Distinguishing Features of Aged People Mirrored in Two Systems

http://www.mfa.gov.kp/en/distinguishing-features-of-aged-people-mirrored-in-two-systems/

question of providing the aged – occupying a considerable proportion in the society – with a proper care and raising social awareness about them is shaping up as an important one for guaranteeing harmony and stability for the countries and societies.

It is from this reason that the 45th Session of the United Nations General Assembly held in December 1990 designated October 1 as International Day of Older Persons for the purpose of achieving international cooperation in view of worldwide aging of population and protecting and promoting the rights of the aged.

The real value of a person’s life as a social being is gauged by his or her position and role held in a given country and society.

In the socialist system of our country which holds up people as Heaven and serves for the popular masses, the aged are enjoying all happiness while being respected as revolutionary forerunners and seniors.

Emotional scenes which show that the people of the whole country are congratulating the aged greeting the International Day of Older Persons, and the singing and dancing rhythms and joyful laughter of the aged echoing through the colorful stages and dancing places provided for them are a vivid reflection of the beautiful pictures of the era in our socialist country where virtue and love are overflowing.

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un set it as a policy imperative of the Party to treat the aged in a preferential way and take care of them, and he is making endless efforts and devotion to ensure them a healthy and disease-free life and to enable them to get more vigorous with their advancing ages. Under his wise leadership, modern sanatoriums for the war veterans and nursing homes for the aged to be envied by the world at large have been built throughout our country, and our aged people are spending the remaining years of their joyous lives, singing of longevity.

There are increasing number of true-hearted persons who volunteer to become children of the childless elders and dedicate to them, though they are not well-off. This is the true picture of our great socialist family where people help and support each other, sharing the sorrow of others.

By contrast, in the capitalist countries boasting of high civilization and vast wealth, the remaining years of the lives by the aged are becoming ever more miserable by the winds of “reform” on social welfare laws and pension systems – though a few are existing – being carried out under the pretext of preventing the decline in workforce and the economic setback caused by the aging population.

Because of the failure to afford all sorts of taxes and medical expenses which are even tough for young people, a large number of old people are facing miserable deaths while roaming the streets, and they are also reduced into the culprits or victims of horrible murder crime of killing each other just for trifling money, eventually being casted off as social “troublemakers.”

This is the distinguishing contrast between the socialist society – where human being is respected as the most precious being – and the capitalist society – where the law of the jungle and the money-is-everything idea are predominant. And this is virtually an epitome of the superiority and the inferiority between the two different social systems – the difference which cannot be bridged by any colossal wealth or whatever else.

This is why the aged in our country willingly continue to work with dedication and patriotism in the remaining years of their lives, saying that it should be the entirety of their life and happiness to defend and strengthen the boundlessly grateful socialist motherland, and our socialist country will further shine over this planet as a country for people