Politics

Once a prominent foreign figure wrote in his writing:

“In the heart of Pyongyang there stands the Chollima Statue depicting a winged horse rushing toward the future. The statue symbolizes the heroic spirit of the Korean people and shows that the Korean women emerged as masters of the country together with men.”

The female rider represented on the Chollima Statue is by no means an individual.

She symbolizes all the Korean women who, as masters of the revolution and construction like men, have dynamically pushed the advance of the country together with men throughout the course of socialist construction.

In retrospect, the Korean women had to suffer all sorts of misfortune and pain before Korea’s liberation, subject to double and treble harsh exploitation, oppression, maltreatment and contempt due to the yoke of feudalism and the Japanese imperialists’ military occupation.

Though he was so busy after liberation, President Kim Il Sung saw to it that an organization embracing broad sections of women was formed so that they could fulfil their responsibility and role in building a new democratic Korea, and promulgated the Law on Sex Equality on July 30 1946.

With the historic declaration of women’s liberation of that day, they became able to gain equal rights with men to dynamically step up the revolution and construction as proud builders of a new society. Later, they performed heroic feats, demonstrating the mettle of the Korean women in each decade of socialist construction.

The President ushered in a new era of sexual equality in the country and ensured that the role of women was enhanced and favourable social conditions were provided for that at every stage of the revolution. Under his guidance, the women who could not go beyond even the enclosure of their families became a powerful force pushing ahead with socialist construction to lead a dignified and fulfilling life.

Chairman Kim Jong Il defended their rights and dignity restored by the President and made the history of valuing women continue in the country.

On July 30 2009, the 63rd anniversary of the promulgation of the Law on Sex Equality, the Chairman visited the then Pyongyang Textile Mill and met the labour heroes who had been working honestly at the mill for a long time and the new-generation labour innovators. There has never been such an era as now when the Korean women are glorifying their fame and value of existence as befitting those in the era of the Workers' Party, he said, adding that such an epochal change brought about in their position and role clearly proves that the Korean women with a strong revolutionary spirit and militancy are a powerful force dynamically pushing the revolution and construction. He then had a photo taken with the women workers.

The Korean women could invariably follow the road of revolution thanks to the great trust and benevolence of the Chairman who put forward those contributing to the prosperity of the country as heroines and patriots of the times.

Today, the respected General Secretary Kim Jong Un shows them great favour. When he met diligent women officials and workers on his field inspection tours, he was so pleased and put them forward to be known throughout the country. He was so satisfied at the sight of the women soldiers devoting their youth to national defence that he spent a long time having a photo taken with each of them. And he highly praised those who adopted orphaned children or married honoured disabled soldiers.

Under his meticulous care, the Korean women are now enjoying a dignified and worthwhile life while devoting themselves to the comprehensive development and rejuvenation of the country.