This year the Korean people have made remarkable achievements in several sectors of literature and the arts and public health by making vigorous efforts to step up the building of a socialist power.

The grand mass gymnastics and artistic performance “The Land of the People” was given at May Day Stadium in the capital city of Pyongyang from June to October. A large number of the Korean people and foreigners enjoyed the extravaganza that aroused their passion and mystery for its perfect harmony with music and dance overflowing with national sentiments and high artistic skills, spectacular gymnastics and acrobatics and large-scale background and modern illuminations and stage settings.

Many festivals and exhibitions took place, rendering tangible services to the people’s cultural and emotional life. They included the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival-2019, the 26th Paektusan Prize International Figure Skating Festival to mark the Day of the Shining Star, the 6th April Spring People’s Art Festival, the National Industrial Design Exhibition and Songhwa Fine Art Exhibition to celebrate the Day of the Sun, the 24th Cooking Festival on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the 4th Sugar and Biscuit Sculpture Show, the 17th National Korean Costume Show, the 10th Pyongyang Musical Instruments Exhibition, the National Sculpture and Craftwork Festival, the 17th Pyongyang International Film Festival, etc.

Yu Jin A and Ri Kwon Yun of Kyongsang Kindergarten and Kim Ye Song of Pyongyang Music School No. 1 were awarded a special prize respectively in the 27th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition for Children and Youth held in Poland in May. The children from Kyongsang Kindergarten played an oungum quartet in the 16th international festival held in Russia, receiving a big hand from the audience for the clear, melodious, soft and unique timbre of the musical instrument, the pride of the Korean nation, and their diverse ways of execution. They also made a splash at the general performance of the festival.

Meanwhile, Korean acrobats bagged gold prizes at the 8th Gold Elephant Prize International Acrobatics Festival held in Spain in February, the 12th Izhevsk International Acrobatics Festival in Russia in March and the 2nd Minsk International Acrobatics Festival in Belarus in September, presenting such shows as “Spirit of Nalpharam”, “Stunt Fliers” and “Wire Walking”. In the 17th China Wuqiao International Acrobatics Festival in late October their physical acrobatics “On the eve of a battle” won Gold Lion Prize, the top one of the festival.

The Pyongyang International Sci-Tech Exhibition of Health and Medical Appliances took place amid the great concern and interests of the people in June. More than 100 units from the DPRK, China, Russia and other countries presented functional health goods, medicines, appliances for treatment and prevention of diseases and sanitary goods. During the exhibition the marketing of exhibits, a symposium on medical technology and distribution of intellectual products were organized.

The National Exhibition of Sci-tech Achievements in Public Health-2019 was held in late November, rendering great services to developing the scientific and technological strength in this sector by putting the preventive and curative medical care on a scientific and IT footing and ensuring the domestic production of medicines and medical appliances.

Many sci-tech achievements have been made in the public health sector. Jong Nam Hun, head of Gastroenterology Department at Pyongyang University of Medical Science Hospital, presented a treatise, titled, Prediction of clinical outcome in patients with nonvariceal gastrointestinal bleeding using Forrest classification and Rockall score, to be a winner of the World Championship 2019 in Medical Science.

Old people’s homes and disability care homes have been built in scenic spots in North Hamgyong Province and other parts of the country. Daesong Department Store in Pyongyang has been renovated into a service complex, and a hot spring resort and multifunctional sporting and cultural complex in the mountainous area of Yangdok County in South Phyongan Province.

The leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea that gives top and absolute priority to the people’s convenience and interests is bringing the building of socialist civilization to earlier completion.