Kim Jong Un's Korea: The Thriving Nation: An Account of A Visit To The DPRK June 2015
By Shaun Pickford
I
was able to return to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, after
an interval of three years and saw immense improvements in the cultural
and living standards of the Korean People. All the progress which is
being realized in the DPRK, is based on socialist principles and self
reliance. The Supreme Leader of the DPRK, Marshal KIM JONG UN, is
working continuously for the welfare of the Korean People and spares
nothing for the well-being of the workers, farmers and intellectuals.
Such a leader as KIM JONG UN, cannot be found elsewhere in the world, as
the DPRK leader is always putting the people first in everything.
When
the concept of socialism has become dirty word among some circles,
there is one country which upholds socialism and that nation is the
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. The DPRK not only defends its
socialist system, but is bringing in more socialism, in other words
displaying all the material, ideological and cultural advantages of the
socialist system. In the space of a nine days in the DPRK (June 16 -
June 25), I was to witness all the successes made in the endeavourer to
build a thriving nation on the land of Korea. When the Air Koryo plane
arrived at the Sunan airport, I sang to myself the songs "Song of
General KIM IL SUNG," "The Red Flag" and "The Internationale", because
it was so exciting to be back in this land of Juche once again.
Healthcare
is one priority area for the enrichment of a population's living
conditions. I was able to go around The Ryugyong Dental Hospital, which
is in the eastern part of Pyongyang. Whereas, most capitalist countries
are closing down or reducing public health services, the DPRK is
expansing them.The Ryukyong Dental Hospital was opened on October 2013
and is located in the Munsu area of Pyongyang. Within the hospital,
there are diagnosis and treatment rooms, first aid treatment room,
material and dispensary, a shop and a playground. The hospital has all
the latest advances in dental technology at its despoil and helps to
increase the level of medical science in the DPRK. This dental hospital
plays a vital role in the prevention and treatment of dental diseases
and increase the asethic and physical standard of the people. I told
the director of The Ryukyong Dental Hospital and my guide about how
dental care is so expensive in the UK and quoted my own dentist as an
example ,who stated that a single replacement tooth would cost £2,000.
Both the directer and my guide could not believe prohibitive cost of
dentistry is in Britain and stated that all forms of dental care were
free of charge in the DPRK.
The
party and government of Socialist Korea has always put alot of emphasis
on the physical and emotional development of children. On the
itinenary of my visit was The Kyongsang Kindergarten in the Manusdae
district of Pyongyang. The Kindergarden has latest amenities for the
care of the pre-school children and appeared to be ultra modern in its
design. All access to the Kindergarden is completely free and takes the
burden of childcare off the mothers, so women can concentrated
themselves in economic construction, without worry or stress. Marshal
KIM JONG UN paid the highest attention to development of The Kyongsang
Kindergarten and ensured thed becomes a palace for the young children.
The Kyongsang Kindergarden has raised many child prodigies, many of whom
achieved first place in the children's and young people's International
Chopin Piano Contest.
Health
care for children is regarded as a specialist medical field, so when I
visited Okryu Children's Hospital, I encountered a medical centre,
second to none, in its quality of provision. Instead of being like a
hospital, The Okryu Children's Hospital was more like a palace in its
design and layout, rather than a medical institution. To make the
children feel at home, there are 1,7000 fairy tale illustrations in the
six storied hospital, as well as indoor playgrounds. As education and
intellectual development are important goals for the Workers' Party of
Korea, so there are functioning kindergardens and class rooms located
within the hospital. Even the cities and provinces outside of Pyongyang,
benefit from the hospital expertise, due to the tele- medicine service
and just outside the main building, there is the heliport, ready to
receive sick and injured children from all parts of the DPRK for urgent
treatment. As the capitalist countries such as Britain are closing down
hospitals and medical services due to austerity, whereas Socialist Korea
is expanding its public health network. Marshal KIM JONG UN makes sure
that the Korean children want for nothing in their young lives, so as to
live full and happy lives in the DPRK.
For
a pleasant day out, I went to the Folk Park, which lays at the foot of
Mount Taesong. When I came to Pyongyang in 2012, the park was being
constructed and three years later, the attraction is up and running. I
observed during the tour of the Park, families and parties of
schoolchildren looking around the various models of famous Korean
monuments and learning the history of their proud nation. It is the
policy of the Workers' Party of Korea preserve and maintain the
centuries' old cultural heritage of the Korean People, one can see this
policy in the appearance of the Pyongyang Folk Park. The Park consists
of general history education, historical relics, folk village, folk
games and contemporary times. Walking around the Park, you are instantly
transported to various eras of Korean history such as Koguryo and
Koryo, to every province in Korea, from Ryangyang to Cholla. All the
models and reconstructions of such famous landmarks "The Turtle shaped
ship" (the world's first ironclad ship) and The Chomsongdae Observatory,
and other temples and pagodas, were perfectly created by the Korean
craftspeople. I had the opportunity while in the Folk Park, to have a
chat with a Professor of Ancient Korean History and was able to have
watched Korean customs such as a wedding ceremony.
I
was driven many times through Changjon Street in Central Pyongyang,
which was renovated in 2012, the centenary year of the birth of
President KIM IL SUNG. Changjon Street, goes well with the fine scenery
of the Taedong riverside, comprising 45, 40 and 30 storeyed apartment
houses and theatres, schools, kindergardens, pharmacy, catering and
welfare service establishments. I was able to a congenial last evening
meal of my trip with my guide and driver at a restaurant in Changjon
Street. We were treated to such delights of Korean cuisine as Pyongyang
Cold Noodles, Kimchi and even potato chips, washed down with generous
amounts of Taedonggang Beer.
Sports
is seen as a important activity in the building of a socialist thriving
nation in the DPRK. It is the goal of Marshal KIM JONG UN to turn
Socialist Korea in a world class sporting power. All Korean people of
whatever age and occupation, are encouraged to take up a sport and
engage in physical exercise. As a illustration of this policy of sports'
promotion by the WPK, I was taken around The Mirim Riding Club, in the
Pyongyang's suburbs. The Mirim Riding Club covers an area of 60
hectares, with stables, and indoor and outdoor training grounds. I had
the opportunity to visit the indoor riding gymnasium, which is a two
storeyed building. The first floor was for horse riding training and the
second floor was used as a gallery for seating spectators. It appeared
that the Mirim Riding Club was very busy with people with learning to
ride horses and perfecting their riding technique. As I was told that
the riding club is affordable for most people to use regluraly and
practice physical fitness. Touring the outside of the club, I saw riders
galloping on the turf course and they reminded me of the Korean People
rushing forward to the heights of socialist civilization.
The
Workers' Party of Korea's strategic aim is to build up an economic
giant in the DPRK, based on independence and self -sustenance. It is the
desire of Marshal KIM JONG UN to provide everyone in the DPRK with a
affluent life, enjoying all the material benefits of Korean-style
socialism to the full. In compliance with the economic line of the
Songun era, there has been given preferential development of the defence
industry and of light industry and agriculture. In recent years, rapid
progress has been made in science and technology and in creating a
knowledge based economy. CNC technology have been introduced into
many areas of production throughout the DPRK. With the protection of the
nuclear deterrent, Peoples Korea wants to diversify foreign trade and
encourage investments from outside. An economic development zone is to
be setup in every province in the DPRK and, Wonsan, Mount Chilbo and
other resorts have been turned into modern tourist zones
.
Fundamentally,
self-reliance and collective management in forms of the Taean Guidance
System and the Chongsan-ri method remain the bedrock of the DPRK's
socialist economy. Socialism in the DPRK is bulit by socialist
methods,and not on capitalist models. The DPRK's economy is not a
prisoner of the IMF, the World Bank and the Multi-National
Corporations,but is owned and controlled by the Korean People, social
wealth and relations in the DPRK serve the people's interests
No comments:
Post a Comment