The Koreans regard it as their greatest pride to devote themselves to the country.

Kang Hye Suk, head of neighbourhood unit No. 41 of Jungsong-dong in Central District, Pyongyang, has done many good things for the country for nearly 20 years.

“Kang is known as the ‘patriotic mother’ in the construction site of Jonwi Street, the Posong Farm in Rangnang District and many other places as well as her neighbourhood unit,” said Choe Tae Man, head of the Jungsong-dong office.

Here is the story of how she came to earn that nickname.

Twenty years ago, Kang, who was a lecturer at a university, left her job for she had to nurse her father-in-law who had been confined to bed after suffering an accident.

Even though the country was having difficulties at that time, the socialist free medical care was invariably in place and measures were constantly taken to improve the people’s living standards.

So, though she was out of work, she had little trouble looking after her bedridden father-in-law.

This made her think deeply about the benefits provided by the state, which had seemed so normal to her at ordinary times. And she renewed her determination to repay them even a little.

One day, Kang learned that some old women in the neighbourhood visited major construction sites to encourage the builders.

Then, it occurred to her that she could also help the builders and she joined in their visits to construction sites.

As she got to visit the construction sites more frequently with aid materials prepared with sincerity and sometimes with songs practised with much effort, she became more proud that she was making a little contribution to the prosperity and development of the country.

Her father-in-law also gave her support and inspiration.

Thus, she spent more than ten years visiting construction sites not only in Pyongyang but also in various parts of the country including those of the Paektusan Hero Youth Power Station, the City of Samjiyon, the Tanchon Power Station and the flood-stricken areas in the northern part of the country.

After she became the head of the neighbourhood unit, she encouraged her family members and all others in the neighbourhood unit to voluntarily do good things for the country.

At that time Kang said that the happiness in a family is not so great and does not last long, but the pleasure of doing good things for the society and the collective and for the country is incomparably greater than anything else and lasts for a lifetime.

“Kang always tells us that patriotism is not something special but just worrying about the affairs of the country and making efforts to give even a little help to the country,” said Kim Hye Suk, a resident of the neighbourhood unit.

According to her daughter Pak So Yon, Kang often tells her children that everyone should carry out their patriotic duties because the country gets strong and is firmly defended by the efforts and devotion of all people.

In recognition of the altruistic efforts of Kang Hye Suk who linked the happiness of her life with that of the country and has done lots of good things for many years, the state put her forward as a delegate to a major national celebration.