Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech in Congratulation of Women across Country on Occasion of March 8 International Women's Day

Pyongyang, March 9 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a speech in congratulation of the women across the country on the occasion of the March 8 International Women's Day.

The full text of his speech is as follows:

Greeting March 8, I, with my warmest feelings, extend congratulations to all our Korean women, for whom I have affection and respect all the time.

My hearty congratulations also go to all the overseas Korean women.

As they have always done, our women add harmony, beauty, warmth and affection to our society.

Today it is a joyful holiday, when the whole country brims over with the tender feelings of gratitude, blessing and respect for our women.

As we were to greet the women’s day some days after the Ninth Congress of our Party, in which we reviewed the precious successes achieved for the good of the country, I was reminded of all the exceptional and unknown efforts the women of this country had made for those successes. And I wanted to express my special thanks to them for what they had done, so I have decided to make a brief remark today, on the occasion of this opportunity.

I make a deep bow as an expression of my thanks to our women for the unknown efforts and sincerity they have devoted for the country and men.

However, I think that thanks is too simple a word and it would not be enough to encourage and repay them even a little for the extraordinary troubles and difficulties our women have experienced.

I can picture in my mind’s eye the looks of the women in this country, who would wear a gentle smile, as if they had gained all the reward for their silent efforts, after receiving a simple congratulatory remark, a greetings card or a flower from their dear husbands, children, boyfriends, relatives, acquaintances and disciples.

For these women, I cannot find any other better expression than really beautiful.

This expression does not simply imply the beautiful looks of Korean women.

Though physically weak, they are obviously strong-willed, their plain faces assuming courage and the wrinkles on them denoting their strenuous exertion and thus arousing much greater respect. So, they look incomparably beautiful, and I think this is a charm unique to our Korean women.

In the images of our grandmothers’ and mothers’ generations we can see the signs of the severe hardship which they have undergone, the tenacity with which they have gone against all the odds, and the strength of genuine love and benevolent affection which they have cherished while working hard to develop this country.

Also, when seeing the faces of our contemporary women of a new generation, we can feel the fresh vigor with which they are working to advance this country towards a bright future, and the optimism and self-confidence they show in overcoming trials cheerfully.

I want to say proudly that all the Korean women who are dear to us -- mothers, wives, daughters and girlfriends -- are really beautiful and great, as compared with women in other countries.

Korean women, who have remained honest in times of difficulties, stout-hearted in moments of sorrow and courageous even in the face of death, have recorded remarkable exploits in the annals of the revolution and in the pages of history. These exploits still remain in our memory, serving as our strong spiritual mainstay.

Korean women are by nature pure-hearted, upright and strong-willed, and these qualities have been purely inherited for generations. Our contemporary women, too, have become a solid buttress of the revolution bringing affection and delight to all the other people in this country and inspiring them with strength, courage and victory.

In all the positions of our revolution, be they posts for national defence, sites of socialist construction, factories or farms, wherever we go in the country, we can see our women, strong-willed, tenacious, pure-hearted and honest, who are unwilling to show their physical weakness and lag behind men.

The distinguished services rendered by our countless heroes, both known and unknown, as well as the meritorious persons and innovators in this country, are associated with the immeasurable pains that our women, who are their mothers or wives, have taken without expecting any reward.

Our women devote themselves without seeking self-interest or reward, and they find the worth of their life in doing so. Such a fine mind constitutes the basis of a spiritual strength that engenders boundless love and encourages others to defy death unhesitatingly in defence of the love.

Our soldiers are so brave in the life-and-death battles, because they are determined to bring not an iota of shame on their dear mothers, wives, girlfriends or daughters, whom they associate with the sacred appellation motherland.

Women have such incredible strength.

With the passage of time, wrinkles will appear on their beautiful faces. However, the genuine beauty of our Korean women will not fade forever, as they are so honest and upright to endure everything while concerning themselves more about the country and revolution than about their families.

Encouraged by the warm care of such excellent women, their husbands and children achieve innovations at their workplaces, and our revolution is progressing much faster thanks to their peculiar strength, talent and most ennobling self-sacrificing devotion.

In the future, too, our women will play a significant role in making this country more harmonious and prosperous.

So important and irreplaceable are their responsibility and role in developing the socialist society of our own style and finding proper solutions to many big and small social problems.

When they always behave as a role model for their children, encourage their husbands and become a source of happiness and pride for their parents, and when they carry forward the tradition of patriotism as faithfully as ever, our society will become more beautiful, more powerful and more prosperous.

Availing myself of this opportunity, I would like to extend my special thanks and greetings to all the mothers across the country.

Indeed, the sacred appellation mother is a source of great spiritual strength for everyone.

Woman is weak but mother is strong, as the saying goes. Our mothers cherish genuine maternal affection as they make unassuming efforts to bring up their children to be excellent persons, so this country has so many patriots. As such strong-willed mothers constitute the solid foundations, our rosy future is fully guaranteed.

I am hardening my resolve to make unsparing and strenuous efforts to do much more for the sake of these admirable mothers, for the wellbeing of our women.

I earnestly request all our women to fulfil the sacred mission and duty they have assumed before the times, history and the motherland in achieving the prosperity and development of our country and promoting the harmony and unity of our society.

Hoping that all the Korean women will be happy and healthy and remain beautiful for the good of our country, the revolution and the future, I once again extend my warm affection and best wishes to them. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.03.09.)

From Voice of Korea -One of the Two Wheels of the Revolution

 From Voice of Korea .

http://vok.rep.kp/index.php/detail_com/comde/iee260209012/69/en

One of the Two Wheels of the Revolution

  One of the two wheels of the revolution--this is the position and role of the Korean women.

  As the cart cannot move with one wheel, so the society cannot develop only by the role of men.

  Under the special concern of the leader and benefits of the socialist system, the Korean women are making an active contribution to the prosperity of the country and demonstrating the honour of the country and nation, shoulder to shoulder with men.

Railway Station Run by Women

  The West Pyongyang Passenger Station is run by only women. The stationmaster, operation commander, shunter and freight agent are all women.

  The station has been run since March 8, 1963.

  The stationmaster, a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly, has been working at the station for nearly 40 years since her girlhood.

  As a matter of fact, it is not easy for women to neglect their household affairs and work as railway staff which is difficult even for men.

  Pak Sun Sil has been working as a passenger instructor at the station for 37 years. She said she missed the harmonious family life at times and continued:

  "We are in charge of only one kilometre of railways. However, we are devoting all our conscience because our station is part of the country."

  They take care of the railways all the year round for prosperity of the country and happiness of the people rather than well-being of their families.

  Like this, Korean women take their position in the railway sector as well, which was dominated by men in the past, and are running a station to ensure the passenger transport of the country.

  Freight agent Kim Sun Hwa said they have run the station for 63 years, i.e. more than 20,000 days, and continued:

  "We have run the railway station for over 60 years not because the male labour force is lacking. It represents the trust of the state that regards women as socialist workers taking charge of all affairs of the country, not the family affairs alone, and as a powerful force turning one of the two wheels of the revolution. Thanks to the trust, only green light will be on all the time on the railways in our charge."

As a Factory Leading the Development of the Cosmetics Industry of the Country

  My friends at the factory tell me with smile

  I am a girl on a steed.

  As I am not satisfied with overfulfilling a day's assignment,

  They praise my working manner as lightning.    

  ...

  This is the song "The Girl on a Steed" loved by the girl innovators.

  It was written by a girl working at the Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory in 1999. There are many women employees at the factory. So it is natural that a song of a girl innovator was written there.

  The history of the cosmetics industry of the country started at the Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory.

  The "Pomhyanggi"-trademarked cosmetics produced by the factory are well-known at home and abroad.

  The factory was awarded the Order of Kim Jong Il, the supreme order of the country.

  It has overfulfilled its assignment under the national economic plan every year and was selected as one of the ten best enterprises in 2023.

  The course of development of the factory spanning nearly 80 years is associated with strenuous efforts of its women workers.

 

  The manager of the factory is also a woman. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un kindly called her "Pomhyanggi" manageress. She is a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly, Doctor and Meritorious Person of Socialist Patriotism.

  Three employees of the factory were awarded the WIPO inventor medal and certificate and two of them are women including the manageress.

  The worker-poetess who wrote the song "The Girl on a Steed" was awarded the watch inscribed with the name of the great leader Kim Il Sung for her hard work.

  Many other women workers are praised as innovators at the factory.

  Their strength is pushing forward the factory leading the development of the cosmetics industry of the country.

Looking Back upon 2025

  The Korean sportspeople won more than 20 trophies and over 270 medals including at least 150 gold medals at international games in 2025.

  Ten best players and ten best coaches of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 2025 were selected from those who brought about victories. Eight of the ten best players and two of the ten best coaches are women.

  The Korean acrobats won three top prizes at international festivals.

  They received the Idol Gold Prize at the "Idol--2025" World Acrobatics Festival, the Grand Prix at the 4th Bez Granitz International Acrobatics Festival and the Gold Lion Prize at the 20th China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival.

  Women acrobats played a big role in winning top prizes by wonderfully performing three backward somersaults from swing, three somersaults and other movements difficult for women.

  Women are also found among the winners of the WIPO National Awards in 2025.

  Except for the winner of the WIPO National Award for Children, two of three winners are women.

  The president of a company which was awarded the WIPO National Award for Business is also a woman doctor.

  Doctor and Associate Professor Choe Ryon, Teacher of Kim Il Sung University, was awarded the WIPO National Award for Creativity for the first time in the DPRK. She talked about the woman's happiness as follows:

  "What is happiness of woman? I say woman is happy when she is loved by her husband and raises her children wonderfully while devoting herself and contributing to the society."

*                 *                 *

  The Korean women are powerfully pushing forward one of the two wheels of the revolution, finding their greatest happiness in taking an active part in public life to devote their sincere and patriotic efforts and make innovations, going beyond the bounds of their homes.

From Voice of Korea-Under the Benefits of the Socialist System

http://vok.rep.kp/index.php/detail_com/comde/iee260214015/69/en

  The international holiday of the world working women came into being according to the desire of the women to defend their dignity and rights, free from all sorts of inequality and fetters.

  Of course, many countries are striving to solve the women's problem. But the desire has not come true up to date.

  On the contrary, the women are loved and respected as flowers of the family, the life and the country in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

  Manageress Jo Son Nyo at the Mangyongdae District Fuel Supply Station in the capital city of Pyongyang is enjoying a genuine life under the benefits of the socialist system. She said:

  "Frankly speaking, I've never thought of the social rights of women and the betterment of their station in life because I've taken it for granted that I was born in the socialist system and live under its benefits.

  I am a woman but I haven't felt any family or social constraints. I have a happy family and work as an official of a unit and a deputy to the district people's assembly.

  I always think of how to do more things for this grateful social system."

  Thanks to the Law on Sex Equality adopted in July 1946, the dignity and rights of the women are thoroughly ensured and institutional measures for their realization have been taken in the DPRK.

  A typical example is that the children are growing at the nurseries and kindergartens at the state expense and the industrial establishments with a lot of women have their nurseries and kindergartens.

  Under the state benefits, Manageress Jo Son Nyo brought up her two sons without any worry, who finished their university courses with success.

  Her two sons graduated from Kim Il Sung University and Kim Chaek University of Technology and wore military uniforms like their father.

  Jo Son Nyo is proud of her family of servicepersons.

  She was also born into a family of servicemen and underwent military service.

  While working in the field of commerce after demobilization, she undertook the work of the working people's organization and was enrolled in the study-while-you-work system for university education.

  While working as a Party official for over ten years, she was elected a deputy to the Mangyongdae District People's Assembly and participated in the Second Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

  She has the Order of the National Flag 1st Class and other decorations and medals.

  Like this, the benefits of the socialist system reach all fields of the women's life such as political life, working life, education, cultural life and family life.

Ordinary women in this country grow to be labour innovators, officials, heroines and deputies, leaving clear traces in the course of development of the DPRK.

From Voice of Korea -Korean Women Enjoying a Worthwhile Life

http://vok.rep.kp/ind.../detail_com/comde/iee260206005/57/en

  The Democratic People's Republic of Korea regards women as a powerful force for the development of the state and society.

  The society develops and the times advance when the women accounting for a half of the country's population fulfil their responsibility and duty in their families and society.

Honour of a Woman Scientist

  Jo Su Gyong working as the director of an institute of the Pyongyang University of Mechanical Engineering has an unusual honour.

  She is a competent scientist who made a lot of machinery and equipment badly needed for the people's living in Korean style.

  When she was making scientific researches at the Pyongyang Hosiery Factory to make an automatic sock packing machine, a monopoly of some developed countries, she had the honour of meeting the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un at the production site on July 2, 2012.

  That day, Kim Jong Un said the performance of the packing machine was good and spoke highly of her efforts for its development.

  He added that only when scientists go into reality, can they achieve successes in their researches and stressed the need to actively encourage such practice.

  He visited the factory again on August 6, 2014 and saw different kinds of sock packing machines she had invented one after another.

  He recognized her standing before a machine and said with a bright smile on his face that he had met her previously.

  Leaving the factory, he wished her greater success in the future.

  Merited Scientist, Doctor and Associate Professor Jo Su Gyong is devoting her all to scientific researches today, too.

Precious Memory

  The Pyongyang Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill, which produces silk thread, is well-known to the Korean people as a pivotal factory of the light industry sector.

  Women workers hold a large proportion in the mill.

  Kim Jong Hyang, a workteam head of the silk reeling workshop, has a precious memory of having met Kim Jong Un in her girlhood.

  Kim Jong Un visited the mill on June 20, 2016. He said he had come to see its workers and watched her reeling silk thread for a long while.

  An accompanying official of the mill told him that she had fulfilled her first half-yearly quotas under the national economic plan before others and acceded to the Workers' Party of Korea. Kim Jong Un lauded her, pressing her wet hand.

  That day, he said it is important for a revolutionary to become a Party member, but what is more honourable is to add eternal brilliance to the precious political integrity of the Party member until the last moment of his or her life.

  Kim Jong Hyang told him that she would work harder in the future. Saying she had a high goal, Kim Jong Un encouraged her to attain it without fail.

  True to her pledge of the day, Kim Jong Hyang carried out her assignment under the national economic plan before others every year and had the honour of taking part in a banquet arranged by Kim Jong Un for labour innovators and meritorious persons.

  The unforgettable, precious memory still encourages her to effect innovations.

Dea Appellation--"Pomhyanggi" Manageress

  Kim Jong Un was concerned to provide the people with the best cosmetics.

  "Pomhyanggi (vernal fragrance)" is the trademark of the cosmetics popular among the Korean people. The "Pomhyanggi"-trademarked cosmetics are produced at the Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory.

  One day in June 2018, Kim Jong Un visited the Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory and said it is his determination to produce world-class cosmetics for the people.

  Later, the factory succeeded in producing various kinds of quality cosmetics. Among them, anti-aging cosmetics were recognized as an invention of great value by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

  One day in September 2021, the manageress of the Sinuiju Cosmetics Factory participated in the banquet given by Kim Jong Un at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee.

  Kim Jong Un recognized her courteously offering greetings to him and kindly called her "Pomhyanggi" manageress.

  And he poured wine into her glass and listened with pleasure to her story about the successes achieved by the factory.

  He said it is good that the factory is working hard to ensure home production of raw materials for cosmetics.

  The appellation of "Pomhyanggi" manageress represented his earnest request and belief that she would become a true servant of the people.

  The position and role of the women are further enhanced along with the social development and civilization in the DPRK and the Korean women are enjoying a worthwhile life under the loving care of Kim Jong Un

 

Country for Women

 2026.3.7.

http://www.mfa.gov.kp/view/article/23905

More than 110 years have passed since March 8 was designated the International Women’s Day, the holiday of female workers around the world.

For a long period of time, numerous countries have made strenuous efforts for equal rights of women and improvement of their living conditions.

Yet, the issue of women remains to be one of serious concerns as the appropriate policy fails to be formulated nor is implemented.

Western capitalist countries including the U.S. outwardly advocate politics for women but the reality is completely different from what it is said to be.

In these countries, all sorts of criminal acts including violence, maltreatment, sexual assault and harassment, homicide and human trafficking seldom disappear but rather get worse day by day.

Women are fading away hopelessly in the capitalist countries, where the people are reduced to the slaves of money.

But in the socialist system of our country where the people are valued as the most precious beings, women are regarded as the flowers of family, society and country.

Having invariably carried on the brilliant history and traditions of Juche-oriented women’s movement of Korea, respected Comrade Kim Jong Un is providing our women with the genuine and civilized life, saying that women are the powerful driving force in the development of the state and society, and that a family, society and the future of the country are unthinkable apart from their role.

Thanks to his loving care, various policies and regulations on women have been adopted, enacted, amended and supplemented over the last 5 years, thus resulting in the radical and continued improvement of our women’s quality of life.

Numerous women have now won precious titles and honor conferred by the Party and the motherland such as women doctors, women deputies, women innovators, and heroines, to name but a few. And countless is also the number of women, both known and unknown, who are displaying patriotic zeal to repay the love and benefits of our grateful Party and state.

Indeed, there is no such country as our own in the world that loves and respects women most and protects and adds luster to their life and rights. That is why our women are endlessly singing about their pride of being born as the Korean women.

The Country Where Women Are Free -Special Article For International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day or more correctly International Working Women’s Day  will be celebrated around the world on the 8th of March . International Working Women’s Day was first put forward by the German socialist Clara Zetkin in 1910 , some 116 years ago .

Only in a few countries on the globe is March 8 International Women’s Day actually a public holiday . One such country is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) or People’s Korea. In the DPRK there are actually greetings cards for International Women’s Day . On March the 8th in the DPRK men present their mothers and wives with flowers and cards.

In the DPRK women have reason to celebrate International Women’s Day s because they are valued and respected as members of society .Respected comrade KIM JONG UN said that  women are “ one of the two wheels of the revolution along the road to victory indicated by the Party” .

This contrasts with Western countries in which women have supposedly been liberated and are “equal to men “ but in reality are seen as sexual objects because of the toxic over-sexualisation in Western countries and the massive porn and sex industries in capitalist countries (the United States it is estimated that the revenue from pornography is  $15 billion dollars annually ) which are completely absent in People’s Korea . In the DPRK there is no pornography and no sex industry . 

Moreover in the capitalist countries there is a gender pay gap .According to the website Statisa the gender pay gap in the UK is 12.8 per cent .

People’s Korea actually granted equal pay to women nearly 80 years ago when it passed the Law on Sexual Equality in July 1946 some 24 years before the Equal Pay Act in the UK . Thus the DPRK solved the problem of equal pay decades ago whereas the problem still exists in the UK and other capitalist countries.

In People’s Korea, unlike the capitalist countries , concrete measures have been taken to ensure that equality is not just on paper .Childcare is free of charge and there is a big network of nurseries and creches including workplace creches and 24/7 nurseries . In the UK  nurseries are very expensive  , apparently it can amount as much as £16000 per year , more than what most working class women earn !  In People’s Korea the amount of maternity leave  increased from 77 days in the 1970s to 150 days in the 1980s and a few years ago was increased to over 200 days which can be supplemented by regular and additional holidays . Women who have more than 3 children can work for 6 hours but get paid for an 8 hour day , something that is totally unheard in a capitalist society !.

Motherhood in People’s Korea is something that is honoured and celebrated rather than being demonised .The DPRK actually instituted the Communist Mother prize in November 2023. Women who have many children in the DPRK are rewarded with extra benefits . In the UK and other capitalist countries women from the low income strata who have many children are blamed and vilified.What a contrast !

  Women hold important and responsible positions in the DPRK . Some are deputies to the Supreme People’s Assembly and to local people’s assemblies ,this includes working class women such as street cleaners and trolleybus drivers . When I visited the DPRK in February 2019  I was shown around the Pyongyang Ryugyong Kimchi Pickle Factory by a woman manager .It is quite common in the DPRK for women to hold positions like director , vice director or manager or head teacher. The DPRK has a woman foreign minister Choe Son Hui.

Therefore on March the 8th Korean women will proudly and meaningfully celebrate International Working Women's Day  !

Dr Dermot Hudson Chairman Korean Friendship Association of UK Chairman British Group For The Study of the Juche Idea Hon General Secretary Global Farmy Study for KIM JONG UN’s People First Policies

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Receives Congratulations from Belarusian President

Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, received a congratulatory message from Aleksandr Lukashenko, president of the Republic of Belarus, on Feb. 27.

The message said:

Your Excellency,

I extend sincere congratulations to you on your reelection as the general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The successful holding of the Ninth Congress is a demonstration of the excellent results of your leadership activities and proof of the unity between the Party and the Korean people and bold aspiration for the future development of a powerful and independent state.

I am convinced that the decisions adopted at the Congress will provide additional conditions for accelerating the speed of socialist construction and achieving the growth and development of the national economy in an unfavorable international situation.

Your Excellency,

Expressing the highest respect to you, I wish you good health full of passion and successes in your work for the interests of the DPRK. -0-

www.kcna.kp (2026.03.07.)