When talking about Song Song Hui, manageress of the Pyongyang Glasses Shop, the story should start with that of her father.
Her father Song Tae Gwan was born in a mountain village in North Phyongan Province in August Juche 1 (1912). When he was 15, he started to engage in business with 40 apple trees he had inherited from his mother. The business, which had been prosperous, became impoverished gradually owing to the Japanese imperialists’ ruthless policy of plunder as they were occupying Korea militarily; this drove him to despair.
In August Juche 34 (1945), the country was liberated, and Kim Il Sung , leader of a new Korea, called upon all the people to build a prosperous and powerful country, those with strength dedicating their strength, those with knowledge contributing their knowledge and those with money donating their money.
The young businessman moved his business to Pyongyang, and set up a small pencil factory there, producing the first pencil of Korea, Samcholli , and rendering services to the education of the rising generation and the campaign against illiteracy. It is a well-known fact that the question of pencil production was discussed as an agenda item at the First Session of the Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea at that time.
In February Juche 35 (1946), Kim Il Sung visited the pencil factory, and highly appreciated Song for his patriotic deed. In March that year, he met the businessman again, and said that he hoped businessmen with national conscience and patriotic enthusiasm like him would do a lot of good things for the sake of their country and fellow people in the future.
During the fierce Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953), Song’s business produced shoes, syringes and electric bulbs to make a contribution to meeting the wartime demands, and donated millions of won (Korean monetary unit) as funds for supporting the front several times. After the war, he took the lead in organizing a producers cooperative when the policy of transforming private traders on socialist lines was set forth.
From 1959 to January 1994, the last days of his life, he worked as the chairman of the Pyongyang Optical Glass Producers Cooperative. During the period, his cooperative produced millions of spectacles and various kinds of glass products needed for different sectors of the national economy and the interior decoration of monumental edifices. He worked as a Deputy to the Pyongyang Municipal People’s Assembly for dozens of years and thus became a socialist patriotic martyr.
Song Song Hui, the youngest of seven children of the family, grew up under the special care of her father. She often heard her father saying that there would be someone who would carry on his business. She knew that her father worked at the factory most of his time with workers through nights, and that he was very pleased when he had done something for the good of the country.
I will be an excellent patriot like him.
With this determination, Song Song Hui, when she was 30 years old, changed her occupation, and became a spectacle repairer. Three years later, she started to serve the people with spectacles produced by her father’s cooperative while engaging in repairing glasses.
In March 1993, the country saw to it that a spectacle shop was built in the Kaeson area in the capital city of Pyongyang.
Working as the manageress of the Pyongyang Glasses Shop, she laid a firm material and technical foundation for the shop and served the people with different spectacles. Not satisfied with waiting for customers at the shop, she and other employees went as far as local areas to serve the locals and took orders from individuals.
She has always disciplined herself, thinking: As a saying goes, if a man can be called worthy of a thousand ryang (an old Korean monetary unit), eyes are worthy of eight hundred ryang . If I fail to give the people bright eyesight, how can I say that I work for them?
Sometimes there were difficulties or she became exhausted. Each time, she thought of Kim Il Sung who put forward her father, who was only a private businessman, as a socialist patriot, and the trust and love of Chairman Kim Jong Il , who said that hers was a family of high patriotism through generations and solved all the problems arising in the operation of the shop. Taking it as the most precious wealth and asset, she would make a firm resolve to devote herself to serving the people.
She has unsparingly donated accumulated funds to the major construction sites of the country and to the modernization of factories, enterprises and cooperative farms.
As a meritorious person of socialist patriotism and a Deputy to the Pyongyang Municipal People’s Assembly, she has received many state commendations and attended major conferences of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the state.
At present, the shop has its branches at home and abroad.
Song Song Hui, 66, is now full of energy and continues the road of serving the people together with her son.
More From Naenara (En)
The 36th Plenary Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of
July 05, 2025
The 36th Plenary Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of
The IT Institute of the High-tech Research and Development Centre under Kim Il Sung University, one of the top ten IT enterprises
July 05, 2025
The IT Institute of the High-tech Research and Development Centre under Kim Il Sung University, one of the top ten IT enterprises
One July day in 1975, Chairman Kim Jong Il gave field guidance at the then Komdok Mine. After wrapping up his schedule, he came to
July 05, 2025
One July day in 1975, Chairman Kim Jong Il gave field guidance at the then Komdok Mine. After wrapping up his schedule, he came to
One July day in 2018 the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un paid another visit to the Songmak Atlantic Salmon Pedigree Farm. After
July 05, 2025
One July day in 2018 the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un paid another visit to the Songmak Atlantic Salmon Pedigree Farm. After
Workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea met at the Central Hall of Workers on July 3 to hear storie
July 05, 2025
Workers and members of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea met at the Central Hall of Workers on July 3 to hear storie
The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in the DPRK is overflowing with the great joy and optimism of the people enjoying to the
July 04, 2025
The Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area in the DPRK is overflowing with the great joy and optimism of the people enjoying to the
The Mudu Peak scoria cone is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. The parasitic
July 04, 2025
The Mudu Peak scoria cone is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. The parasitic
A spokesperson for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued the following press statement titled “QUAD should stop unilateral coercive
July 04, 2025
A spokesperson for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued the following press statement titled “QUAD should stop unilateral coercive
Among Korea’s cultural heritage items is the technique of making janggo (hourglass-shaped drum).Janggo is a traditional percussion
July 04, 2025
Among Korea’s cultural heritage items is the technique of making janggo (hourglass-shaped drum).Janggo is a traditional percussion
The geo-section of Kat Peak is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. The peak is
July 03, 2025
The geo-section of Kat Peak is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. The peak is
The harvest of wheat and barley is underway in the rural areas across the DPRK. Around June the harvest of the early crops starts
July 03, 2025
The harvest of wheat and barley is underway in the rural areas across the DPRK. Around June the harvest of the early crops starts
The Chollima era is proudly etched in the course of development of the DPRK replete with creations and transformations. In the
July 03, 2025
The Chollima era is proudly etched in the course of development of the DPRK replete with creations and transformations. In the
A spectacular sight of laughter and optimism has been presented at the 4km-long sandy beach of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist
July 03, 2025
A spectacular sight of laughter and optimism has been presented at the 4km-long sandy beach of the Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist
Korea’s classic Tangunsegi is known to have been compiled by Ri Am in 1363. The book deals with typical events, facts, language,
July 03, 2025
Korea’s classic Tangunsegi is known to have been compiled by Ri Am in 1363. The book deals with typical events, facts, language,
A delegation of Kim Il Sung Military University headed by its President Kim Kum Chol left Pyongyang on June 30 to visit the
July 02, 2025
A delegation of Kim Il Sung Military University headed by its President Kim Kum Chol left Pyongyang on June 30 to visit the
Mt Kanbaek volcano is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. It is a volcano with an
July 02, 2025
Mt Kanbaek volcano is one of the geological sites in the Mt Paektu area registered as a global geopark. It is a volcano with an
Undertakings for improving conditions and environment for education are in full swing in the DPRK. Last year alone, after Songga
July 02, 2025
Undertakings for improving conditions and environment for education are in full swing in the DPRK. Last year alone, after Songga
The Paper Engineering Institute of the State Academy of Sciences has developed a technology of making paper by using fallen
July 02, 2025
The Paper Engineering Institute of the State Academy of Sciences has developed a technology of making paper by using fallen
The delegation of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation headed by Minister Olga Lyubimova visited the Juche-oriented
July 02, 2025
The delegation of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation headed by Minister Olga Lyubimova visited the Juche-oriented
Talks between Sung Jong Gyu, minister of Culture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Olga Lyubimova, minister of
July 01, 2025
Talks between Sung Jong Gyu, minister of Culture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Olga Lyubimova, minister of
More Articles