“The Day of the Sun”
Shines Bright over Korea
Kim IL Sung the President and founder of Socialist Korea was born on
the15th April 1912 and died on the 8th July 1994, the
Korean people celebrate his birthday as “The Day of the Sun” and
in July an Oceania Memorial Committee visited the DPRK to join with
all the Korean people and other world delegations to commemorate the
20th anniversary of the demise of the Great President KIM
IL SUNG.
For the Korean people the revolutionary exploits of their Eternal
President live on in their hearts and minds and for them from a
historical perspective as he led them in their struggle for freedom
and independence against the Japanese military fascists with August
15th now celebrated as Liberation Day and the struggle
they waged during the period of the Korean War against US imperialism
and their allies from 15th satellite countries including
Australia and New Zealand. For the Korean people July 27th
1953 which was the day that the Korean Armistice agreement was signed
is celebrated as the victory of the Fatherland Liberation War, a
great victory that they won under the wise and brilliant leadership
of President KIM IL SUNG.
The Oceania Memorial Committee for the 20th anniversary of
the demise of President KIM IL SUNG was formed in February this year
and accepted an invitation from the DPRK Committee for Cultural
Relations with Foreign Countries through the Korea – Australia/New
Zealand Friendship Societies for a delegation to visit the DPRK. The
Oceania Memorial Committee delegation consisted of two, Mr. Sam
Bullock, President of the Brisbane branch of the Australia – DPRK
Friendship Cultural Society and Mr. Raymond Ferguson, National
Secretary of the society.
After spending two days in Beijing to collect visas we set off to
Pyongyang the capital of DPRK by train on the 2nd July to
arrive in Pyongyang on the 3rd. The train trip which
takes approximately 26 hours and crosses the border from China into
the DPRK at Dandong across the Yulo River is a great experience and
provides an opportunity to see the countryside of the DPRK as the
train travels south from Dandong to Pyongyang.
Fortunately we shared our cabin with two Koreans Mr. Pak, who is an
executive committee member of the Korean –Australia Friendship
Cultural Society (who previously has visited Australia a number of
times before the government black ban was imposed) Mr. Kim Secretary
General of the Korean–Cuba Friendship Society. Both of them were
returning from Jakarta after participating in an International
E-Seminar for the 20th anniversary of the demise of KIM IL
SUNG.
Arriving at Pyongyang Railway station, there to meet us with a very
warm welcome was Mr. Hwang Sung Chol, Secretary General of the
Korea-Australia/New Zealand Friendship Societies and his assistant
Miss Kim. From the train station we journeyed to the Harburtonsun
Hotel right in the heart of Pyongyang city where the delegation would
be homed for the next seven days. Although I have visited the DPRK on
previous occasions, my last visit being only last year, each time I
visit, one can’t help but recognize the changes to the city
landscape with new apartment buildings being completed and others
under construction with other new projects underway with newly
designed trolley buses carrying commuters around the city of
Pyongyang and everywhere you look taxis could be seen.
After arriving at our hotel and checking in we met with Mr. Hwang and
Miss Kim to discuss our program of activities for our stay in the
DPRK. As expected the program was full of political/cultural events.
Formation of Workers Party of Korea
The next day we visited the birth place of President Kim IL Sung at
Mangyondae just outside of Pyongyang central districts. It was here
that President Kim IL was born into a poor peasant family under the
Japanese Militarists occupation and at the age of 16 left home to
join the struggle for independence against the Japanese and pledge
never to return until Korea was free and independent. Following our
visit to Mangyondae it was only appropriate that we then visited the
monument to the foundation of the Workers Party of Korea which was
formed on the 10th October 1945 with the merger of the
Communist Party of North Korea and the New Peoples Party.
Although US military forces had firmly established themselves in the
South of Korea, political activity for independence and a united
Korea was a feature of the South Korean compatriots and the South
Korean Workers Party was a major force in the struggle in unifying
the country and on the 11th June 1949 the Workers Party of
South Korea merged with the Workers Party of Korea uniting the
communist forces right throughout Korea, twelve months later as a
result of US provocation the Korean War broke out and the Korean
nation has been divided ever since. The party symbol consists of the
traditional hammer and sickle separated in the middle with the Korean
Calligraphy (brush) representing the working intellectual.
In addition we visited other important political landmarks that
symbolize the historical struggle of the Korean people for
independence and reunification including the Arch of Triumph, the
Tower of Juche and the Museum of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation
War. We also had the opportunity to visit some of the cultural
facilities that the government provides for the people to relax and
enjoy. Some of the more recently completed leisure facilities that we
visited included the Mirim Riding Club, Rungra Dolphinarium, Munsu
Water Park and the Pyongyang Folklore Park.
Mirim Riding Club is approximately 20klms on the outskirts of
Pyongyang and the site was originally used for KPA purposes.
Officially opened late 2013, the riding club is built on 45 square
hectares and the construction of the facilities were jointly
constructed by the KPA and a local construction enterprise and were
completed in a period of nine months.
Cultural and Leisure Facilities for the People
The riding school has dual purposes, one to train the horses and
selected riders to the highest standards to compete in all facets of
riding skills on the international circuit. The other purpose of the
school is to provide the locals with an entertainment and leisure
facility.
The riding club has 7 training circuits, 300 staff and 150 trainers,
with 125 Korean, British and Russian bred horses and ponies.
Interestingly the Russian bred ponies are grey and when they reach
the age of four their colour turns to brown. The club operates six
days a week with one day being set aside for maintenance and cleaning
purposes.
Equally impressive was our visit to the Munsu Dolphinarium where
highly trained dolphins and staff provide spectacular entertainment
to the onlookers. After twelve months construction, the Dolphinarium
was opened in July 2012 on the occasion of the 100th
anniversary of the birth of President Kim IL Sung. The complex is
managed by 250 staff and 25 trainers and is open five days a week,
each show lasting approximately 2 hours with two days being set aside
for cleaning and care for the dolphins. This entertainment Centre,
while situated in Pyongyang, is also enjoyed by the citizens who live
outside of the capital with special days and events being set aside
for them to visit.
Even more spectacular was our visit to the Munsu Water Park which was
opened in October 2013 after a construction period of 9 months with
an area of 12 hectares the whole complex is solar powered including
the pools that are heated. The water park has a staff of 450 and can
cater for 10,000 people and is opened six days a week over the warmer
period of the year. As well as operating as a “fun and leisure
park” the facilities also caters for people who are disabled and or
require dedicated health treatment by professional trained staff.
As well as the pools and the water slides, the facility also has
restaurants, bars, games rooms and a fitted-out gym with badminton
and volley ball courts. One can understand why such a facility is
popular with the masses and is one more example of a genuine
socialist country and the DPRK Government continuously trying to
improve the living standards of its people.
A visit to Pyongyang would not be complete unless you visited the Kim
IL Sung University. Founded on the 1st October 1946 it is
the first university to be built in the DPRK. It is located on a 37
acre campus along with the main academic buildings the campus
contains 10 separate offices, 50 laboratories, E libraries, museums,
printing presses R&D center dormitories and a hospital. The DPRK
has now introduced 12 years mandatory education for all students
(primary to secondary). The university caters for all students
throughout the DPRK free of charge and has large number of
international students particularly from developing countries and
other socialist countries including China, Cuba, Laos and Vietnam as
well as students from Russia.
In addition to the above facilities the university also has two
indoor swimming pools for both training and leisure purposes. Courses
undertaken in the department of social sciences take 5 years while
those of the department of natural sciences take 6 years to complete.
Currently the university has around 17,000 students enrolled plus
international students and has an academic staff of 1,200 with an
administrative staff of some 3,000.
With education being mandatory for 12 years and with higher education
facilities like the
KIM IL Sung University, little wonder that the DPRK can boast a
literacy rate of one of the highest in the world.
From the Kim Il Sung University we travelled to the building of the
Committee for Friendship & Cultural Relations with Foreign
Countries (CFCRFC) where we met Mr. Pak Kyong IL the President of the
Korea-Australia/New Zealand Friendship Societies and Vice President
of the CFCRFC who officially welcomed the delegation to the DPRK and
expressed his appreciation to the OMC and both the Australian &
New Zealand Friendship Societies for their activities in promoting
friendship, peace and cultural relations in the interest of the
Korean and Australian/New Zealand people. As well he wished the
delegation good health and sincerely hopes that our stay in the DPRK
would be enjoyable and further strengthen relations and joint
activities. He thanked our delegation for the gift that we presented
on behalf of the OMC to Kim Jong Un for the Korean people.
A Mark of Respect
It is customary for all Friendship delegations as a mark of respect
to make a visit to the Kumsusan Suns Palace mausoleum and as July 8th
was the 20th anniversary date of the demise of President
Kim Il Sung and along with hundreds of other foreigners, diplomatic
people and Koreans we paid a visit to the Kumsusan Suns Palace
mausoleum where both President Kim IL Sung and General Kim Jong Il
lay in state.
The mausoleum is situated some 10klms on the outskirts of Pyongyang
surrounded by a lake and gardens and built of marble. Once inside the
complex you can sense and feel a history of revolutionary exploits
and as well as visiting the mausoleum to pay respects to both of the
comrades you gain appreciation of the deep respect that other world
leaders had for both by observing the many photos taken with other
world leaders home and abroad and the diplomatic gifts that are
displayed. As a further mark of respect we then paid a visit to the
bronze statues of both Generalissimo Kim IL Sung and Kim Jong IL on
Mansuade Hill where the delegation laid a floral basket of flowers
before the statue.
That afternoon we participated in a commemorative memorial meeting
along with other foreign guests, diplomatic people and some 3,000
Koreans representing workers, farmers, youth, WPK and KPA at the
Supreme People’s assembly hall. Led by Marshall Kim Jong Un members
of the SPA, WPK and KPA took their seats on the presidium and were
greeted with a thunderous round of applause from the audience. The
memorial speech which lasted for one hour was delivered by the
President of the SPA Mr. Kim Yong Nam who spoke about the history and
revolutionary exploits of Kim Il Sung as the founder of socialist
Korea.
The Children are well looked after
One of the great highlights of Pyongyang was a visit to the Oykra
children’s hospital which was officially opened in March 2013.
Looking at the complex when we arrived, it was difficult to imagine
that we were visiting a hospital as it was surrounded by gardens and
fountains with playgrounds. When we entered the building you could
have believed that we were visiting a huge kindergarten. Instead of
normal hospital décor we saw children’s playgrounds, toys with the
walls decorated with children paintings. The hospital is seven
stories high with a helicopter landing pad and accommodates children
from all parts of the country and is directly connected to 200
regional and remote health centers and provides all forms of health
treatment.
Designed and constructed with beds to accommodate 350 children, the
hospital also provides services for 250-300 for children outpatients
on a daily basis. As well as providing health and medical services
for children’s needs the hospital also has its own education
facilities for children who are required to spend lengthy times at
the hospital so as to avoid them falling behind on their education
timeframe. A tour of the hospital revealed that it is very modern and
high-tech with the latest X-Ray, Catscan and MRI equipment (from
Siemens) with a hospital staff of 500, including 180 doctors, 200
nurses and 6 teachers.
Despite the unjustified sanctions and restrictions that they face,
the Korean people can feel very proud of this magnificent facility
and the services their children will receive free of any charges and
one more example of Juche Independence.
From the children’s hospital we paid a visit to the Kyong Song
Kindergarten and this time we knew we were in a kindergarten, it is a
district kindergarten catering for the children who live in the area
aged between 5–6 years before they reach the age for primary
education it is not a new facility as it was opened in 1959 but has
undergone extensive renovations in 2012 and now accommodates up to
300 children.
The kindergarten specializes in providing all different forms of
music tuition for the children and over the years some of the
children have competed on the international stage. We witnessed a
little girl who was 6 years of age playing the piano with such
competence and precision and unless you saw her one could have
thought that the pianist was a competent musician. The kindergarten
has 30 teachers and is open from 9am to 4.30pm it also has its own
community bus that provides a service of picking up and dropping off
the children to their homes all free of charge. If there is a
privileged class in the DPRK then surely it must be the children.
President Kim IL Sung is well known for often saying “The children
are my God” and they are certainly treated in that manner.
Departure Message from Marshall Kim Jong Un
Unfortunately our stay in Pyongyang was almost over but we had one
more commitment to complete, a visit to the Australian Friendship
School Kumsong Middle School No1 where we met with some of the school
officials including the principals and deputy principal. The school
has two principals, one for academic purposes and the other for sport
and music lessons.
The school was opened in 1969 and currently accommodates some 2,000
students from Pyongyang and other parts of the DPRK and engages 80
teachers with a class on average of 25 students with 6 years
secondary study. Internationally the school students have performed
cultural events in 58 countries, 800 performances (that figure will
grow this year).
Overtime and as part of our solidarity activities, the Australia
Friendship Society has been able to arrange for qualified people to
provide English lessons to the students and the principals and other
officials in attendance were elated to hear that a teacher who has
visited the school on many occasions and has actually written a book
about his experiences with the school would be back in April next
year. In addition we advised our Friendship Society has launched a
financial appeal to assist in purchasing education equipment for the
school.
The principal Mr. Kim and on behalf of the administrative staff and
the students expressed his sincere appreciation for our solidarity
activities and was very proud and honored that our society had
adopted their school as our Friendship School. He also expressed
great delight and the school would be honored to welcome back their
good friend and teacher.
Sadly our time in Pyongyang had come to an end and it was time to
depart for Pyongyang Railway Station for our journey back to Beijing.
As we were departing the hotel to board our bus with our very
reliable driver at the wheel Mr. Hwang informs us Mr. Pak Kyong IL
the Chairman of the Korea-Australia/New Zealand Friendship Societies
would like to see us before we departed.
After expressing his appreciation for our visit in paying respect for
the 20th anniversary of the demise of President Kim Il
Sung and wishing us a safe trip home, the chairman then rose to
inform us that he had a personal message from Marshall Kim Jong Un to
deliver,
“Marshall Kim Jong Un would like to thank the OMC delegation for
visiting the DPRK and joining with the Korean people in paying our
respects to President Kim IL Sung, he also would like to express his
sincere appreciation for the gift that the delegation had presented
for him to receive on behalf of the Korean people and that the gift
is further evidence of the close bond that our friendship societies
have with the Korean people.”
“He wishes a safe trip home and welcomes and looks forward to the
next time we visit the DPRK.”
Inspired by that very kind comradely message from Marshall Kim Jong
Un and after saying goodbye to Hwang sung Chol and Miss Kim and our
reliable driver we boarded our train for Beijing.
Although it has been 20 years since the demise of President Kim IL
Sung our visit to the DPRK was a great experience and we left
confident that the bonds of friendship and our joint activities with
the Korean people have been further strengthened.
Furthermore, the revolutionary exploits of President Kim IL Sung are
still shining bright over Korea providing inspiration, determination
and courage to the Korean people as they overcome all of the
obstacles and difficulties as they march forward in building a
prosperous, powerful socialist country with the final goal of
reunification of their nation “By our Nation Itself” under the
banner of Songun Politics with the flag of Juche flying high.
Compiled by Ray Ferguson
Sam Bullock
OMC delegation to DPRK July 2014
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