Meanwhile, the Pyongyang against the Japanese. Had she when a person’s mental powers faithfully carrying forward the cosmetics fi elds. Quality certifi - own technology and raw and Taegyong Laver Processing Fac- truly recanted, the enemy might and activities reach their apex. revolution her parents pioneered cation is the work in which the other materials with an ambi- tory, the Songdowon General have spared her life. Ri Kye Sun, The arrival of this high point var- at the cost of their lives. third party guarantees with a tious plan to lead the world in- Foodstuff Factory, the Thosong however, had not chosen such a ies with people. Some may expe- There would be no end if we written certifi cation that a cer- stead of following others. This Pharmaceutical Factory, the tain product, process or service had made offi cials, technicians Songchongang Seafood Process- despicable course of action, but rience it in their twenties, some were to enumerate all the exam- meets the relevant terms de- and workers think of quality ing Company and many other was prepared to face death. An- in their fi fties, and still others in ples of women fi ghters who lived sired. fi rst, and all factories and enter- units have made production yone ready to die fears neither their sixties or seventies. up to their dignity and honour Now the modernization of prises are striving to get quality processes Juche-oriented, mod- guns nor swords and feels free to People like Ri Kye Sun and as revolutionaries by sacrifi c- production processes and the in- certifi cation. ern, IT-based and scientifi c by say whatever he wants. Choe Hui Suk who end their lives ing their lives without the slight- creasing number of technicians Once technical delegates strengthening their own tech- and skilled workers at indus- from the World Health Organi- nical development forces. Thus She addressed the assembled brilliantly become a part of his- est hesitation. My assertion that trial establishments ensure the zation, on their visit to a phar- the production processes were people with the words: “I will die, tory for ever, while those who win women push forward one wheel production of new goods. In this maceutical factory in the coun- awarded a foodstuff safety man- but the Korean People’s Revo- fame but meet their last moment of the revolution is not an ab- condition we should raise our re- try, said that the country had a agement system certifi cation, lutionary Army is strong and its with dishonour sink into oblivion. stract notion. It is based on the sponsibility for guaranteeing the proper technical foundation for and GMP certifi cation. quality and safety of goods. And quality certifi cation, and that its The Taedonggang General Commander is in good health. That is why I still remember history of the bloody revolution- the impartial, objective, and ac- technicians’ ability was high. Fruit Processing Factory and No force in the world can defeat Ri Kye Sun. We can be rightly ary struggle against the Japanese curate appreciation of goods is With quality certifi ca- the Songdowon General Food- the KPRA. The day when Japa- proud of such a woman fi ghter and on my own actual experienc- our lifeline. tion under way recently the stuff Factory received the man- nese imperialism is destroyed and as Ri Kye Sun in the eyes of the es as a direct participant in the In the past we mainly did the Korean-made products are agement system certifi cation our fatherland is liberated is very world. Her heroic life can be a emancipation of Korean women, quality certifi cation, but now we winning international qual- and product certifi cation that give the fi rst consideration to ity certifi cations, I think. meet the international standard, close at hand. All of you must good theme for a revolution- as well as an eyewitness to their the management system certifi - The Kanggye Koryo Med- and such units are still on the unite in mind and body, rise up ary novel or fi lm. She was a true struggle. ‰ cation. icine-processing Factory, the increase. ‰

10 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 11 Factory in Apple Orchard

CONSPICUOUS THING IN THE MIDDLE of products in 11 kinds. The managers and work- A of an endless expanse of apple orchard in ers were not content with it as they were an Todok-ri, Samsok District, Pyongyang, is a factory. enterprising kind of people. They pushed ahead As it is buried in white blossoms in spring and with the undertaking for preparing more production in red fruits in autumn, the landscape of the lines and improving the quality of products. This Taedonggang General Fruit Processing Factory resulted in establishment of a drops line and a is really attractive. Equipped with a fruit depot natural fl avouring one, and the reconstruction of with the capacity of 2 000 tons and an essence the cosmetics line on an expansion basis. In the Products of the factory. depot which can store 1 000 tons, it produces fruit meantime the factory gained the ISO 22000 for ► appetite, recover from fatigue and retard ageing. to fi ne products in the country. The apple juice is a products in all seasons. all the production lines by earning national and It has turned out to be good for treating and unique product which keeps the original taste and The factory was established in Juche 100 international quality certifi cates in 2013 and 2014 preventing cancerous diseases, arteriosclerosis and fl avour of apples, so it won the December 15 Medal (2011)—its history is not so long. But its products respectively. cerebral thrombosis and for whitening the skin. of Quality which is awarded to the home-made such as juice, soda, syrup, fermented vinegar and The undertaking for developing functional Hwang Chang Bong, 105, who lives in products of top quality. The new products such as wine and its cosmetic goods such as apple perfume products also made headway on a large scale. Neighbourhood Unit No. 49, Kaeson-dong, fruit vitamin drops, green tea and fruit juice, and and apple shampoo have already gained popularity. One of them is the fruit and bee glue, which is Moranbong District, Pyongyang, loves to have fruit peptide drink are catering for the various In its initial days it produced twelve varieties a natural drink prepared by adding bee glue fermented apple vinegar every day. She uses no tastes of the people. which comes from apple honey collected at the other remedies than the vinegar for her health. She At present the factory is producing over 140 Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm area. It is good is free from digestive disorder, and she has a good varieties of products in 37 kinds. Ensuring top for supplementing energy, minerals and vitamins skin colour as well as a good memory. quality of all products is the goal of the workers. and reinforcing immunity. A kind of drink made from fermented vinegar Learning and researching constantly to attain it is Other natural products made from fruits with no sugar content is widely known as health the climate of the factory. produced in the pollution-free environment are also food against diabetics. Kim Ryon, a worker of the fermentation favourably commented upon by the public. Ferment- Eight kinds of the factory’s products including workteam, has enrolled on the distance learning ed vinegar is a good example. Made from fermented pear juice and apple juice have been put on the list course of Pyongyang Han Tok Su University of apple juice, the health food helps stimulate the ► of February 2 Products, which is an honour given Light Industry, and this has helped her to earn the honour of master of contrivance. Ri Kwang Jin, head of the technical preparation section of the new product and technical laboratory, is a graduate from Kim Chaek University of Technology, and he is attending the distance learning course of Kim Il Sung University. Thanks to their efforts wastes from fruit processing which used to be thrown away are being recycled. The factory produces feed additives from the remnants of the juice extraction, and oil from apricot and apple seeds. The oil is used not only for medical and cooking purposes but also for cosmetic materials. The products from the Taedonggang General Fruit Processing Factory, giving off the sweet aroma of fruits and nature, bring youth and health to people all the year round.

Article by Rim Ok Photos by An Yong Chol

12 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 13 ► Conspicuous Landscape Full-capacity Operation to make the goods with domesti- cally-produced polypropylene. It Pride Many people who visit the An Se Chol, chief engineer of was not easy for them to trans- factory say that it does not look the factory, proudly says, “My form the property of polypropyl- like the one producing the for- factory started its operation not ene to be like the previous plas- estry equipment and materials long ago, but it is in full opera- tic material as they only had the at all in view of its exterior ap- tion.” general knowledge of the plastics ECENTLY THE FORESTRY Protection is steadily expanding the pro- pearance. It produces plastic contain- industry. They, however, visited REquipment Factory under the duction of goods such as plastic container The wide compound of the ers for sapling cultivation, plas- a unit specializing in the plastics General Bureau of Forestry of the for sapling cultivation and light plastic factory has over 5 000 trees of tic containers for tall tree culti- industry to learn from its expe- 36 species including eastern vation, and plastic blinds, and rience, and studied the relevant Ministry of Land and Environment panel. ► white pine, metasequoia and all of them are made of domesti- global trend. They conducted Korean spruce, and turf of 8 000 cally-produced polypropylene as experiments scores of times to ㎡ spreading along the kerb, the main raw materials. fi nd out additional agents which and the exhibition and welfare The management of the fac- make the property of polypropyl- service buildings not inferior to tory set a goal of realizing the ene equal to that of polyethyl- production ones. It also has over domestic production of raw and ezne. 20 outdoor solar lamps, over 60 other materials to put the pro- In the course of this they solar panels, fi ve wind-driven duction of the goods on a normal established a production line generators, a resting place un- basis. To this end they pushed based on raw materials avail- der a circular roof, a volleyball ahead with a mass technical able in the country, and intro- court, and the sheds for Phung- innovation campaign. The of- duced into production an ultra- san dogs, pheasants and doves. fi cials themselves conducted violet absorber, antioxidant and Spectacular in particular are technical studies through the stabilizer, thus they became the exhibition and welfare ser- sci-tech learning space in order able to produce the goods at vice buildings. to acquire the knowledge of the their will. Ju Hyang Suk, a service plastics industry, and solved Now the workers of the fac- worker, says, “The employees of technical problems arising in tory say that it is working at full the factory say that they feel the production with the workers on capacity and that they are living joy of worthwhile labour in the the shop fl oor. optimistically. well-arranged service conditions The technicians and workers and environment.” tried to slough off the previous Article by Kim Yong Un mode of production and strove Photos by Ra Jin Hyok

14 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 15 ► getting such education like me.” held on the subject of “enthusi- itself. The workers of the main- Priority to Science and Technology The workers of the factory asm for digital economy and in- tenance workshop are our treas- are attending mainly the online troduction of IT,” and the factory ure who can make necessary education courses of Kim Chaek had the honour to be recognized production equipment as they University of Technology, Pyong- as a model IT-based unit 2019. want. Some time ago they manu- stuff production including the yang Han Tok Su University of While looking at the process- factured by themselves the feed global trend in the development Light Industry and Pyongyang es operating in the integrated pump which had previously been of the foodstuff industry. There University of Mechanical Engi- production system, we found imported from other countries or we met Kim Hyon Sik, a worker neering. new production processes there purchased from other factories, of the factory and a student of the Kang said it was also such a and asked Kang about them. and it is greatly contributing to online education faculty of Kim student worker who had made it Then she said, “They are a pota- production as its capacity is 30 Chaek University of Technology. possible to ensure the domestic to farina-based foodstuff produc- times greater than other feed He played a great role in solving production of the materials ca- tion process and a fried cereal pumps. The treatise Manufac- the technical problems arising in pable of ensuring the transpar- chip production process.” turing and Designing of Feed In the sci-tech modernizing a medical dextrose ency of starch syrup. Listening We went to the shop fl oor to Pump by Pipe-making Method learning space. production process. A roller fl our to her we headed for the gen- see the fried cereal chips. The from the factory took fi rst place mill designed and manufactured eral control room. In the room, chips were being made with in the Pyongyang Municipal Sci- by such students of the factory in we could see the actual states wheat, maize and barley. “The tech Festival held last year.” cooperation with its technicians of every workshop’s production fried cereal chips were developed Her pride in the factory OME TIME AGO WE commendation,” she said with a played an important role in mak- process in operation at a glance. by our technicians who are regu- seemed endless. She then said Svisited the Pyongyang Corn- smile, and added that their da- ing the aforesaid process dust- Kim Kuk Chol, a member of the lar visitors to the sci-tech learn- the factory would make another starch Factory situated on the tabase contains data of over four free and unmanned and improv- room, said they had previous- ing space and good developers of leap forward by concentrating bank of the Taedong River. Kang million items along with new ing the quality of the product. ly watched and controlled the new products,” said Kim Myong on sci-tech development this Sol Gyong, an offi cial of the data of over fi ve thousand items Kim Hyon Sik said, “It is not management of process, power Hui, a machine operator. She year, too. factory, welcomed us. added last year. long before I fi nish the online and quality and that now the added that the fried chips which Now we realized that the She guided us to the sci-tech The technicians and workers education course and receive a integrated production system could substitute for breakfast factory was thriving because it learning space fi rst. “Last year of the factory frequent the sci- diploma. While getting the edu- was further perfected with the were popular among women as attached importance to science the sci-tech learning space of our tech learning space as it enables cation, I solved several sci-tech control of electric power made it could lighten their burden. and technology and regarded it factory was awarded an offi cial them to see all the data on food- problems arising in the factory. IT-based. The integrated power She went on to say, “Our fac- as its development strategy. In the course of this I accumu- control net of the factory was tory designed and manufactured lated a high ability, and now highly estimated in the national the equipment for the produc- Article by Rim Ok I am confi dent that I can solve IT achievements exhibition 2019 tion of the fried cereal chip by Photos by Hwang Ryo Jong In the analysis any sci-tech problems. The fac- laboratory. tory has lots of students who are ► Production goes up on the strength of science and technology.

16 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 17 ► ing with the developing times, technical innovations, thus con- station. Self-reliance is the only Best Way to Turn it was absolutely impossible tributing to the normalization of way for us to live. The reality because of the limited electric power production. eloquently proves the validity of power. So the factory decided to Last year it built a tiny the country’s policy of construct- build a medium-size hydropower power station by introducing ing medium and small power station itself by using its favour- a method of using an outlet of stations at any place where wa- able physiographical condition. waste water. Electricity from ter fl ows.” He continued to say Most of its workers were women, the power station is being used blessing does not come of itself, but they started the project on to run a workers’ hostel, a bath- but one should achieve it by the banks of the Tokji River, and house, a swimming pool and oth- oneself, adding that the factory fi nished it in three years. They er cultural and welfare facilities, would not become a consumer were all pleased on the day they a mushroom cultivation ground but a producer giving a helping produced the fi rst products us- and a greenhouse. hand to the country in the future ing the electricity from their own The electricity is also sup- too. power station. plied to many other units in the Convinced that the material Meanwhile, the factory county and dwelling houses in wealth of the factory would in- waged a mass technical inno- the county town. crease thanks to such managers vation campaign to make the When we met Kim Song and workers, we left it. digital control-based power pro- Bok, head of the power station, duction and supply IT-based, he said, “The factory is getting Article by Sim Yong Jin and introduce many valuable much benefi t from the power Photos by Ri Chung Ryol Electricity from the power station is supplied to factories and welfare service facilities.

OME TIME AGO WE cause we built a power station by who were all married women at Natural Monument— Svisited the Kowon Unha Gar- ourselves by relying on our own the time of its inauguration in ment Factory in Kowon County, strength and with the concerted August 1958. It has now devel- Moranbong Dendrolite Fossil South Hamgyong Province. In the efforts of the employees, and are oped into the one producing dif- wide compound of the factory we conducting the production at our ferent products including men WOODEN FOSSIL, est of upright or fallen petri- could see an eight-storey produc- will using the electricity from and women’s padded clothes, which shows the geologi- fi ed trees. This tells that the tion building and other auxiliary the power station.” Then, with overclothes, knitted clothes and A cal history of Korea, is well climate of those days was a buildings standing neatly. deep emotion, he told us about sportswear, and the one overful- preserved as a natural monu- subtropical one, and that tall When we met Kim Pong Gi, the construction of the power lling its annual national eco- fi ment in Moran Hill of Pyong- trees made a forest in the area. general manager of the factory, station. nomic plan. Efforts are made to improve the quality of products. yang. The Moranbong dendro- Various plant phytolith such he said, “My factory is now well The factory was a small Though it was determined to lite fossil in the vicinity of the as bracken and cycad species known across the country be- weaving shop with 30 employees produce more products in keep- ► Chongnyu Cliff, which was the came from the layers which tree growing by a lakeside in are almost similar to the tree the Early Jurassic Epoch of fossil layer. the Mesozoic era, the geologi- According to paleontolo- cal age of about 200 to 175 mil- gists’ research fi ndings, this lion years ago, was buried by tree fossil is a type of pine tree. the geological action, and the The annual ring of the fossil silicon component dissolved in and the structure of its cells underground water fi lled the serve as important data for gaps of its cells. studying paleoecological envi- The fossil was the gymno- ronment of the Early Jurassic sperm which grew thickly at Epoch of the Mesozoic era. that time. Originally, the spot was covered in petrifi ed for- Pak Un Yong

18 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 19 World of Researchers Educator Couple

ECENTLY THE TEACH- was not made public. Still, the of coating and the way of coating AK SONG GWAN AND Cherishing a hope of becom- days they fell in love with each Rers and researchers of the department head Choe Nam and tried to fi nd an important PKim Jin Wol are man and ing a fi ne teacher he had stud- other and fi nally married. biomass engineering depart- Sun and her teachers and re- matter in eliminating the irra- wife. ied hard and became an hon- Soon after, Pak was promot- ment, Pyongyang Han Tok Su searchers boldly started the re- tional point occurring in draw- Pak is the deputy head- our student. But when it came ed to deputy headmaster. University of Light Industry, search as they knew it was an ing lines on the cloth to be con- invented cloth for practising important job to make the rising venient for writing practice. master of Pipha Senior Middle to actual teaching he found it He says. “My wife’s effort handwriting by a brush. Dr. generations become attached to … School in Moranbong District, was different from learning was unusual. She would sit up Kim Song Juk, candidate acad- things of their own. The faculty They fi nally succeeded in Pyongyang, and Kim is a teach- theoretically. While trying to all night making preparations emician and professor, said the actively helped with their work. completing the cloth. er of Jonsung Primary School in improve his teaching ability he for my teaching, and add her department, though with a short While carefully examining The cloth can be recycled. It the same district. heard that a maiden teacher own idea to my making a teach- history, has fully displayed its the cloth brought by the afore- also makes it possible to save pa- ability for several years, and told said teacher, they strove to fi nd per and colour, and it is regard- As they are October 8 Model of the aforesaid primary school ing aid.” us the following story. out its secrets, for example, the ed as an environment-friendly Teachers, not only teachers but was highly rated in a municipal “It seems to me that he re- A teacher of Pyongyang property of the cloth and the ra- product that causes no envi- also parents who raise children teaching contest. gards himself as deputy head- University of Fine Arts visited tio of combination of adhesives ronmental pollution. In August know the couple. The following He didn’t hesitate to visit master even at home. He is in- the department several years for fi xing coating to the cloth. 2019, the cloth won a certifi cate shows how they were married. her. She was Jin Wol. Knowing creasingly strict with me while ago. Producing a kind of cloth The fi rst trial product they pre- of registered hi-tech product. for practising handwriting by sented revealed shortcomings: The cloth is popular with stu- Pak attended Kim Chol Ju why he came, she gave selfl ess examining my teaching plan a brush, the teacher asked if the letters written with the dents of Pyongyang University University of Education after help to the enterprising and in- closely. However, I don’t want the university could invent brush soaked with water spread of Fine Arts and young people fi nishing military service. It was quiring man. Thus, he could get to fall behind him,” Jin Wol says such cloth. The cloth was the so much that they could not and children who want to learn when he was practising teach- the knack of teaching quickly. with a smile. one coated with a mixture of be well recognized, and empty calligraphy. ing in a school of Moranbong After graduating from the She invented several new several substances including holes appeared in strokes; and Recently they have invented plaster to be used in art educa- the cloth and coating separated a dental paper wick indispen- District before graduating from university he became a teacher teaching methods such as that tion. After the teacher left, the because of weak adhesion. Noth- sable to the maintenance and the university. He found himself of the abovementioned senior of heightening understanding relevant dean, the head of the ing went smooth including the treatment of teeth without pull- becoming strained while giving middle school. of maths by using a piling game department and its researchers development of adhesives. ing them out. his fi rst lesson before tens of Since then they often met to as a teaching aid to suit the psy- were lost in thought. None of But the teachers and re- Choe Nam Sun said, “Our pairs of twinkling eyes watching discuss about problems arising chology of lower primary-school them readily said because that searchers kept making efforts teachers and researchers will cloth was an exclusive prop- to solve the problems by them- continue to develop and create him, thus he could hardly know in their work and exchange ex- graders. She also invented sev- erty of some countries and the selves, pooling their wisdom. things of our own.” how he started and fi nished the perience in an effort to improve eral experimental apparatuses technique of manufacturing it They worked on the composition Kim Il Bong lesson. their qualifi cations. In those and teaching aids. She participated in the 14th National Conference of Teachers OME TIME AGO THE of the coastal breakwater of held in September last year. Sscientists of the State Acad- Profi table the Koam-Tapchon railway at On the day when she came emy of Sciences developed a Sokjon Bay. This made it possi- back from the conference Pak new kind of cement block to Cement Blocks ble to save tens of thousands of congratulated her, presenting a be installed at the front face of similar blocks as compared to the breakwater to reduce the Developed the previously used tetrapods, bouquet. She gave the bouquet action of wave energy upon a decrease the amount of the back to his husband and said, coastal structure. thus confi rmed the scientifi c aquanaut work for smoothing “This bouquet is for you. Let us The block is divided into numerical values such as the the foundation bed of several participate together in the next different kinds according to size and weight of the blocks thousand square metres, and conference.” their shapes. for different heights of wave, lower the height of the break- The scientists intensifi ed and the longitudinal slope of water by 40% while increasing They are continuously striv- the theoretical studies and installing position. The blocks the rate of wave reduction by ing to develop their students hydraulic model tests in or- they developed were intro- 40 to 50%. into talent. der to develop the blocks, and duced fi rst in the construction Pak Thae Ho Pak Un Yong

20 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 21 Suited to Children’s Psychology

tion was attributable sons to have the children take to the education in an interest in abacus. And the abacus calculation. teachers found a way to give The education is abacus education to the children one of the methods to suit their psychology. Without to develop the right arranging hours in particular, brain of children. they gave the children the edu- Jo Kwang Ok, head cation for twenty minutes a day, teacher of the kin- that is, fi ve minutes during a dergarten, said that recess between lessons, fi ve min- children who learned utes during sunbathing and out- to count on the aba- side play and ten minutes after cus for a month or snacking. Especially the kinder- two had an image of garten gave the education to not Abacus-used instruction. abacus in their right only some intelligent children brain and that if they but also all the others of lower OT LONG AGO WE had the ability to picture the and higher classes. Nvisited the Undok Kinder- abacus, they could immediately The abacus education was garten in Phyongsong, South calculate the answer without the very effective. The concentra- Phyongan Province. “What’s the abacus while using the abacus tion of the children improved result of 445 789 minus 325 464 in their mind. The right brain is day by day, their observation plus 456 721?” a teacher asked faster in memory speed, higher and imagination grew strong the class, and O Wi Ryong, a in imaginative and creative and their ability to understand member of higher class No. 4, power and a hundred thousand what they learned in lessons soon answered, “It is 577 046.” times greater in memory capac- was remarkably raised. The ad- And most of other children of ity than the left brain. It is said vantage of the education can be higher classes calculated men- that children with the developed proved by the fact that the chil- tally the successive addition and right brain are faster in intel- dren who are good at the abacus subtraction of numbers of over lectual development than those in the kindergarten always lead fi ve or even seven fi gures in a who use only the left brain. the others in not only learn- short time, and some of them The kindergarten contribut- ing but also art and physical speedily found the answer of ed to the improvement of educa- training. multiplication of numbers of tion by introducing the method The success was attributable two or three fi gures like primary of educating preschool children to the teachers’ devoted efforts schoolchildren did. The children with insuffi cient concentration to develop the intelligence of the of lower classes, too, answered in abacus calculation to suit children, the future of the coun- confi dently the results of the their characteristics. try. The teachers are still striving Article by continuous addition and sub- Department chiefs Ju Su to invent and introduce various Kim Il Bong traction of numbers of two or Gyong and Pak Yong Mi and teaching aids suited to the chil- Photos by three fi gures. other teachers combined jig- dren’s psychology including VR Hwang Jong Hyok Their such ability of calcula- saws, games and singing les- glasses and versatile sand board.

22 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 23 Doctor’s Recollection Half-done eggs Egg-boiling Pool that absorb enough such a case as the aforesaid girl. Though now well medicinal elements versed in the condition of the girl, he referred to the of the hot spring of x-ray fi lm of her deformed right foot and an ana- tomical chart of man in preparing for the operation 70-80℃ are a spe- to correct the foot. He spent silent days and nights cialty of the resort. preparing for a successful, immediate operation. The night before the operation the nearly-70-year- old surgeon played the guitar as he had always done before. It was not merely an ordinary practice of a surgeon for a deft hand. He did not regard any single operation merely as medical treatment but a worthwhile job to give joy of life to patients and enable them to expect their future when they would realize their hope to their heart’s content. The day when the operation was done success- Jang Myong Guk (right). fully Jang, looking at the girl who had just come out from under the anesthesia, almost shouted, HE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC “Your foot has been restored to normal, Su Gyong.” Tof Korea has many people who have dedi- And the girl saw the instep of her foot properly cated their life to the development of the coun- after the lapse of ten years. try’s medical science. Among them is Assoc. Prof Soon afterwards, Jang performed another dif- and Dr Jang Myong Guk of the plastic micro- fi cult operation, thus completely restoring the leg surgery laboratory of the hospital of Pyongyang to normal. University of Medical Sciences. Jang looks as young The parents of the girl repeatedly thanked Jang as a man under 60 though he is nearly 80. holding his hands closely, when the doctor said, “It He has worked with the sector of public health is rather thanks to our benevolent socialist health for over 50 years since his graduation from the uni- system than my medical skills that Su Gyong has versity, and the number of operations he has per- become able to walk, so you had better thank our formed is said to be more than 6 000. country.” He gets letters of thanks almost every day. Not long ago he received a letter from a young woman, Jang felt it seemed to have happened just a few Hwang Su Gyong by name. Repeating the name in- days before. In her letter Su Gyong wrote that she, wardly he looked back upon the past. without the least inconvenience, was making ef- One summer day in 2008 the hospital held an forts to do lots of things for the country, and invited urgent consultative meeting of experienced sur- the doctor to her wedding ceremony to be held sev- geons for an ordinary girl. After carefully examin- eral days later. ing the right leg of the girl, Jang, the then head Jang’s wife and his two sons and son-in-law are of a microsurgery laboratory, said decisively, “We all engaged in health service. Jang always says to will be able to cure her problem with a good opera- them, “We should not consider it natural that we tion.” The girl shed copious tears at his words. She are held in respect and affection by people. Our was Hwang Su Gyong. When she was seven, her pride today is inconceivable apart from the benevo- leg began to gradually bend inward, and the instep lent system. You should always attach importance became almost like a sole. When she was 12, she be- to operating theatres you enter at any time, the came unable to think of going out. So Jang’s words white gowns you wear every day and the scalpels greatly delighted her. you’re skilled at handling, and assure your patients Jang, however, unusually looked strained. He good life not only today but also in the future. This had invented an atraumatic needle and established is the way for you to fulfi ll your duty as health a system for the production of the needles, thus workers and repay the country.” making an active contribution to the development Lots of letters of thanks are addressed to Jang of microsurgery, and had performed relevant opera- and his children. tions a lot. But he was a stranger to the operation on Pak Yong Il

24 KOREA TODAY With Love and Sincerity Seventy-fi ve Years of WPK (3) Society for Rallying Comrades

HE NORTH PHYONGAN PROVINCIAL TKoryo Medicine Hospital, which specializes INCE THE APPEARANCE OF COMMUNISM move to the Chinese party. in the Korean traditional medicine, is situated in Sin the arena of the working-class movement The matter of the Korean party members hav- Sinuiju, North Phyongan Province. The hospital is as the new thought of the time, political parties ing to work in the Chinese party could not but seri- frequented by not only inhabitants of the province representing the interests of the working class had ously excite the young Korean communists who had but also people from other provinces. appeared in various countries. a stronger national pride than others. Welcoming us, Kim Jun Dok, director of the hos- In April 1925 a communist party was formed Kim Il Sung, leader of the communists of the pital, said, “My hospital was established in 1957. even in Korea which was deprived of its freedom of new generation, had repeated arguments about the It is not so big, but we are making achievements and right to political activities due to the colonial principle of “one party for one country” with his in medical treatment as we have well-quali ed doc- fi rule of the Japanese imperialists. comrades. Could they fi nd a way which would con- tors.” Adding that they had lots of medical work- Unfortunately, however, the Korean Communist form with the instructions of the Comintern while ers held in respect by people—including Kim Yong Party came to the end of its existence as an organ- advancing the Korean revolution powerfully? Song, vice-director for technical affairs; Jong In ized body in 1928, unable to survive the cruel sup- The way out which he discovered as a result was Suk, a doctor of the digestive medicine department; pression by the Japanese imperialists and the fac- to form a party by setting up basic party organiza- and Sin Yun Il, head of the acupuncture and moxi- tional strife in its high-ranking echelon. tions fi rst, with communists of the new generation, bustion department—he told us the following story. Doctors bring a patient of pamplegia back to normal. At its Sixth Congress held in the summer of who had nothing to do with factions, as the back- In summer several years ago, an ambulance, 1928 the Comintern pronounced the withdrawal bone and then steadily expanding them, proceeding carrying a young man with his upper part swathed including massage, acupuncture and moxibus- of its recognition of the Korean Communist Party. from the lesson of the preceding communist move- in plaster-of-Paris bandages, entered the yard tion. While overcoming the diffi cult burden of the This was tantamount to the expulsion of the Korean ment, instead of hastily proclaiming a party cen- of the hospital. The diagnosis pronounced to the treatment together with the patient, the doctors Communist Party from the ranks of the Comintern. tre. He was convinced that if they refrained from young man who had a long way to go was too fatal. imbued him with strength and courage, and pro- Now the Korean communists of a younger gener- forming an independent party’s central committee His name was Pak Jin Su and he was diagnosed as vided him with specially-prepared foods lest he ation began to consider in real earnest how to found in China lest it should coexist with the Chinese compression fracture of the fi fth cervical vertebra. should become weak. And nobody knew how much a new-type party without any factional strife inside. party, it would not be contradicting the Comintern’s Furthermore, the severe reality that no modern distance the medical workers travelled to take But they had to overcome many obstacles. The big- principle of “one party for one country” and that the medical method was absolutely possible to restore him to famous spas in different regions. Thanks gest of them was that there still remained factional- Comintern would welcome it. him to health made the medical workers in the hos- to such sincerity of theirs the patient fi nally could ism in the communist ranks. After the Korean Com- Having established the idea, the communists of pital feel afraid that they might not get him to his get to his feet with the aid of crutches fi ve months munist Party was disorganized, the old communists the new generation advanced the policy of founding a feet. Worrying if they could bear the responsibility later. launched a campaign at home and abroad to rebuild party at the Kalun Meeting (June 30–July 2, 1930). for the patient, they were looking at one another Looking back upon those days his father said the party. But the movement failed to proceed in On July 3, 1930 the fi rst party organization of without any words, when a deep and full voice broke he really could not forget the scene of the medical a coordinated manner, depending on activities of the proposed kind was formed in a classroom at Jin- the awkward silence. “What the patient needs now workers shedding tears of joy when his son became various factions. None of the factions could realize myong School in Kalun with Cha Kwang Su, Kim is neither medical art nor medicines. It is just the able to stand again. the rebuilding of the party due to the indiscriminate Hyok, Choe Chang Gol, Kye Yong Chun, Kim Won conscience of a doctor willing to bear the responsi- Not content with the success the doctors kept pressure and obstructive manoeuvres of the Japa- U, Choe Hyo Il and other communists of the new bility for not only his life but also his future,” Kim pushing ahead with the medical treatment on a nese imperialists. generation. Although they were not present at the Jun Dok said earnestly, touching the other medical large scale while holding doctors’ conference and Another diffi culty in founding the party was that meeting, Kim Ri Gap, Kim Hyong Gwon, Pak Kun workers. technical consultation several times. They devoured it was impossible for the Korean communists to found Won and Ri Je U also became members of the fi rst Thus there started full-scale medical treatment various medical books and reference books and an- their own party in Manchuria because of the Comin- party organization. At the meeting Kim Il Sung for the patient. It was decided that Kim Yong Song, alysed their past experience to invent and employ tern’s principle of “one party for one country.” In the delivered his speech On the Occasion of Forming who had lots of clinical experience, bore the respon- rational Koryo medical treatments. Especially they general provisions of its rules adopted at its Sixth a Party Organization. sibility for the medical treatment. The cosiest room established a new method of medical treatment Congress the Comintern laid down this principle, to The organization was simply named Society for of the hospital was newly arranged into a sickroom suited to the patient’s physical constitution and the the effect that each party belonging to the Comintern Rallying Comrades. That name embodied the high for the patient, and urgent measures were taken for symptoms of his disease and combined acupunc- should carry the name of the communist party of the aims and will of the new-type communists who were his treatment. ture, Koryo medicines, manual technique therapy, country concerned (the branch of the Comintern) and taking the fi rst step in the revolution by winning Necessary Koryo treatment was intensifi ed kinesitherapy and traction treatment without us- that each country could have only one communist over comrades, and who were determined to develop ing any modern medicines. party representing the Comintern branch. the revolution in depth and achieve its fi nal victory Much time has passed since At that time, owing to the various interpreta- by continually discovering and rallying those com- the young man began to get the tions of the Comintern’s principle of “one party rades who would share their fate together. treatment in the hospital. Now he for one country,” terrible confusion and vacillation The fi rst party organization—the Society for is able to walk or ride a cycle. were cropping up in the activities of the Korean Rallying Comrades—was the embryo and seed of The medical workers of the communists for the liberation of their country, and the Workers’ Party of Korea; it was an organization hospital are still devoting their even the right of the Korean revolutionaries to fi ght with the importance of a parent body in forming and sincerity to the treatment of pa- for their homeland was regarded as doubtful. Such expanding the basic organizations of the Party. tients. being the case, those Korean communists, who had Kim Tae Song been working hard to rebuild their party, started to Ri Jong Nam

26 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 27 ► many restrictions created by the in less than one year; it has got Since they entered the offensive Fiercer Gale Makes heinous sanctions imposed by indoor hot spring grounds, out- for a frontal breakthrough, the the hostile forces and continued door hot spring grounds, skiing Korean people have demonstrat- Higher Banner unfavourable weather condi- area, riding ground and hotels— ed higher enthusiasm, and the tions; they spruced up the city of divided into curative and sana- independent and fi rm founda- Samjiyon, building it into an ex- torium districts, sports and rec- tions of the country’s economy, OON AFTER THE FIFTH of military threat and sanc- been augmented ceaselessly. cellent model of cultured town in reational districts, service facili- particularly the defence indus- SPlenary Meeting of the Sev- tions against the country has In particular, implementing mountains, an ideal archetype ties, multi-storeyed apartment try, are getting more solid. enth Central Committee of the further increased, resulting in the decisions of the third and of modern civilization. Also the blocks and other components, No doubt the proactive cam- Workers’ Party of Korea took the futility of its serious effort fourth plenary meetings of the Jungphyong Vegetable Green- which are all in perfect combi- paign will elevate the interna- place in late December last year, for confi dence building between Seventh Central Committee of house Farm and Tree Nursery nation of practical usefulness, tional position of the country the Korean people all across the Pyongyang and Washington, the Workers’ Party of Korea went up in a little over a year, mutual coordination and forma- higher than ever before while country held rallies the follow- global nuclear disarmament and which were held in April 2018 comprising 320 greenhouses for tive arts. causing the hostile forces to fall ing month to demonstrate their non-proliferation. In this context and April 2019 respectively, the cultivation of vegetables and The reality shows that no into unbearable uneasiness and resolution to implement the de- Korea, a nation that puts great- nation has concentrated all its tree saplings, and houses for challenge in the world could fear. cision of the meeting. Since then er value on its sovereignty and efforts on economic construc- hundreds of households in the check the country in its progress The fi ercer the sanctions may they have been working with dignity though it urgently needs tion and thus achieved great total area of 200 hectares. An- and that its self-developing ca- be, the higher the red banner of fervent enthusiasm to make in- external environment favour- things by drastically building other wonder is the Yangdok Hot pacity is outdoing the sanctions Korea will stand. novations and work miracles by able for its economic construc- up the developing capacity. Last Spring Resort which was erected applied by the hostile forces. Ri Su Gyong dint of their own efforts and sci- tion, could not stand the double- year it reaped an unprecedented tech resources. dealing behaviour of the US that bumper harvest that exceeded The basic idea or the basic has sought its own political and the peak-year level even under ► Pyongyangites pledge in January 2020 to implement the tasks put forward by the th th spirit of the plenary meeting diplomatic interests while wast- 5 Plenary Meeting of the 7 Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. is to conduct an offensive for a ing time under the signboard of frontal breakthrough instead dialogue and negotiations and of waiting for the situation to at the same time kept sanctions turn better. In other words, it so as to sap the independent na- demands having no dream that tion’s strength. Finally the coun- the US and other hostile forces try has decided to launch a cou- would leave the Korean people rageous offensive for a frontal to live in peace, but making an breakthrough to neutralize the offensive for a frontal break- sanctions of the hostile forces through on the strength of self- and open a new avenue for so- reliance to overcome the diffi cul- cialist construction. ties lying in the way of advance It is a political position of Ko- of socialist construction. rea to carry on a frontal attack Over the past 70-odd years to put the objective factors under the Korean people have built its control instead of looking for socialism against the most bru- a way of getting adapted to, and tal and inhuman sanctions and controlled by, the objective fac- nuclear threats posed by the tors. Holding fast to the guide- hostile forces. Hoping to set line of the Juche idea which up a durable and stable peace maintains that one is the master mechanism in the Korean pen- of one’s own destiny and that insula, the Democratic People’s one should shape it with one’s Republic of Korea had summit own effort, the country has been talks with the United States in advancing steadfastly along June 2018 and February 2019— the road of socialism breaking which were the fi rst of its kind through all obstacles in its way in history—and then took cru- positively. In the course of this cial measures to stop nuclear the spirit of self-reliance and tests and ICBM test fi res and defi ance against hardship has shut down its nuclear testing steadily developed into the peo- ground. ple’s belief, and the self-develop- Nevertheless, the intensity ing capability of the nation has

28 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 29 ► emy at all times and in all cal strength. In particular, the recreation in less than a year. places, because we were full revolutionary spirit of Paektu They also built 320 blocks of of confi dence in victory, and created in the harshest environ- greenhouses, a tree nursery and maintained an indefatigable ment turns the Korean people houses for hundreds of families fi ghting and self-sacrifi cing into those who break through in an area of 200 hectares in the spirit without losing our any trials and hardships and Jungphyong area, Kyongsong composure and hope, even in do not admit the word impos- County in northern Korea in a confrontation with an enemy sible. little over a year. force, which was dozens of When socialism collapsed in The eye-opening reality of times stronger in number.” the Eastern European countries Korea proves that the might of The study tourists go round at the end of last century, and the people with a great ideology Mt Paektu, the revolutionary the imperialists and the reac- and tradition is inexhaustible, battle sites and the revolution- tionaries directed the spearhead and that any challenge cannot ary sites in the area which are of attack against Korea, social- check the road ahead of those permeated with the noble spirit ism in the country had been who are marching forward with of the anti-Japanese revolution- maintained and advanced stead- such irresistible strength. ary forerunners who solemnly ily—this is a miraculous victory The country is now burning wrote the fi rst page of the Ko- brought about by the people pos- with enthusiasm for the study rean revolution, and keep in sessed of the revolutionary spirit tour of revolutionary battle sites mind the revolutionary spirit of Paektu. in the area of Mt Paektu since and fi ghting spirit of Paektu as Last year the Korean people, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un their practical experience, not as with the confi dence in sure vic- looked round the sites in Decem- a remembrance of the historical tory and the fi ghting spirit of ber last year. fact. In the course of this they self-reliance, spruced up Samji- As the ranks of the study are fi red by new revolutionary yon City into the one bearing a tourists increase, the revolution- Endless Stream of and fi ghting zeal, and acquire concentration of modern civili- ary spirit of Paektu is spreading the ideological and moral traits zation and as a socialist moun- among broader masses of the Study Tourists and fi ghting spirit of the fore- tainous cultured town, and built people, remarkably enhancing runners. the Yangdok Hot Spring Resort their mental strength and fur- Tremendous might is born as a comprehensive hot-spring ther strengthening the national OW IN KOREA THE tions. “We emerged victorious when the great ideology and treatment base and a multifunc- power. Nstudy tour to old revolution- The revolutionary spirit in every battle with the en- ► spirit transform into physi- tional complex of sporting and Kim Won Sik ary battle sites in the area of cherished by the forerunners Mt Paektu is ongoing cease- enabled them to overcome bit- lessly. In December last year ter cold of 40 degrees below zero the Workers’ Party of Korea in- and severe starvation, and grow formation workers and youth up into the indomitable fi ghters and students from across the unyielding to the enemy’s en- country, and workers and circlement. Their fi ghting spirit offi cials of the General Federa- of crushing the enemy though tion of Trade Unions of Korea they might die hundreds of bil- visited the sites. lions of times made the enemy The area is associated with shudder. the sacred traces of the anti- In his reminiscences Japanese revolutionary struggle With the Century President organized and waged under the Kim Il Sung, recollecting with leadership of Kim Il Sung for deep emotion the revolution- over two decades from the mid- ary spirit displayed by the anti- 1920s. He chose Mt Paektu as Japanese revolutionary fi ghters, a strategic point, and guided an wrote as follows: all-people resistance centring on “The conviction of sure the anti-Japanese armed strug- victory, an unbreakable gle, and the anti-Japanese revo- fi ghting spirit, the revolu- lutionary forerunners, under his tionary spirit of self-reliance leadership, achieved the historic and fortitude, devotion and cause of national liberation by self-sacrifi cing spirit—these fi ghting undauntedly with the qualities are now called in conviction of sure victory amidst our country the ‘revolution- the unprecedented harsh condi- ary spirit of Paektu.’

30 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 31 ing on a Steed. And she complet- Patriotism and Devotion ed it wonderfully to accord with people’s emotions and the natu- ral fl ow and melody of the song, thus it was favourably com- ANY PEOPLE IN THE ready to be sewage dredgers as The state set her up as a mented upon by the audience. MDemocratic People’s Re- the job was diffi cult. workteam leader taking charge public of Korea are devoting With a thoughtful face she of the management of the un- And the orchestra regarded her their all to the building of a so- returned home, but she could not derground sewage network, and as a promising composer. Then cialist power. get to sleep all night. The next a deputy to the district Peo- she completed the orchestration morning she visited the afore- ple’s Assembly. Later, she was of the piano concerto Do Prosper, 30-odd Years as said management station. After awarded the title of Merited My Motherland in a few days, Sewage Dredger hearing her determination an Urban Management Worker, and the state saw to it that the orchestral music was played at offi cial of the station told her to and the offi cial commendation of Kim Hwa Suk (centre). Ri Hyon Ae has been working go back as they could not let her high degree. the end of the television broad- as a sewage dredger for over 30 do a rough work. She, however, ► The treatment was success- she grew seeing pictures painted cast. years at the Central District Wa- asked him who would take care First Woman Doctor ful in a zoological experiment, by her father Choe Ha Thaek. Later she completed the fa- ter Supply and Drainage Man- of the beautiful street if every- in the Field of Blood but the detailed manipulation So her parents promised to train mous music selection My Home Purifi cation Treatment method could not be said to be her as a painter. Village, the orchestral pieces We perfect without clinical experi- The girl, however, had an ap- Will Go to Mt Paektu and The Assoc. Professor Kim Hwa ments on patients. titude for music that her parents Song for the Motherly Party, and Suk of Kim Man Yu Hospital Then she unhesitatingly laid did not discover. It was when the orchestral medley Song of is the fi rst woman doctor in the herself down on the laboratory she was a lower class member of Women. fi eld of the blood purifi cation table. The other medical work- a kindergarten. Whenever sing- She composed and arranged treatment who is devoting her ers who participated in the re- ing to the tune of her teacher’s Symphony of Socialism for the all to the promotion of the peo- search together with her tried to organ, she frequently tried to ap- Concert of the National Sympho- ple’s health. dissuade her to do so, but she did proach the instrument. Thus the ny Orchestra for the Celebration Originally, the blood puri- not change her mind. Thus the teacher came to know that she of the 70th Founding Anniversa- fi cation therapy cost a lot as it treatment manipulation method was very interested in music. ry of the DPRK in 2018, and the needed complicated treating ma- was completed. From then on the teacher taught symphonic poem Paean to Eter- nipulation and expensive appli- She went on to invent better her the ABC of music. Perhaps nal Victory for the Concert of the ances, so it was applied to only methods of treating obstinate for the reason the girl applied for National Symphony Orchestra some special persons in a few diseases than those of other coun- admission to the aforesaid uni- for the Celebration of July 27 Ri Hyon Ae (centre). countries of the world. tries whose medicine was said to versity before graduating from last year. Thirty years ago Hwa Suk, be developed, and was awarded middle school. In June 2018 she was award- agement Station in Pyongyang. one sought easy jobs. In this way who was working as a researcher several patents and state cer- The fi rst task she was given ed the title of Merited Artist. Sewage dredging is not no- she became a sewage dredger. in the aforesaid hospital, inten- tifi cates of introduced sci-tech as a composer was to orchestrate ticeable, but it is an important It was not easy to trek sifi ed the research to solve the achievement and of good idea. the ensemble piece The Girl Rid- Sim Chol Yong job indispensable to urban life. through the underground sew- problem by herself. In close con- The following shows why Ri age network in her girlhood full tact with teachers of the Chemi- Choe Jong In. New Composer became a sewage dredger. of dreams and hopes. Facing cal Faculty of Kim Il Sung One morning several days af- those girls walking along the University she overcame the The National Symphony Or- ter she was discharged from the street in their fi nest attire Ri limitations and shortcomings of chestra has a new woman com- Speed Campaign Youth Shock would see her clothes. The girl, the therapy used in the world Brigade, she happened to see however, did not change her de- medical circle, and developed a poser. She is Choe Jong In in her sewage overfl owing the road by termination. new therapy which absorbs and early forties. It was in her early her apartment. It was obvious Now she had two children, removes only pathogenic mat- twenties that she was appointed that the water was coming up and when her elder son who ters by passing a selective absor- a composer of the orchestra after reversely as it got blocked at a studied at the middle school bent through veins. graduating in musical composi- section. And the people around it asked her why she engaged in It is also attributable to her tion from the then Pyongyang were at a loss what to do. There such work, her mind wavered, unknown effort that the new University of Music and Dance. she heard that few people were but she braced herself up. therapy has been generalized. ► Born into an artist’s family,

32 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 33 Quick-reading Education Develops

N THE IT ERA OF TODAY the potentiality of the brain to cation. Iscience and technology de- the maximum so as to make it In the DPRK quick-reading velop rapidly and the amount of possible to cultivate a high level education is in full swing on a information explodes, so to pro- of concentration, extraordinary nationwide scale. Secondary actively develop the potential ca- memory, rapid mental arithme- schools No. 1 and colleges are se- pability of the brain is indispen- tic ability, strong power of ob- lecting the students appropriate sable in ceaselessly enhancing servation and creative thinking for the quick-reading education, man’s creative ability. And quick ability. Thus quick reading has and giving them professional ed- reading takes a lion’s share in now become an indispensable ucation in a systematic way. In- Students return the matter. course in training talent capable novative quick-reading methods home with honour. The signifi cance of quick of acquiring high-degree infor- are paying off, including scan- reading does not merely reside mation technology. For this rea- ning, skimming, photographic in reading fast and memorizing son many countries are taking reading and image-based memo- a huge amount of information. an increasing interest in quick ry. And nationwide short cours- The greatest advantage of the reading and putting effort into es in quick-reading education of- th reading is that it helps develop the relevant research and edu- ten take place to learn from one ► ► another’s experience and ex- the 27 World Memory Champi- After the championships the change achievements. Together onships held in December 2018 judges unanimously said that Korean students win the 28th World Memory Championships. with this, different kinds of con- Korean students won seven all the six students from Korea tests are held such as national gold medals, seven silver med- ranked among top tens in the technical college students’ quick- als and fi ve bronze medals in adult group, commenting that reading contest, national teacher total, and were awarded four it proved the superiority of the training college students’ quick- trophies. Some of them broke country’s education system once reading contest and university world records at four events, again. students’ memory contest. and two others were awarded Now many students in Ko- In the course of this, public the International Grandmaster rea have acquired quick-reading interest in quick reading grows, of Memory, the top prize of the methods and are challenging and students’ quick-reading championships. modern science. All of them, ability enhances day after day. And at the 28th World Mem- recollecting the days of their Typical examples: Yun Su Yon ory Championships held last practice in quick reading, say: from Kim Il Sung University year, six students from the I acquired many things. While memorized 18 sets of cards DPRK won 28 medals, including training in quick reading I grad- in one hour at the 2nd nation- 11 golds, and three gold trophies ually became able to read 30 000 al technical college students’ and renewed world records in letters in a minute, and memo- quick-reading contest; and Ra four events, topping the country rize 70% of the content of a book Song from Huichon University standings. They were all award- with the improvement of my con- of Technology and Ri Hong Hwa ed the International Grandmas- centration and memory. I think from Pyongyang University of ter of Memory. Ryu Song I won all of this is my knowledge and Foreign Studies memorized 26 seven gold medals—typically in asset. The days of my training in sets and 24 sets of cards respec- the events of one hour numbers, quick reading were the most pre- tively in the same hour at the 3rd speed numbers, spoken numbers cious period and the hardest yet round of the contest. and 30 minutes binary numbers, worthwhile days. University students of the and in the adult group and over- The future of Korea will be country also achieved a lot of all ranking. Kim Su Rim and brighter with the development successes at the World Memory Jon Yu Jong also took four gold of quick-reading education. Championships, a worldwide medals in the events of one hour brain-thinking competition. At cards and speed cards. Kim Son Myong

34 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 35 True story ► “On the afternoon of the never been known internation- es to 16-year-old Kye Sun Hui 26th (on the morning of the 27th ally, beat the Japanese judoist in Ambush” (Nihongeizai Shim- by the Japanese time), the last Tamura who had been regarded bun). day of the judo competition, the as likely to win, and won the At the time the world re- I’ll Remain a Winner gymnasium reverberated with gold medal. Kye had never par- ferred to Kye Sun Hui as “new shouts of both joy and screams ticipated in international com- star of the world women’s judo,” (6) over the drama for ‘gold’ and ‘sil- petitions, so the athletes from “marvelous fi gure that startled Kang Ho Jin ver.’ Though expected to surely all other countries did not know the world judo” and so on. Sun win the gold medal, Tamura, 20, even the existence of her. The Hui, however, never imagined failed again to reach the top of Spanish judoist beaten by Kye that a glory greater than such HE BELL RANG TO only to be thrown to the ground. the women’s 48kg judo event, de- Sun Hui in the semifi nals said praise and appreciation was signal the start of the match. This brought Sun Hui a koka. T feated by the north Korean judo- in utter amazement, ‘I was sur- awaiting her, a young girl. From the outset Tamura Tamura jumped to her feet ist in ambush. The moment the prised that the judoist I had When the Korean Olympic launched a succession of attacks but there was a sign of despair bell rang to signal the end of the never known won her way up. I team got off the plane headed as befi tted an experienced judo- in her eyes. match Tamura fl opped down on was beaten without thinking of by Kye Sun Hui, the Olympic ist. She attacked Sun Hui, skil- Now she tried to attack Sun the fl oor, and sat motionless for a way to beat her, and Tamura, gold medal winner, and Kim Il, fully employing various tech- Hui more recklessly but the lat- ing her and shouting, “Bravo, a while. Even after getting to her too, lost.’ Kye Sun Hui reached a twice Olympic gold medalist, niques of attack such as outward ter coped with her attack more Sun Hui! Bravo!” Then he took feet, she looked absent-mindedly the highest level by surprise in they were warmly welcomed by leg sweep, inward leg sweep, calmly. the national fl ag of his country at nothingness with her hands her debut and that in the Olym- senior offi cials of the Party and buttocking and waist sweep, and Tamura tried and made a out of his bosom, saying, “Take put on her waist. Sadly dashed pic Games. When the national the government, sportspersons thus gave the latter no breath- false attack only to get shidou by this, and fl y it in the eyes of the was her dream of the ‘gold med- fl ag of north Korea was hoisted and Pyongyang citizens. ing time. Still, Sun Hui never the referee. It was a foul point world.” Unfurling the blue and al’ she had never forgotten since with the national anthem of the They arrived at the metro- budged an inch. Rather, she beat similar to koka. red fl ag, Sun Hui shouted hur- the Barcelona Olympic Games country played in the awarding politan Pyongyang by convert- off the rival’s attacks at once At last the bell rang to signal rah at the top of her voice. Her of four years ago. Her rival in ceremony, the eyes of Kye Sun ible, enjoying warm cheers from and tried to counterattack while the end of the match, and Ta- heart was overfl owing with joy. the fi nal was Kye Sun Hui from Hui were brimming over with lots of people waving bouquets fi rmly maintaining her balance. mura fl opped down on the fl oor Standing on the platform of the Democratic People’s Repub- tears. A new woman hero was along the route. Gradually Tamura began to like a tree cut down at the base. honour and looking up at the lic of Korea. Kye is 16 like Ta- born in north Korea.” (From The welcoming people stand- look impatient. And Sun Hui Then she barely managed to get national fl ag of her country ris- mura was when she took part in “16-year-old Marvellous Figure ing along another long route consistently looked self-confi - to her feet. But when the chief ing up, Sun Hui felt tears well- the Barcelona Olympic Games Kye Sun Hui of North Korea from the entrance to Ryon- dent and full of vim and vigour. referee announced Sun Hui’s ing up in her eyes. With the gold four years ago. Perhaps in be- Carries All before Her in Her mot-dong through Ryonghung Her various techniques of at- victory, the Japanese rival col- medal hanging around her neck, wilderment as she had to face First International Contest” Crossroads, Kaeson Street and tack and defence were dif cult lapsed again. fi she raised aloft the fl ag she still an unknown rival, Tamura lost of the Mainichi Shimbun of Changjon Crossroads shouted, to assess and grasp. So not only Scream-like sounds arose held in her hands. My beloved her composure as never before. Japan) “Bravo, our athletes!” “Kim Il!” Tamura but also her coach and from the Japanese spectators country, this gold medal is for Since she lost koka in the closing “Kye Sun Hui was very and “Kye Sun Hui!” other experts could hardly grasp who fi lled the terraces. They had you, she shouted inwardly. She time of the match, her counte- strong. She was fi rm in her de- Other citizens waved warm Sun Hui’s forte after all. been cheering in high spirits, heartily felt the worth and pride nance became conspicuous. And termination to win without fail, welcome to the athletes from Tamura failed to seize any but now they all seemed to be- of her life for the fi rst time in her the succession of her victories and I could not mentally cope their windows or verandas. opportunity to break through come dumb. life. since the Barcelona Olympic with her determination. I’ve now Seeing the endless waves Sun Hui’s defence because the Meanwhile, not only the The press of many countries Games came to a halt at last. learned how diffi cult it is to com- of fl owers in the convertible, latter was so strong in physique members of the Korean team commented on Kye Sun Hui as Occupying the terraces from the pete in this situation.” (Japanese Kye Sun Hui looked greatly im- and perseverance. who had been holding the na- follows. bottom to the middle the Japa- judoist Tamura Ryoko) pressed. Her small heart beat The fi erce offensive and de- tional fl ag of their country un- “North Korean judoist Kye nese had cheered Tamura. But Other Japanese newspapers fast with ineffable deep emotion fensive battle between the two folded but also Korean residents Sun Hui, 16, who had been un- when the victory of her rival was featured Kye Sun Hui’s vic- and joy. She seemed to realize rivals was going on without any in the US and even the foreign- known, won the gold medal of confi rmed, silence immediately tory along with relevant photos what an athlete’s pride and hap- of them scoring toward the clos- ers who had cheered Tamura the women’s 48kg judo event of settled down in the gymnasi- under the titles “Silver Medal piness was like for the fi rst time. ing time of the match. Then Sun shouted for joy, “Korea’s won!” the 26th Olympic Games. She um, and the cheering party was Again for Tamura to Her Cha- Barely managing to restrain her Hui nimbly took one of Tamura’s and “Bravo, Kye Sun Hui!” said, ‘It is thanks to our great struck dumb.” (From “Lost Gold grin, the Unknown 16- year-old excitement, she waved a bunch arms, when she was recklessly Sun Hui, standing by Ta- leader General Kim Jong Il Medal” of the July 27 issue of the Strong Enough” (Asahi Shim- of fl owers to the welcoming peo- attacking, and raised her in a mura who was giving vent to that I’ve won this competition.’ Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan) bun), “Kye Sun Hui, 16-year-old ple. Now she was on the verge of fl ash in an attempt to throw the a sigh on her knees, raised her Getting on the platform, she “It was really a shocking Unknown Star” (Tokyo Shim- bursting into tears. rival to the ground. Tamura mo- arms with the hands clenched. fl ied the fl ag of her country with debut. Kye Sun Hui, a 16-year- bun) and “Tamura Again Faces mentarily got lifted up in the air Pak Chol ran up to her, embrac- joy.” (July 27 UPI) ► old middle-school girl who had Barrier to Gold Medal, and Los- (To be continued)

36 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 37 Paduk Family in Nampho

HERE IS A FAMOUS mand of paduk is well known she strove hard to master it. In Tpaduk (go) family in Nam- across the country as well as the the evening she would be an op- pho, a port city of Korea. It is the city. She won fi rst place at the ponent of her elder son Kwang family of Rim Kwang Il, 66, liv- fi rst-class mixed doubles event Myong and the younger son Jong ing in Neighbourhood Unit No. of the national amateur paduk Myong. In those days the sons’ 21, Haean-dong, Hanggu Dis- players’ contest held in Juche skills improved remarkably, and trict. The man and his 62-year- 107 (2018). they took part in national com- old wife Hong Jong Sun, his fi rst It is said that she began to petitions and municipal competi- The family members have a good time playing paduk. Rim Kwang Myong and his wife and second sons, and the eldest learn paduk when her children tions several times, receiving the practise paduk moves at home. daughter-in-law are all celebrat- started to play it in their child- certifi cates of prize. Jong Myong ► ticular, he frequents the Haean that the children of the kinder- teurs. And Jong Myong works as ed paduk players. hood. Glad to hear them saying participated in the individual Kindergarten in Haean District, garten always rank among the a paduk disseminator in Rason. What catch your eyes fi rst that they would become paduk event of a national children’s where scores of paduk aces are top three winners at the kin- The Rims’ family in Nampho in the Rims’ home are the cer- masters when they grew up, she paduk contest, and won fi rst growing. He teaches its teach- dergarten children’s individu- gathers together in the evening, tifi cates of prize hanging on one started to learn it out of a desire place and the certifi cate of prize. ers and young paduk players the al, mixed doubles and doubles learning paduk moves or having wall of a room. They are what to contribute even a little to the Kwang Myong is the secre- principle of paduk, the base of events of the city’s paduk con- matches—it is a daily routine. Rim’s couple and their children improvement of their skills. tary of the Nampho Paduk As- cross, cross-making, seizure of tests held in spring and autumn. Every Sunday or holiday neigh- have been awarded at regional It was quite diffi cult for her sociation. He is always busy cross, and the method of retain- One child of hers won fi rst place bours and little amateurs visit or national paduk competitions. in middle age to get the knack of disseminating paduk to all the ing stones. at the individual event of a simi- the family to have a good time Especially, Jong Sun’s com- many different paduk moves, but amateurs in the city. In par- ► The certifi cates of prize re- lar contest held in autumn last playing paduk. ceived by the young aces of the year, she added. Such paduk families are in- Rim Kwang Myong, chief secretary of the Nampho Paduk Association, kindergarten are hanging on one Kwang Myong’s wife works creasing in Korea. spreads the knowledge of paduk in the Haean Kindergarten. wall of its room for disseminat- as a paduk disseminator at the ing paduk. Phyo Kyong Hui, di- Nampho City Paduk House, Article by Sim Hyon Jin rector of the kindergarten, says teaching paduk to little ama- Photos by Yun Song Hwa

National Sports Paduk

ADUK (GO) IS A GAME It helps train the brain tellectual game, and now it Pin which two persons com- of man, and deepen mutual is widely spreading in Korea pete for victory by placing on friendship and unity, and is as a favourite game of every- the board one stone after an- good for health and longev- one. Paduk Houses, profes- other and encircling the stones ity. Especially, it plays a sional paduk education in- of the opponent or capturing great role in the upbringing of stitution, have been set up in territory. The method of play- children and their preschool Pyongyang and each province ing paduk is so profound and education. seat, teaching the game and varied that it is complicated Paduk has been long de- disseminating the knowledge and yet interesting. veloped as an interesting in- of it. ‰

38 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 39 Korean people displaying the honour of their coun- try as Chollima Korea while breaking through dif- fi culties and hardships under the guidance of the Workers’ Party of Korea. It also shows the fi rst Ko- rean Stamp List (1946–1959), the magazine Korea Stamp (Issue No. 1, 1961), the fi rst sports stamp, and the fi rst multicoloured stamp Irrigation of One Million Hectares (1959), and the data on diversifi ed forms of stamps such as sheetlet, and publication of books related to stamps. All of them clearly explain that Korea demonstrated a new aspect of stamp de- velopment in the period. Now I looked around boards Nos. 12 to 15, the last section of the museum. They show the data on the new heyday of the country’s stamp develop- ment, and the stamps on the building of a socialist power. They also show a stamp card (1993) and a DVD stamp (2007) which were issued for the fi rst time in the world, the fi rst linked stamp The Tenth Anniversary of the Publication of the Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country (1974), and the fi rst stereo stamp The 21st Olympic Games (1976). Each of the stamps and the data displayed in Seeing Nation’s the museum gave me a deep understanding of the stamp development of the country, and its history and culture. Recalling the yesterday and today Yesterday and Today of the Korean nation with deep emotion I left the place. Article by Kim Son Myong HE KOREA STAMP MUSEUM IS SITUATED consists of 15 exhibition boards which show data Photos by An Ryon Min Tin downtown Pyongyang, about 50 metres away and remains relating to the postal service in an- from the Pyongyang Railway Station. The three- cient times, middle and modern ages, and the typi- storey building of the museum is in the shape of a cal stamps published along with the history of our stamp, and a bronze statue, which depicts a dove Republic after its liberation from the Japanese im- with a postcard in its bill fl ying around the earth up perialists’ military occupation.” to the sky, stands in front of the building. The fi rst board enabled me to have a general Some time ago I visited the museum. understanding of the stamp, the production and Kim Hye Jong, vice director of the museum, wel- publication of stamp handouts, and world-famous ► repressed the Korean nation’s postal activities by comed me and said with a smile, “My museum con- Korean stamps. fabricating the “Korea-Japan Communication Or- sists of three fl oors. The ground fl oor is dedicated The second, third and fourth boards showed gan Protocol” in 1905. Seeing the data on it I keenly to the display of the diplomas and trophies won by the postal service in the period of ancient, middle felt again the viciousness of the Japanese imperi- the Korean stamps at world exhibitions and shows, and modern ages through the old documents Jun- alists’ moves to eliminate the national culture of and the fi rst fl oor to the display of different stamp gbomunhonbigo and Kyonggukdaejon (The Code Korea. albums, postal stationery and stamps by period and of the Feudal Joson Dynasty) which describe dif- The sixth board shows the data on the postal theme. And the second fl oor serves as a stamp mu- ferent middle-age communications activities such activities during the anti-Japanese revolutionary seum.” as Pongsu (signal fi re), Yokcham (relay post sta- struggle, the seventh board shows the data on pub- She then explained me about a diploma and tion), and Phabal (post station); the data on Pigo, lication of the fi rst stamps Samsonam (three rocks) medal from the Poland ’93 international stamp ex- an excellent communications apparatus made and and Mugunghwa (rose of Sharon) of new Korea af- hibition, the letter of thanks from the Jakarta ’95 used in the period of the feudal Joson dynasty ter its liberation from the Japanese imperialists’ international stamp exhibition, and diplomas and (1392–1910); stamps depicting the establishment military occupation on August 15, 1945 and scores trophies on the ground fl oor and about the exhibi- of the Postal Agency, the fi rst organ of communica- of kinds of stamps published by April Juche 39 tion hall of the fi rst fl oor as we went up to the sec- tion in the modern times; stamps such as Munwi, (1950), and the eighth board shows the data on the ond fl oor. Thaegukbothong, and Rihwabothong; a stamp in stamps published during the Fatherland Libera- What attracted my eyes in particular on the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Emperor tion War (June 1950–July 1953). fl oor was the walls of the corridor decorated with Kojong’s accession to the throne; commemorative On the ninth and tenth boards I could see the stamps depicting old paintings rich in national col- stamps such as an eagle stamp; and post cards. stamps published during the postwar rehabilita- our such as Kim Hong Do’s After Gathering Edible They gave me a glimpse into the Korean people’s tion (1953–1956) and the establishment of the foun- Greens and Jo Sok Jin’s Carp. wisdom and resourcefulness. dations of socialism, and the relevant data. Feeling the national sentiments and fl avour The fi fth board shows the historical data on the The eleventh board covers the period from the we stepped in the museum. There Kwon Se Ho, a Japanese imperialists’ moves to obliterate the Ko- latter half of the 1950s to the fi rst half of the 1970s. researcher, welcomed me and said, “Our museum rean stamps. The Japanese imperialists completely ► It shows the stamps refl ecting the mettle of the

40 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 41 Vigorous Tree-planting Campaign

OW A TREE-PLANTING dren’s Palace. Tree planting was creased the sapling production, Ncampaign is in full swing also done in Kangwon, South thus planting over 170 000 ed- in the Democratic People’s Re- Phyongan, South Hamgyong ible fruit trees of different kinds public of Korea. In particular, a and South Hwanghae and other on hills of 100-odd hectares. And nationwide tree planting is done provinces and cities. That day Myonggan County rearranged intensively in the tree-planting over 2.8 million trees were hills of scores of hectares thick months of March and November. planted across the country. with shrubs and weeds to create On the Tree Planting Day The tree-planting campaign oil-bearing tree forests, and en- (March 2) of last year offi cials of is done on the principle of the sured their survival rate at over the Party and the state, together right tree in the right place to 90%. with Pyongyang citizens and suit the characteristics of a spe- In keeping with the nation- youth and students, planted trees cifi c area. wide tree-planting campaign in the Sports Village of Chong- North Hamgyong Province vigorous efforts are made to pro- chun Street, the Central Zoo and waged a dynamic campaign to vide saplings of good species. In the arboretum of the Kumsusan plant wild fruit trees such as December last year a modern Palace of the Sun, and on Munsu nut pine, yellow horn, Man- tree nursery was built in the Sapling production is on the increase. and Moran hills and in other churian walnut to turn all Jungphyong area of Kyongsong several places in the capital city mountains in the province into County, North Hamgyong Prov- of Pyongyang. And offi cials of “gold mountains” and “treasure ince. The tree nursery can pro- ► containers for sapling cultiva- Changsong larch, to different produced ornamental plants the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist mountains,” which resulted in duce tens of millions of saplings tion, all of which are needed for parts of the country. Research- and fl owering shrubs of over 30 Youth League and youth and the creation of over 1 000 hec- annually. Besides, many other sapling production. ers of the tree nursery developed species such as pine tree which students planted over 4 000 tares of edible fruit tree forest sapling production bases were The offi cials and workers of a method of optimizing sapling is the national tree, ginkgo tree trees of 20 species including last year. newly built or expanded. In No- the Central Tree Nursery un- production, thus making it pos- and rose which were sent to the ovate catalpa, ginkgo tree and Kim Chaek City further vember of that year the Forestry der the Ministry of Land and sible to produce saplings twice construction site of the Wonsan lilac, and fl owering shrubs in strengthened the material and Equipment Factory went up Environment Protection sent 25 a year in greenhouses with less Kalma coast resort, and Pyong- the Sports Village of Chong- technical foundations of a par- which can suffi ciently produce million saplings of over 50 spe- labour than before. In keeping yang and its vicinity. chun Street and the area of ent tree nursery of the Forest light plastic panels for green- cies, including Pyongyang ma- with the already-arranged con- A campaign to preserve ple tree, eastern white pine and dition for planting trees regard- pine trees and add beauty to the Mangyongdae Schoolchil- Management Station and in- house, plastic blinds and plastic ► less of seasons they also devel- landscape is in full swing. In oped new methods to raise the Pyongyang a technical course survival rate of saplings on the was given to teach the scientifi c highest possible level. Together way of shoveling off, transport- with this they developed a high- ing, planting, manuring and ly effective nutrition reinforc- cultivating pine trees, and such ing agent with raw materials trees were planted on a full richly available in the country, scale. The offi cials and working thus hastening the growth of people in Mangyongdae, Ryok- saplings. Along with this efforts pho and other districts planted are put into making the sapling pine trees with natural beauty production scientifi c, indus- and good to see in parks and trial and intensive on a higher recreation grounds and along level so as to expand the the roads to add to the natural success. beauty of the city. The tree nursery also put The grand plan of the Work- emphasis on producing more ers’ Party of Korea to complete saplings of good species condu- the forest restoration within ten cive to afforestation, unlike the years is being realized earlier old days when the accent was thanks to the devoted struggle put on production alone, and of the people. ‰

42 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 43 Great Haunt of Pyongyangites National Intangible Cultural Heritage (40)

really beautiful and that they Pongsan Mask Dance felt as if they were ten years younger again. We were quite HE PONGSAN MASK aristocrat, monkey and so on. keenly satirical in content, attracted, when the manager Dance was popular in the To the tunes for an exor- and contains plenty of unique said, “Our respected Supreme T Pongsan area of North Hwang- cism, ballad and Buddhist dance movements. As a mix- Leader Kim Jong Un tried the hae Province. invocation played on national ture of speeches, dance and Z-force himself saying he should From olden times mask instruments such as the Ko- singing each scene is charac- do it fi rst because it would be rean ute, large fe, the Ko- terized by colourful dances and used by the people.” Each of the dances had been danced once fl fi facilities in the park was associ- a year in market places in the rean fi ddle, janggo and drum, witticisms. Especially, such ated with the Supreme Leader’s area of Hwanghae Province, the dancers dance in their movements as fl inging and care for the people, the manager and Pongsan people danced the gorgeous attire such as white swinging wide sleeves in one of added. dance more frequently thanks jacket and trousers, sleeve- the dances to the tune of ballad Then we passed by a revolv- to the locality’s favourable less jacket with red, blue and are stirring and vigorous. ing swing rising into the sky physiographical conditions. So indigo colours, and sleeveless The dance refl ects the peo- and the Volare moving as fast the Pongsan mask dance devel- overcoat. ple’s aspiration to happiness as an arrow to go to the video oped into the one representa- The dance is divided into and the spirit of resistance to game house amid laughter of tive of the masque of Hwang- the part with no dramatic plot, the feudal ruling circles, and children and young people from hae Province from the late 19th and the part of masquerade. contains popular movements NE EVENING IN LAST scenic spots. But if the Korean the sky and the ground. We also century. Before starting the masque, and thus it enjoys popularity OFebruary we visited the ancestors, who had long been saw people have photos taken The masque was mainly the dancers, headed by musi- and still spreads widely. Amusement Park of the Kaeson proud of the moonlit hill, could against conspicuous night views. played in the leisure sea- cians, rushed towards the town- As a masterpiece of Korean Youth Park situated at the foot of see the nocturnal splendours of Impressive was the way Ra son and on holidays. What is ship in rows wearing masks. folk dance the Pongsan Mask Moran Hill in Pyongyang. When the hill that might put the stars Jong Hwa, senior guide of the widely known is the one that When the sun sets, the Dance was put as No. 28 on the the picturesque hill was plunged of the sky in the shade, what video game house, said that the consists of 12 scenes, and the dancers walk on a tightrope list of the national intangible into darkness, the amusement would they say? punching game was a favourite masks used in the play number and do somersault before start- cultural heritage. park became distinctive with its The brilliantly illuminated one of young men trying to dis- over ten including those of lion, ing the masque. The play is Rim Ok conspicuous ornamental illumi- park as a whole seemed alive play their strength before their nations. with amusement facilities mov- girlfriends. And spectacular was Glad to hear pleasant music ing in quick succession accompa- a little boy smiling after getting coming from the park, we were nied by lilting tunes. 100 points at a time in arm wres- passing the entrance to the place What fi rst caught our eyes tling. So were people enjoying when Kim Hyok, manager of the was the Pirate, a kind of swing themselves in a pancake house park, welcomed us, saying, “My boat, seen from the entrance. and a fried meat dumpling park opens at 4 pm so that peo- Smiles played about the corners house or at roast chestnut and ple can enjoy themselves there of our mouths as we were seeing roast sweet potato stands. after work. It is frequented by people laughing and shouting Choe Yong Sil, manager not only Pyongyang citizens for joy in the swing boat sway- of the restaurant chain of the but also provincial people and ing as if it were pushing its way Kaeson Youth Park, said, “We foreigners staying in the city.” through a boundless expanse of organize a soft drink show and Then the manager showed us water. Laughter was also com- a sampling party every week in into the park. ing from the Disco opposite the order to improve the quality of The nocturnal view of the Pirate, and the Power Surge soft drinks and foodstuffs to be people’s recreation ground was that makes its riders feel as if served to people. In the course more romantic than the after- the sky and the earth turn round of this we developed bread noon’s. And those who were en- together. stuffed with meat, which is fa- joying themselves in the park Next we went to the Z-force vourably commented upon by enchanted by its splendours at looking like a large rocket. people.” night all looked like people from When people rose up to the top The amusement park kept heaven. of the facility in a moment after reverberating with laughing Koreans have long counted a warning, they, and onlookers of people enjoying themselves fi rst “Enjoying the First Full around it, raised sharp excla- there deep into the night. Moon on Pubyok Pavilion,” one mations. Getting off the facil- We left the park picturing in of the Eight Famous Views of ity they cried excitedly that the our mind a better future of the Pyongyang, whenever talking sight of Pyongyang they saw happy people. about Moran Hill, the best of from the top of the facility was Pak Yong Il

44 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 45 From Servant to Famous Painter Another Crime of Japan

HE CASTE SYSTEM WAS degree, the governor sent for Ri, shows an old pine tree standing AW SHOULD BE Japanese activities.” Such at- of the Japanese authorities Tvery strict in the period of and told him to draw a paulow- halfway up a bluff precipice, and Limpartial to all people, and tempts of Japan to trample down against the Korean children the feudal Joson dynasty. For nia growing in the yard. a hillock beneath the precipice. should not lose objectivity and the future of Korean residents in clearly shows the extent to which example, one who was born as a After looking at what Ri had Vivid in particular is the old impartiality in any case. But in the country have always consti- their hostile policy towards the servant remained a servant all drawn, the governor told him to pine tree that fails to grow up- Japan the enactment and en- tuted serious threats to the na- Korean nation has gone. his life. draw him. The pictures drawn right owing to harsh rain and forcement of laws are used as tional education of the Korean In retrospect, Japan occupied Ri Sang Jwa (1465–?), howev- by Ri were quite vivid to the wind. And the tree’s branches er, was so good at painting that amazement of the governor. swaying in a violent wind and means to gain unfair political residents, and now it is affl icting Korea militarily and viciously he fi nally got out of his miserable The governor reported the dried drooping arrowroot vines ends. even their innocent children. attempted to stamp out the Ko- status of servant, and was admit- fact to the king of the country. add to the dreary atmosphere of For example, a “law on sup- It was prompted by a sinister rean nation for over 40 years in ted into the royal painting offi ce. The king called Ri to Hansong, the moonlight night in late au- port to the upbringing of chil- political end that the Japanese the past century. With a view to The following shows how Ri the capital of the country, and tumn. Under the tree there are dren” was adopted though be- authorities excluded preschool- obliterating the Korean nation, developed from a servant to a fa- had him draw his profi le. Look- an old man and his young atten- latedly in the country where ers’ classes of Korean schools in the Japanese imperialists took mous painter. ing at the picture, the king un- dant who stroll looking up at the juvenile discrimination and Japan from the objects fi t for the to battle sites millions of young One day when he was 15, he stintingly admired Ri for his tal- moon in the sky. Through the maltreatment are commonplace, system of “free infant education and middle-aged Korean men as went deep into a valley with an ent, freed him from the identity painting Ri showed his own old and thus free infant education and childcare.” It is intended to cannon fodder for their aggres- A-frame carrier and a sickle. As of servant and allowed him to miserable status, the course of and childcare were enforced. impose heavy fi nancial burdens sive war, and cruelly violated a son of servant, he had to climb work as a member of the royal his life, and his strong will and But the Japanese authorities on Korean residents, especially 200 000 Korean women. They mountains to gather fi rewood painting offi ce. fi rm spirit. every day. Ri was very good at painting Ri’s excellent skill of painting decided to exclude preschoolers’ young parents of preschoolers, in did not allow the Koreans to use After gathering some fi re- landscapes, fi gure pictures, still and powerful strokes, and the classes of Korean schools in the Japan so that they have no other their own written and spoken wood, he was drawing a pine lives and illustrations. What strong mettle demonstrated by country from the objects fi t for alternative than to send their language, and forced them to tree that stood alone on the edge still remain of Ri’s works include his works made a contribution the system of “free infant educa- children to Japanese kindergar- change their names into the Jap- of a precipice when an adult ap- Strolling under Pine Tree in the to the development of painting tion and childcare” that began tens, and ultimately eliminate anese. And they did not hesitate peared abruptly and looked at Moonlight, Landscape, Tiger at that time, and enabled him to be enforced on October 1 last Chongryon, an organization of to drive iron posts on the top of the pine he had drawn for a good and Flower and Bird. to become one of the three great year. The Japanese authorities overseas DPRK citizens, and the celebrated mountains of Korea while. Then the man took out a Strolling under Pine Tree painters in the fi rst-half period had committed lots of crimes society of Korean residents in in an attempt to cut the lifeline sheet of Korean paper, spread it, in the Moonlight is one of Ri’s of the feudal Joson dynasty. against Chongryon (General As- Japan. of the country. put a stone on the corners and masterpieces that demonstrate sociation of Korean Residents in To support the education and Even after its defeat (August pushed a container fi lled with his skill of painting. The picture Rim Ok black ink to the boy, telling him Japan) and Korean residents in upbringing of children of the 15, 1945), Japan, despite its to draw the old pine tree again the country. This time they went Korean residents in Japan is a dishonour as a war criminal, vi- on the paper. so far as to commit such a hei- moral duty and responsibility ciously acted pursuing a hostile Ri was at a loss what to do, nous crime as destroying even the Japanese authorities cannot policy against the Democratic and the man kept urging him. the innocence of children. avoid judging from the fact that People’s Republic of Korea and Then Ri held the brush, and It is undoubtedly rightful to the country should apologize Chongryon. It is just an exten- drew the tree quickly. learn one’s mother tongue and for its past crimes against the sion of the hostile policy that The tree drawn by the young the history and culture of one’s Korean nation and in terms of the Japanese authorities have fi rewood gatherer was really viv- own nation. But the Japanese the general requirement of the excluded preschoolers’ classes id. After looking from the tree on the precipice to the picture, the authorities have ceaselessly op- enactment and enforcement of of Korean schools in Japan from aristocrat asked his name, put it pressed schools of Korean resi- laws. the objects fi t for the system down on his notebook and gave dents in Japan since the schools And in view of the fact that of “free infant education and him money as compensation for came into being there, arguing the Korean residents pay taxes childcare.” all the rest of fi rewood he failed that the education by the schools just like the Japanese people The anti-ethical policy of the to gather that day. does not accord with that of Jap- there is no legal ground or jus- Japanese authorities is exposed From then on the name of anese schools and that there is tifi cation for excluding the pre- to strong denunciation and re- Ri Sang Jwa was widely known a suspicion that Korean schools schoolers’ classes of Korean jection from the international from mouth to mouth, and the are not real educational insti- schools from the objects fi t for community as well as the Ko- governor of Jolla Province heard tutions but “ideology-oriented free education and childcare. rean nation. it. Versed in drawing to some schools and institutions for anti- The mean and dirty scheme Kim Il Bong

46 KOREA TODAY No. 3, 2020 47 Mt Kuwol (2)

Scenic Spots Usan peaks and the Tanphung The Tanphung Recreation in Tanphung and Jiwon Waterfall valleys Ground is over 10 km long and Recreation Ground with scenic spots. And there are it starts from near the Ryang- lots of large and small valleys gak Peak. The entrance to the HE TANPHUNG RECREA- here and there in the district. recreation ground is fl anked by a Ttion Ground is situated to The district also has many stone sculpture of a lion and that the north of the Susamthae Pass spots of historical interest tes- of a Korean tiger. of the mountain. tifying to the long history of There can be seen Ryanggak In its scenic spot district the Korean nation and the bat- Peak on the right of the entrance there are scores of high and tle sites where peasant rioters to the mountain. The west and low peaks and some deep and and righteous volunteers fought east slopes of the peak consist low valleys. Typical of them are against Japanese aggressors of a big rock with a gradient of Ryanggak, O, Hodu, Rojok and who had invaded Korea. nearly 50 degrees. It is even as if ► Samhyongje Pools. A view of the Tanphung Valley.

► it was cut by a sword, hence the there are precipices, broad and Once upon a time, three name Ryanggak Peak. fl at rocks, streams, pools, thick young men in Unryul at the foot When you walk down a dis- woods and various fragrant of Mt Kuwol used to climb the tance of 300 metres to the south, fl owers, all of which look just mountain to gather fi rewood. you can see in a saddle a rock like Okryu Ravine of Mt Kum- On the way down the mountain, resembling a horse, hence the gang. Whenever autumn comes they would take a bath in the name Myongma (fi ne horse) round, the whole valley turns three pools. One day the men Rock. The Ryanggak Peak and red, hence the name Tanphung happened to see three fairies Myongma Rock have a legend (maple) Valley. from the Heaven having a bath that the horse of a general in Mt Also spectacular are big and in the pools, and they played Kuwol changed into the rock and small pools lying in succession fl utes lest they should surprise both sides of the peak were cut down the long valley, namely the women. Captivated by the even by his sword. Madang, Jjokppak, Toeppak, tune of the fl utes the fairies later When you pass by the peak Kama, Paemjango and Sam- came down to the land again and near the entrance to the Tanp- hyongje pools, all of unique met the men. Afterwards the hung Recreation Ground, you shapes. You will fi nd the water men married the women. can see on the left a monument of the pools so clean that you will The Tanphung Recrea- whose inscription reads, “Tell be unable to resist an implulse tion Ground has other singular O Mt Kuwol Through All Ages,” to dip in the water. peaks and pools, pavilions and and a guide map of the recrea- The Samhyongje (three waterfalls, which are a favourite tion ground near the monument. brothers) Pools have the follow- resort of the people. Along the Tanphung Valley ing legendary tale. Sim Chol Yong

48 KOREA TODAY