THE EMBASSY OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO SWITZERLAND
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No 15/23 February 27, 2023
1. Ground-breaking Ceremony for Construction of New Street in Sopho Area Held
2. Press Statement of Director-General of Department of U.S. Affairs of DPRK Foreign Ministry
3. Universal Free Medical Care System Most Popular with People
4. World-class Shooting Gallery – Meari Shooting Gallery
Ground-breaking Ceremony for Construction of New Street in Sopho Area Held
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Encourages Youth Vanguard with His StirringSpeech and Shovels First Spadeful of Earth
Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- In the sacred course of the Workers' Party of Korea which is translating into thrilling reality the grand plan and determination for prosperity and development of the DPRK and the wellbeing of its people, a new street will be built in the Sopho area of Pyongyang, the capital city, as a symbol of the development and future of socialism.
The construction of a new street in the capital city, set forth by the historic Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK as a major construction task for this significant year and entrusted to the youth, is a gigantic creation campaign to be carried out by the steadfast will of the WPK to provide the people with a highly-civilized and happy life as early as possible at the extraordinary construction speed of racing against time and accelerate the ongoing grand revolutionary advance with the fighting mettle and advance spirit of the fine, reliable and passionate youth.
The great Party Central Committee entrusted the Socialist Patriotic Youth League and the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade with the important revolutionary task to make our young people, who have always served as a powerful driving force of the state development in the historic course of the Korean revolution pioneered in Mt Paektu, reliably carry forward the proud tradition of loyalty and patriotism in the ongoing general advance. Such great trust is giving further momentum to enthusiasm for the revolution and patriotic zeal of millions of young people across the country.
A ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City took place on Saturday.
The venue of the ceremony, which will mark another brilliant chapter in the history of the Juche-oriented youth movement, was brimming with the revolutionary enthusiasm of young builders determined to create new legendary tales about the heroic youth as standard-bearers in building socialist civilization at the worthwhile theater for translating into a proud reality the long-cherished desire of the Party Central Committee.
Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the ceremony.
When he appeared at the venue of the ceremony together with his beloved daughter, all the participants broke into cheers of "Hurrah!", looking up to the great father who put forward the young people as the vanguard and shock brigade in the struggle for socialist construction and as the promising, young main forces taking the lead in ushering in a new era of the country's prosperity and has shown all kinds of love and affection for them, while making a new history of attaching importance to the youth on this land.
Present at the ceremony were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, Ri Il Hwan and Jon Hyon Chol, secretaries of the C.C., WPK, Pak Hun, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Ri Tu Song, department director of the C.C., WPK, commanding officers and members of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade, officials of the youth league and young people in the city.
When the ground-breaking ceremony was declared, the national anthem of the DPRK was played solemnly.
Kim Jong Un made a significant speech.
Expressing his pleasure over the declaration of significant ground-breaking for another modern street in the presence of young volunteers, which will be recorded as a proud page in the history of the Korean youth movement adorned with bravery and feats, he highly appreciated once again the immortal feats of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade performed in building a monumental edifice of youth for the motherland.
He said that the Paektusan hero youth spirit prevailing all campaign theaters in the country comes to be the symbol of indomitable character and fighting spirit of our socialist young vanguard and an integral part of the irresistible might of Juche Korea courageously braving hardships, and clarified our Party's determination to provide a new and big stage for young people to show once again their patriotic enthusiasm in the course of overall development of socialist construction by further elevating this great spirit.
Expressing belief that the glorious Socialist Patriotic Youth League and Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade would successfully build a new street in the capital city by living up to the call of the times and expectation of the people through their heroic struggle, he ardently appealed to wage a brave struggle for the high honor of the Korean youth and the eternal prosperity of our socialist state and for the sake of the capital city of Pyongyang.
At the end of his passionate speech full of great trust and love for the youth, all the participants, deeply moved with high honor and happiness, raised stormy cheers again.
Kim Jong Un gave the flag of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade to its commanding officers.
The young vanguard raised shouts of their firm will to create a new legendary story about construction representing the era by amplifying once again the Paektusan hero youth spirit and mettle in carrying out the grand construction project, holding aloft the honorable flag given by the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un as the banner of struggle and advance.
All the young builders made a solemn pledge to report their victory to the fatherly Marshal after successfully building another ideal street for people in Pyongyang, the heart of Juche Korea, through all-out charge in the spirit and mettle of the Korean youth knowing no impossibility by carrying forward the proud history and tradition of the Korean youth who have answered the Party's call with their devoted service.
The venue of the ceremony was full of roar of slogans of loyalty reflecting the faith and will of all the participants determined to devotedly defend the absolute dignity and prestige of the Party Central Committee and fully display the brave stamina of a large contingent of young people in the great era of Kim Jong Un by most creditably and perfectly carrying out the tasks assigned by Kim Jong Un no matter what ordeals and difficulties may block their way.
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un personally shoveled the first spadeful of earth, together with senior Party and government officials to mark the ground-breaking for the construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City.
All the participants raised enthusiastic cheers of "Hurrah!", hardly repressing their surging emotion at the deep trust and love of the fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un who personally made a passionate speech at the ground-breaking ceremony and shoveled the first spadeful of earth together with his beloved daughter, giving great strength and courage to the young people with hope that they would emerge performers of feats and victors in the forefront of the capital city construction.
Kim Jong Un personally pressed the detonator.
Amid the sound of blasting signaling the start of construction, fireworks were displayed in the sky of February to bless our young people turned out in the heroic struggle and advance.
Very high is the spirit and stamina of our young people who devote their all to the implementation of the Party's plan, keeping the loyalty to the Party and the revolution as their greatest honor and pride, Kim Jong Un said, adding that the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade, which has built a solid fortress of faith defending our cause with ardent vigor and patriotism, and other young people should become the backbone in the ongoing grand socialist construction.
Expressing expectation and belief that our youth braving any difficulties in response to the Party's call would proudly build another luxurious street, an innovative entity representing a prosperous and powerful country, deeply mindful of their sacred duty and the call of the times - "For the Victory of Our Cause!" and "For Pyongyang, Our Capital City!", he encouraged the reliable young vanguards.
The construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City will strikingly demonstrate once again the mettle of resourceful and brave youth of Juche Korea, closely rallied around the great Party Central Committee with intense loyalty to the Party's cause, and the image of the DPRK dynamically advancing toward a bright future.
Press Statement of Director-General of Department of U.S. Affairs of DPRK Foreign Ministry
Kwon Jong Gun, Director-General of the Department of U.S. Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, issued the following press statement on February 24.
The U.S. and its followers held an open meeting of the UN Security Council on February 20, at which they again took issue with the DPRK over its exercise of the right to self-defense.
We are very displeased with the fact that they put a sovereign state’s legitimate right to self-defense on the agenda of the UNSC, and strongly protest and denounce them.
If the UNSC has a true intention to contribute to peace and security on the Korean peninsula, it will have to condemn in the strongest terms the U.S. and south Korea for their moves of escalating military tension, including frequent deployment of strategic assets and large-scale joint military drills against the DPRK.
The U.S. and south Korea are planning to stage a farce of visiting a U.S. nuclear submarine base just after staging a “drill for operating extended deterrence means”, rehearsal of a nuclear war against the DPRK, at Pentagon. This clearly proves to what extent their scheme to confront with the DPRK has reached.
If the UNSC, the mandate of which is to ensure global peace and security, is turned into a three-ring circus where injustice and illegality now judge justice and legitimacy under the sway of the U.S. and its vassal forces, it will only result in escalating military tension on the Korean peninsula.
Against this backdrop, the U.S. representative to the UN contended that they would again push forward the adoption of a “Chair’s Statement” at the UN Security Council in denunciation of the DPRK’s ICBM launching drill. It is a clear encroachment upon the DPRK’s right to self-defense.
This clearly proves that the UNSC has been reduced to a tool of the U.S. for putting pressure on the DPRK.
The U.S., posing a constant threat to the security environment on the Korean peninsula and in the region, has unilaterally denied the DPRK’s right to self-defense while striving to strengthen the alliance with its followers. This is an open disregard of and intolerable challenge to the DPRK.
The right to self-defense precisely means sovereignty.
Since the U.S. persists in its attempt to deprive the DPRK of its right to self-defense by misusing the UNSC, the DPRK will never remain a passive onlooker to such attempt.
The only way for preventing the vicious cycle of military tension on the Korean peninsula and its surroundings is for the U.S. to show a clear and practical stand such as the abandonment of its commitment to deploying strategic assets in south Korea and the halt to various kinds of combined drills against the DPRK.
The U.S. should be mindful of the fact that if it persists in its hostile and provocative practices against the DPRK, despite the latter’s repeated protest and warning, it can be regarded as a declaration of war against the DPRK.
The U.S. should perceive intuitively and accept the consequences to be entailed by it, as a matter of course.
I take this opportunity to remind the UNSC once again of our stand that if it puts the DPRK’s right to self-defense on the table again, being at the U.S.’s beck and call, the corresponding strong countermeasure will follow.
Universal Free Medical Care System Most Popular with People
It has been 70 years now since the universal free medical care system was introduced in our country. The DPRK regards promoting people’s welfare as the supreme principle of its activities. Through the universal free medical care system, the Party and the state perfectly and equally ensure the medical rights of the people at the highest level.
President Kim Il Sung saw to it that a decree on introducing universal free medical care system at the state’s expense from January, 1953 was promulgated at the plenary meeting of the Cabinet of the DPRK which was held in November 1952 at the height of the war.
Even though he was so busy in the post-war period, he visited curative and preventive medical organizations of the country to take proactive measures for complete and universal introduction of the free medical care system.
On this basis, he proclaimed that complete and universal free medical care would be introduced to provide all medical services free of charge at the Seventh Session of the Second Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK held in February 1960.
This has enabled the previous universal free medical care system where the subject of application and range of free medical service had been the main issue to be improved as a complete and universal one which gives a priority to raising the conditions and quality of medical services.
In the middle of 1980s, the specialized health service network, inclusive of children’s health service network, women’s health service network, Koryo therapy network was set up ranging from the central level down to province, city (district), county and ri levels. At the end of 2012, a telemedicine system based on advanced technology was established connecting the central hospitals with hospitals in every province, city (district) and county.
Medical training bases including medical colleges were established in each province. Together with this, the independent and modern pharmaceutical factory, medical appliances factory, Koryo medicine factory and specialized herb farm at city (district) and county level sprang up, thus providing a sufficient material and technical basis to ensure the universal free medical care system at the highest-level.
Entering the new century, Chairman Kim Jong Il visited several units including Kim Il Sung University, Pyongyang University of Medicine, Hamhung University of Medicine, Hungnam Pharmaceutical Factory, Kanggye Koryo Medicine Factory and set forth tasks of further improving the public health as required by the times.
Today, the public healthcare has entered new heyday thanks to the personal care and energetic guidance of respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who gives top priority to the interests of the people.
During the past 10 years, Munsu area of Pyongyang City has been transformed into a perfect hospital district outfitted with modern medical services. This includes Okryu Children’s Hospital, Ryugyong Dental Hospital, Ryugyong General Ophthalmic Hospital and Munsu Functional Rehabilitation Clinic. On the other hand, many health establishments such as Myohyangsan Medical Appliances Factory, Pyongyang Pharmaceutical Factory, Medical Oxygen Factory, which have been renovated and modernized, are now contributing to the promotion of the people’s health.
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, at a Party meeting which was held at the end of last year, clearly indicated the direction for innovating and developing the public health onto a new high stage.
The socialist public health system will shine forever, enhancing the pleasure of our people.
World-class Shooting Gallery – Meari Shooting Gallery
Many public service facilities are now built across the country to the joy of our young students, pupils and people.
Built in unique style in Chongchun Street – a street lined with sports facilities - in the capital city of Pyongyang, Meari Shooting Gallery is one of them.
It is a complex public service facility equipped with indoor/outdoor shooting ranges, archery field, amusement arcades and other service facilities such as restaurants and shops.
The visitors are spending pleasant time there, enjoying the sensation of hitting the bull’s eye on the appearing targets.
The Meari Shooting Gallery is the haunting place for our people. Permeated in such a world-class shooting gallery is the dedication and efforts of respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who strives to provide our people with yet more cultured and happier life.
Having taken all the measures necessary to renovate the shooting gallery into a modern facility, respected Comrade Kim Jong Un personally visited the newly renovated Meari Shooting Gallery on February 22, 2012 and resolved all the issues arising from the management and operation of the facility.
At the indoor shooting range, he told the relevant officials to remodel the target into a mobile one so that people can see for themselves the result after the shooting and also to enable the computerized detection of objective point and the display of result appraisal.
He also told them other minute details: Floor of the indoor shooting range should be replaced with tiered one so that it is no longer slippery; benches should be placed in the corridor for the people to sit on them and rest; a photographer should be employed and the laser jet printing facility be installed in the shooting range so that visitors on a shoot can have their pictures taken and get them printed on the spot – gentle reminders that help serve the convenience of the visitors to the gallery.
At the outdoor shooting range, he gave instructions to better furnish the range and to place targets of various shapes, and also said that people will love the place once the shooting gallery reopens.
Name any service facility or scenic spot in the country and it will tell of the ardent love of respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who exerts himself to make our people well-off with nothing to envy in the world. Under such loving care of the great fatherly leader, people’s happy laughter resonates through the country despite the unheard-of crisis that the country is now faced with.