In our country, children are growing up with mirth and spirit without any gloomy look, being regarded as kings and queens of the country. The state also regards as the topmost priority in its policy to bring up children, the future of the country, to be sound and healthy and to provide them with improved rearing conditions even at the cost of colossal sum of money.

Children learn to their hearts’ content under the universal compulsory 12-year education system and also give full play to their dreams and talents in extracurricular education facilities such as camps and children’s palaces built all across the country.

Teachers who are in direct charge of education stand firm on the teaching platform, becoming deep roots and fertilizer of the giant tree of education. They are also devoting their clear conscience to the work of bringing the younger generation up to be supporting pillars of the future.

Young girl teachers voluntarily move to branch schools situated on solitary islands just for the sake of only a few students; teachers willingly become real parents for the students who lost them; other teachers move to and from school and hospital for years carrying on their backs the student with disabled legs until she could finally walk unaided with brisk strides – these legend-like stories are now becoming everyday occurrence.

Herein lies the true picture and bright future of our society where the politics of love for posterity and future are being unfolded.

In contrast to this, situated across the sea is Japan where numerous children are now falling victim to poverty, abuse and violence, despite its much chanted catchphrase of “democracy, human rights and equality.”

The Japanese Ministry of Education and Culture recently issued a survey to the effect that the number of public school teachers who received penalties for their crimes of sexual violence amounts up to 200 in the year 2020.

Much more shocking is the fact that the crimes committed against primary school students are as many as 96 cases, which means that the flower buds yet to bloom, the young and delicate kids became subject to violence at the sacred place of education by none other than their own teachers who are supposed to protect them and guide them.

This is the inevitable outcome of the impoverished mental and cultural lives prevalent in Japanese society.

To teach justice, truth and genuine morality and ethics – this constitutes the duty proper to teachers, and it is for this very reason that they enjoy respect and admiration from others.

Can there be any bright future for Japan that is now turning into a cold desert where conscience, morality and even human compassion is all dried up, the barren land devoid of morality and ethics to such an extent that even the sacred campus is degenerated into the crime scene of sexual violence?

Pak Hak Song

Researcher of Institute for Studies of Japan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPRK