A story told by an instructor at Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace

When we visited Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace some time ago, we heard from Ri Tong Hun, who had worked as an art instructor at Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace for over 30 years, that the art pieces created by his students Kim Won Bin, Ham Il Hae, Han Jae Ung and Pang Yu Ryon works evoked international sensations at the 33rd International Children and Youth’s Art Works Festival held in Khabarovsk of Russia in April this year.

Saying that whenever he saw his disciples demonstrating the honor of the country in the international arena, he had profound feeling of gratitude to the graceful socialist educational system, which discovers the aptitudes and talents of all children and brings them into full bloom, Ri Tong Hun noted that all people in the world envied our students who were developing their talents to their hearts’ content. And he told us the following story about his own experience:

A few years ago, he led the group of talented art circle members to one country to participate in the art exhibition.

A famous artist of that country, who had long watched with astonishing eyes the works and painting skills of our 9- and 10-year-old students, was so fascinated by the unusual talents of the Korean students that he held up his thump to our students.

Actually, the artist had been known to be so self-confident and arrogant that he had rarely given positive comments on others, but he was so surprised to see our students that he came up to him and quietly asked him about their family and educational background.

When Ri Tong Hun told him that their parents were ordinary physical and office workers and they were now learning at a schoolchildren’s palace, the after-school education center, he opened his mouth wide in surprise and said: In my country it is unimaginable that children can develop their talents if they are lucky enough to be born into a rich family. To be honest, it is the reality of capitalist education that the children of rich families simply idle away the time while those of poor families are unable to learn for want of money. The educational system of DPR Korea is really advantageous as children of ordinary working people grown up there to be such distinguished talents. Bright future is always guaranteed for the country which regards children as treasures and gives importance to education of the rising generations. I have seen the bright future of DPR Korea in the happy appearance of its children.

Through the personal experience of Ri Tong Hun, we keenly felt once again how advantageous is our educational system under which all school children have free access to schools throughout the country and grow up happily, learning to their heart’s content at such after-school educational centers as the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace.

Many people in the world envy and admire our socialist educational system, and our children living and learning under this system are really happy with nothing to envy in the world.

As we came out of Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace, we blissfully saw before our eyes the bright future of our socialist country.