What Is More Precious than Honor

These days, people persuade me to write a treatise and receive an academic degree as I grew a new species of silkworm and introduced it, which can be a revolution in sericulture.

At that time I say that I am satisfied to be called "a patriotic old man." It is a pleasure of my life that I created one more wealth conducive to development of sericulture of the country.

It is easier said than done not to want honor and remuneration after making good things by dedicating one’s wisdom, efforts and ardor to the country.

But, if one succeeds something calculating his interests, it is not patriotic one, I think.

I think that more precious than private honor is the profits of the state and the future of the rising generation and that one’s proud life is estimated by clear conscience and devotion, not by academic degree or honorary title.

Jang Jae Hwa, Manager of the Samchon Sericulture Breeding Station

Worthwhile Life I Found

Whenever I listen to the "Song for the Motherland", I give myself up to thoughts.

The words of the song make me recollect my past unworthy life.

When working at the Kangso Silk Mill after graduation from a middle school, I was famed as an innovator.

But after the marriage, I quitted my job in the days when the country was in difficulties.

Then I learnt the shoe-making technique for a living, and as my income increases, I worked on a big scale.

One day, I on the street happened to meet one of my friends whom used to work together with me in my girlhood.

In hard times, she and the others did not give up their jobs overcoming difficulties, on the contrary, I thinking of myself had lived only for personal profit.

That day I found that I can lead a worthwhile life only when I follow the path of virtue for the country and collective.

So I made up my mind to start a new life.

The district Party committee willingly supported my decision and assigned me to a workteam of the consumer goods cooperative production station.

And every time I made even a little success, they highly praised me.

Now, I am sure that a man who lives for only himself and his family would suffer from remorse, but a man who lives for the country will always lead a worthwhile and respectable life.

Kim Jong Hui, a workteam head of Kangso District Consumer Goods Cooperative Production Station

I Wanted to Devote Myself to Country Even a bit, Though Belatedly

I am an ordinary housewife and I have done nothing great for the country.

But I want to say a word to persons like me. There is no big or small work for the country, nor too lateness.

It is probably that some people think like this: how much an ordinary housewife would do if she did so for the country.

Honestly, I thought so.

But I felt remorse seeing those, who have lived for themselves in the past, repent of their mistakes and visit the socialist construction sites and strive to take care of the life of war veterans and disabled soldiers.

I have lived under the benefits of the socialist system equally other people, but I have lived so far for my family, taking no account of the interests of the country.

Once an official told me wrapped in agony with it that neither a job nor an age decides one’s patriotism.

Since then, I embarked on a patriotic way, though belatedly. I strived to save some from my family income to contribute to the work of strengthening the national defence capabilities and send anything else to the builders who were involved in major construction projects. It was too late for me to do so and it was simple, but I was so excited with the thought that I, too, joined the patriotic ranks whenever I devoted my sincere efforts to the country.

I want to say as follows:

Nowadays when the slogan "Let us unite with patriotism!" becomes the trend of the times, anyone can do patriotic deeds in anyplace and somehow when one worries about the country’s affairs and has a civil awareness and conscience to devote himself to it even a little.

Ri Sun Hwa, a resident in the People’s Neighborhood Unit No. 41, Ryonggung-dong No.2, Ryongsong District