Ri Chol, 34-year-old blind man living in neighbourhood unit No. 108 of Tongsan-dong No. 1, Rangnang District, Pyongyang, told The Pyongyang Times reporter the following story.

Like my real elder brother

“It is not easy for everyone to dedicate themselves to the good of others. I know a man with unusual connections to me,” said Ri Chol.

One autumn day four years ago, Ri was at a loss in a street.

His cell phone continued to ring, but he could not talk on the phone because his earphones did not work properly.

Only with the help of passers-by could he talk over the phone.

Then someone asked him his name, address and cell phone number.

Two days later, he heard a familiar voice saying that he came to see him.

Handing high-performance earphones over to him, the visitor said he would be able to talk on the phone without any inconvenience and his voice of humanity deeply impressed him.

From then on, he frequently received calls from the man, who carefully inquired about his health, what kind of treatment he was getting and what kind of medicine he needed and obtained and sent a rare medicine to him. He encouraged him, saying that if he did his best to have his illness treated, he would regain his eyesight in the future and that he would strive to help him.

It was not out of sympathy at all.

His sincerity moved Ri to tears.

When he was allotted a house, he unhesitatingly conceded the house to parentless Ri Chol and provided him with furniture as if he were his own married younger brother.

And whenever he was asked about his name and address, he merely said that he was a resident in the same district.

He is Kim Jae Uk, 55-year-old staffer of the Ministry of Light Industry.

He said, “I thought that we are all members and brothers of a family. I have only strived to live like the young people who became the parents of orphaned children and became the sons and daughters of the old people who have no children to take care of them and the meritorious persons of socialist patriotism who did many good things for society and collective.”

With a smile of satisfaction, he added that he takes pleasure of life in devoting himself to the good of others and sharing the feeling of kinship with them.

Like blood relations

“Many people show concern for me and it makes me feel warm affection like in a family, though they are not my blood relations,” says Ri Chol.

After he and his wife moved into the present house, Kim Kum Ju, head of the neighbourhood unit, often visited him in an effort to look after their newly-wed life.

Their neighbours and other residents of the dong visit them, calling the man uncle, elder brother or younger brother, to take meticulous care of them lest they feel any slight inconvenience in life.

On the last lunar New Year's Day, too, members of the neighbourhood unit gathered in their house to spend the holiday with them. Besides, Kim Jae Uk, who shared brotherly affection with Ri Chol through life, Ri Won Chol and his wife living in neighborhood unit No. 58 of the same dong and Pak Kum Song and his wife living in neighborhood unit No. 14 of Saemaul-dong No. 2 in Phyongchon District visited them bringing with them precious tonics and daily necessities to add to the warm atmosphere of the family.

Ri Chol said his house resounded with laughter and singing throughout the holiday as they had a good time, feeling the pleasure of life.