CIVILIZED SOCIALIST COUNTRY

The DPRK is directing a great effort to building a civilized country, while accelerating the building of an economic giant. It is the intention of its supreme leader Kim Jong Un to step up the building of a civilized socialist country to greet a new heyday of civilization in the 21^st century.

The DPRK has already reached a high level of civilization.

In this country a universal 11-year compulsory education system has been introduced at a world-class level since scores of years ago. The regular tertiary education system and the study-while-you-work system have developed in parallel. What is to be mentioned here is that the DPRK ensures free education. The Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang and other extracurricular educational institutions across the country have provided a stimulus to the cultural development of the society as a whole. The fact that the country has reached a very high level of scientific and technological development which enables it to make and launch artificial satellites and introduce cutting-edge CNC technology into the machine-building and several other economic sectors highlights the standard of its education.

In this country the public health service is at a high level. The section doctor system is in force under the universal free medical care system, and the level of specialization in medical services has achieved a decisive improvement, contributing to the promotion of the public health.

All fields of art and literature including literature, films, dramas, music, opera, fine art and dance have made rapid progresses.

With a brisk campaign to make physical training and sport mass-based and part of everyday life, the people have developed their physical strength and the country’s sporting prowess has attained a high level.

The noble moral traits are manifested among the people, and an atmosphere of helping and leading one another is prevailing in society, mirroring an advanced state of civilization in Korea.

On this basis, a new goal has been set up of building a civilized socialist country in which all its people have profound cultural knowledge, sound physique and noble moral virtues, enjoy a cultured life of socialism to their heart’s content under the most cultured conditions and environment, and a beautiful and sound lifestyle pervades the whole society. The Workers’ Party of Korea is firmly determined to develop all sectors of culture as appropriate to an advanced civilized nation, thus making the people enjoy a cultured life of a new era to their heart’s content.

To this end, the DPRK is now making vigorous efforts to achieve the goal.

The universal 11-year compulsory education is now being converted to the universal 12-year compulsory education. The new system is a well-regulated one comprising the one-year pre-schooling, five-year primary education, and the education at junior and senior middle schools for three years respectively. It is the highest level of the general secondary education, which mirrors the reality of the DPRK in the course of building a thriving socialist country. Accordingly, Korean children and young students will be provided with the general secondary schooling such as general elementary knowledge and modern basic technical knowledge on a higher level and prepare themselves to be excellent personnel as required by the era of knowledge-based economy.

The universal free medical service is also developed onto a higher standard. The Breast Tumour Institute of the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Dental Hospital have been built, perfecting the network of specialized medical service, and sanatoria are being renovated in many places. With the rapid progress of the telemedicine services, an online collective diagnosis system was set up throughout the country last year, and a long-distance operation support system was recently developed and introduced to the people’s hospitals in all provinces, cities and counties.

A heated enthusiasm for sports brought about a great leap forward in the development of physical culture and sports. Sports games are briskly organized at state organs; industrial enterprises, cooperative farms and schools, and sporting contests are held among sectors, units and others in Pyongyang and other places of the country. The sports enthusiasm running high across the country is producing successful results in international games, propelling the country’s advance towards a sports giant.

All the fields of art and literature are coming into full bloom day after day. The Moranbong Band, which made its debut in July 2012, is enjoying great popularity, as it represents and leads the Korean art in the new century. The grand gymnastics and artistic performance Arirang, which was registered in The Guinness Book of Records for its largest scale in the world, attracts many foreigners to Pyongyang.

Changjon Street was built in downtown Pyongyang, and modern dwelling houses were built or are under construction in urban and rural areas. Modern, public establishments set up for cultural activities like People’s Theatre, Rungna People’s Pleasure Park, People’s Open-air Ice Rink, Roller Rink, Ryugyong Health Complex, Thongilgori Fitness Centre and Haedanghwa Service Complex, and a world-class ski resort nearing completion in the Masikryong area in the eastern part of Korea, are contributing to provide the people with cultural living conditions satisfying the ever-growing demand of the people in the new century.

The whole country is turning into a socialist fairyland by making it thick with trees and flowers.

In conclusion, the Korean people are now facing a bright prospect of enjoying a most civilized life to their heart’s content.