DPRK Musicians Play in Norway

The Bergen International Festival was held in Norway between mid-May and early June. The festival brought together art organizations from more than 40 countries of the world. In the festival the performance of the Korean schoolchildren´s small art troupe was a great attraction.

Seven schoolchildren showed good ensemble and high artistry, performing instruments and singing songs. The duration of performance was almost doubled due to repeated encores.

The audience was completely fascinated with the performance. They described it as an unforgettable performance, as a marvellous and wonderful performance and as a performance giving vigor and vitality. They lavished praises on the educational system of Korea.

Merited Artist Jong Chol Ho, a section chief of the Pyongyang Students and Children´s Palace, has this to say:

“I have been teaching children here in the palace for more than 30 years. I travelled a number of countries for performances. As on all other occasions, during the recent Bergen International Festival, too, people asked where the children learned. Many people said they seemed to have been given private lessons by famous instrumentalists. I told them that our schoolchildren had learned in the Pyongyang Students and Children´s Palace without paying a penny and among them are children of workers as well.”

The Pyongyang Students and Children´s Palace is an extracurricular educational center of schoolchildren to which the great Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il had paid special concern.

The palace has circle rooms for different fields including science and technology, sports, and art and so all can fully develop their talents according to their hopes and aptitude.

Violinist Kim Jin Hyok says:

“I have been learning violin for 11 years including two years in kindergarten and nine years in the palace. In those years I took part in a New Year performance as conductor and came first in a national schoolchildren´s art contest, when my house was in a festive mood.”

Accordionist Kim Jang Hyok has this to say:

“People asked me if there is a well-known musician in my family, praising me for my good accordion performance. I proudly said I am the son of an ordinary worker.”

Hyon Chun Hui, grandmother of Kim Ryong Jong who won fame as a talented Janggu or long drum player in the recent festival, says:

“Since he was little my grandson Ryong Jong carried Janggu with himself. I worried a lot if he could succeed. But upon the news that he caused a great sensation abroad I was excited and shed tears, thinking that I am the happiest grandmother in the world. When my villagers called me grandmother of a wonder boy, I was moved all the more at the thought that our socialist system is excellent and Marshal Kim Jong Un has trained the children as wonderfully as my grandson.”

Respected Marshal Kim Jong Un is taking care of the children with the warm love of the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. He visits all places with children and hugs them, such as the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren´s Palace, the Pyongyang City Myohyangsan Mountaineering Children´s Union Camp, the Songdowon International Children´s Camp, the Pyongyang City Baby Home, the Pyongyang Orphanage, the Changjon Primary School, the Kyongsang Kindergarten and the Kyongsang Nursery. The joy of the Korean children growing most happily under his care has become songs which loudly resounded in Bergen City of north Europe.