Mick Hartley

The news section of North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun consists mostly of deeply uninteresting industrial/agricultural developments – Army-People Ryongchon Pig Farm Remodeled, for instance – interspersed with gushing paeans to the Great Leader, Kim Jong-un. The Fatherly Loving Care, He Only Thinks of People are typical. Here are a couple of recent efforts:

Unforgettable Story about His Devotion to People:

Meaningful Ping-Pong Table

In October several years ago, the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un visited the completed Yonphung Scientists Holiday Camp.

He looked round the picturesque holiday camp with great satisfaction.

When he dropped into the hall on the second floor in the service complex, he saw a ping-pong table there and noted that it was not good stand for it.

The respected General Secretary said that people would go up and down the steps to pick up a ping-pong ball if they dropped it into the downstair.

It is the impressive story that reminds us of the respected General Secretary’s ardent love for people and his spirit of devotedly serving them, seeing and approaching everything from the viewpoint of people all the time.

No One Else Can Take His Place

One early morning in July several years ago, the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un started his journey to inspect a construction project charged by the Korean People’s Army. When he arrived at the construction site he expressed his intention to guide two more other objects in the morning.

In fact the respected General Secretary had made unutterable high-intensity forced march. But he never allowed himself any moment to lessen extreme fatigue and put more spurs to his forced march on the road of his devotion to our people.

The accompanying officials entreated him not to overwork himself.

Recalling many other units he had guided before the respected General Secretary spoke his mind that it was only him to take the lead in implementing the instructions of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il to build a socialist power envied by the world.

If that doesn't bring a tear to the eye, try this – Giving Top Priority to People’s Convenience. From ping-pong tables to – no, not urinals – restaurant seats:

The respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un gave a lecture to commemorate the 76th founding anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea on October 10, Juche 110(2021). At his lecture he noted that officials should always consider whether their works infringe upon the interests of the people or cause trouble to the people, and deal with the arising issues from the stand of the people on the principle of providing convenience to the people.

His words remind us of the respected General Secretary’s warmhearted devotion to the people, giving top priority to their convenience and interests and regarding them as absolute.

One May day in Juche 101(2012) the respected General Secretary visited a restaurant in Changjon Street.

Looking round compact interior of the restaurant he sat at a table without reserve and estimated something or others.

Then he asked an official of designing sector to take a seat.

Looking at the official’s sitting posture the respected General Secretary said that it was designed to sit vertically and people could not sit at ease for meals.

When the officials felt remorse for their fault, he said that the chairs of the restaurant should be made comfortable ones for people.

Indeed, his words represent the noble idea that the people’s convenience and interests are the first criterion of all works.

A creation for the people must be absolutely perfect even if it is small. This is the intention of the respected General Secretary.

Our people are very happy as they uphold the respected General Secretary who devotes his all to them with ardent love as their father.

From the siting of ping-pong tables to the design of restaurant seats: there's no limit to the great man's talent.