On March 16, Kim Hye Yong living in Neighbourhood Unit No. 44, Yonyang-dong, Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, could not go to sleep until deep at night.

It was because she read an impressive article in that day’s issue of Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The article said that Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un inspected the training of paratroopers of the Korean People’s Army and had a photo session with them.

As her son was also a paratrooper, she was obsessed with the hope that he could be one of the honoured soldiers.

Then, a few days later, she received surprising news that her son had the honour of having a photograph taken with the Supreme Commander at the office building of the headquarters of the WPK Central Committee.

She was moved to tears. Her neighbours visited her and congratulated her saying that it was a great honour for an ordinary worker’s family.

The following is the story behind it.

One day an order was issued to paratroopers to launch a parachuting drill. Among them was a young private with short years of service. After leaving a transport plane, he was carried away in a strong air flow and landed in a rugged mountain valley away from the designated spot. But he soon recovered his composure. Carrying his parachute and other equipment as required by regulations, he ran along a road towards the rendezvous.

After a while he saw several cars coming. Standing aside, he adjusted his uniform and gave a salute.

Then one of the cars stopped by him.

The car window was rolled down. To his utter surprise, the Supreme Commander was inside the car. Wearing a beaming smile, he called the young soldier to him. The soldier saluted him with due respect.

After receiving his salute, the Supreme Commander asked him where he had landed. As the soldier pointed to the place, the Supreme Commander said in a low voice, “So you must have missed the photo session.”

The soldier was deeply touched by his care.

The Supreme Commander asked him if he was alright. On hearing an answer that he was fine, he said in a relaxed voice, “Good. See you again in Pyongyang.”

Then he resumed his trip for field guidance.

When he told his officers and comrades in deep emotions about what had happened, they hardly believed him.

With the drill over, the paratroopers were making preparations for returning to their unit when they heard another surprising piece of news that the Supreme Commander was calling to Pyongyang the paratroopers who had missed the photo session. When they learned later that he had said to commanding officers of the Korean People’s Army that he would keep the promise he had made to a soldier the other day, they shed tears of gratitude.

On the stand set up in front of the office building of the headquarters of the Party Central Committee, they raised cheers at the top of their voices looking up to the Supreme Commander. As he looked round the paratroopers with a beaming smile, he recognized the soldier standing on the front row. After receiving the paratrooper’s salute, he patted him on the back and said, “I remember seeing you on the day of the drill.”

On hearing about all this, Kim looked up towards Pyongyang and hoped her son would be exemplary in military service.

U Jong Hwan