International Children’s Day 2015

International Children’s Day (국제 아동절) was marked in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 1 June. It is a day devoted to children of all backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and traditions around the world.

The celebration was even bigger this year compared to last year (http://bit.ly/1JoMwES), as senior party and state officials congratulated children and their parents on the International Children’s Day in Pyongyang, Kaesong, Wonsan, and Chongjin.

Presidium Leader Kim Yong Nam, Premier Pak Pong Ju, Kwak Pom Ki, Kim Phyong Hae, Ro Tu Chol, Jo Yon Jun, Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and officials of the party, Cabinet, working people’s organizations and power organs visited kindergartens around the country; this included the kindergarten of Kim Jong Suk Pyongyang Textile Mill, 10-day kindergarten of the Sosamjong Vegetable Farm in Ryokpho District, as well as nurseries, maternity homes and orphanages to spend time with different children and their families on the day.

Splashing at a water park in Wonsan.
Splashing around at a water park in Wonsan.

They went around rooms dedicated to the histories of the relevant units, education classes, nursing rooms, playgrounds and exercise rooms and appreciated the colorful sports and amusement games and art performances given by the children at the different facilities afterward.

A boat ride along the scenic Taedong River through Pyongyang provided sights for many families, a city carnival in Kaesong with entertainment and games, and a major national fun fair with rides and family attractions was held in Sinuiju to the north. Workers in Namp’o celebrated the day with their families, holding local contests of all kinds along the beaches there.

A boat ride down the Taedong River highlighted the day for many.
A boat ride down the Taedong River highlighted the day for many.

Just like last year’s celebration, a joint friendship meeting was held at the Mangyongdae Amusement Park on Monday, this time to mark the 65th anniversary of International Children’s Day. The meeting was followed by a story-telling session and art performance presented by children in the local youth opera and dance group.

Put on the stage were such colorful numbers as the song and dance of “Pleasant Holiday,” “We are One of Many,” kayagum solo “I Am a Flower Bud,” and the dance musical “Flower Buds of Korea”.

There took place sports and amusement games throughout the rest of the afternoon. Children competed in the annual wrestling games at the Ssirum (Korean wrestling) grounds and other sporting activities took place later at the park. Both DPRK and foreign children competed in a small “family Olympics” with their families, with their hand taken by their mothers with a ball in arms, ball shooting, toy picking, jump rope, mud slinging, swimming and tug of war. At the end of the games the participants spent a good deal of time dancing and eating dinner together.

Marshal Kim Jong Un later visited the Wonsan Baby Home and Orphanage on Monday, 2 June, letting children there cut the grand opening tape to the facility, thus adding a final exclamation to the observance of International Children’s Day 2015 (http://goo.gl/3Vxf7w).

Click here to see more uploaded photographs from the day’s events around the nation (provided courtesy of Wen Hianwei of news.cn).