Our Mother Chairwoman

“Our chairwoman” and “our mother chairwoman” – these are nicknames given by inhabitants to Han Chun Hwa, Chairwoman of the Kowon County People´s Committee in South Hamgyong Province in the eastern part of Korea. The nicknames represent warm affection of the county people for her. Han Chun Hwa began to work as Chairwoman of the Kowon County People´s Committee more than 20 years ago in Juche 82 or 1993. When she took responsibility for the livelihood of the county as a woman, she worried a lot. But as the master responsible for the livelihood of the county people, she first got at construction of power stations. She decided to build four power stations. She thought that with electric power, they can run factories and solve raw material issue. There were many difficulties to build power stations with the strength of the county itself. All things such as manpower, materials and equipment were insufficient. She decided to solve all problems relying on the strength of the people. In response to her call, members of the people´s neighborhood units turned out and office employees and workers in the county supported her.

When the construction of power stations was being promoted thanks to the people in high spirits, the great Kim Jong Il saw their struggle on the road of his Songun leadership. He said, the spirit of the people in Kowon County was high and expressed great satisfaction, saying how nice it was that they were building up their county with their hands. And he saw that soldiers of the Korean People´s Army were sent to help the county people. Under his deep trust and concern, power stations were built in succession, new roads laid and local industry factories face-lifted beyond recognition in Kowon County. Technical reconstruction and creation of raw-material bases have been dynamically accelerated. A park was built on Mt. Haebang and spring water supplied to the county people who had been worried about water with bad quality.

During the days of his Songun-based leadership, the great Kim Jong Il saw goods produced at the local industry factories in the county and tasted basic foodstuffs and highly appreciated the working manner of the officials in Kowon County. Later Han Chun Hwa participated in grand national meetings and had photographs taken in his presence. She keenly felt that the genuine happiness of an official lies in serving the people.

Han Chun Hwa, Chairwoman of the Kowon County People´s Committee in South Hamgyong Province, has this to say:

“I just worked as taught by the great Kim Jong Il one by one and in the way he showed. His trust and meticulous guidance were the motive force which enabled me, a woman official, to carry out my task with the sense of the mission as master responsible for the county for more than 20 years, though with poor ability.”

Today, too, Han Chun Hwa is working harder for the county people, keeping her heart´s beat with the click of the watch bearing the name of President Kim Il Sung awarded by the great Kim Jong Il. The working manner is what is desired by respected Kim Jong Un who loves the people most.