20:00 Culture, Education & Society | |
[Page 5] Rodong Sinmun - June 19, 2025, Thursday
World Geological Park Paektu Mountain Area (8) Paektu Mountain Crater Lake The Paektu Mountain Crater Lake formed after water filled the caldera created by volcanic collapse following the Millennium Eruption. Countless volcanoes and naturally formed lakes exist worldwide, but few countries have large, deep lakes atop mountains ~2,750m high like Paektu Mountain Crater Lake. This lake is Korea’s pride renowned worldwide. The lake’s bedrock comprises trachyte, basalt, rhyolite, and tuff, with gravel, sand, and clay covering its bottom. Atmospheric precipitation and groundwater from the lakebed primarily supply its water. Among Korea’s natural lakes, it is highest, deepest, and holds the most water. The water surface elevation is 2,190.15m; area 9.16km²; circumference 14.4km. Maximum depth is 384m; average depth 213.3m; water volume ~1.955 billion m³. The lake freezes for seven months yearly; ice thickness ~1.5m. Water clarity reaches 16m. Uniquely, the water level fluctuates ~1.6m annually. Paektu Mountain Crater Lake water is clear and contains various trace elements. The caldera’s formation enabled a unique high-mountain ecosystem, beautiful scenery, and wondrous natural phenomena. Registered as Natural Monument No. 351 in January 1980, the lake is specially protected.
Paektu Hot Spring The Paektu Hot Spring is a volcanic spring where groundwater heated by hot volcanic gases rising from deep beneath the Paektu volcanic massif emerges as a sodium bicarbonate spring. Discovered at the caldera lake on January 21, 1984, the hot spring zone lies ribbon-like along the lakeshore, ~930m long and 10–15m wide. Divided into higher/lower discharge areas, it has three distinct outlets. Total mineral content: 2.3g/L; free carbonic acid: 382.80mg/L; metasilicic acid: 294.68mg/L. Primary ions are sodium and bicarbonate, with minor sulfate and chloride ions. Hydrogen sulfide is absent. White precipitate abundantly coats stones due to high sodium bicarbonate content. pH: 7.4; average outlet temperature: 53°C (max ~73°C).
Crater Lake White Sand Beach Volcanic ejecta from Paektu Mountain accumulated by wave action along the lakeshore, resembling a seashore. Distinctly visible on the caldera lake’s eastern slope, a lake formed behind the white sand beach—similar to lagoon formation—gives visitors a seaside sensation, a unique phenomenon unseen in other volcanic crater lakes. Professor Dr. Pak Hyon Uk, Merited Scientist, Director of Geology Research Institute, State Academy of Sciences
Important Work to Advance Steadily as a Mass Movement A wind of creating our-style civilization sweeps fiercely everywhere across the country. Splendid socialist downtowns and modern new streets rise dazzlingly year after year in the capital Pyongyang; socialist ideal villages emerge successively nationwide, delighting people. Resonating with the pulsating era’s breath, people deeply embrace the iron will that the new civilization and life envied by the world are never achieved spontaneously but created and built by their own hands. Hence, concretely analyzing nationwide sanitation and culture work during the first half-year is necessary. The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il instructed:
First, officials of emergency people’s sanitation guidance committees at all levels must strive to fulfill their responsibility and role. This year, the Central Emergency People’s Sanitation Guidance Committee thoroughly organized work to ignite whirlwinds of new civilization creation in all regions and units. Particularly, it set the spring sanitation month as a meaningful opportunity to elevate national sanitation and culture standards, powerfully advancing work to establish production and lifestyle culture linked to preventing infectious disease outbreaks and spread. Accordingly, Pyongyang and many regions substantively conducted work including landscaping. However, some regions and units chronically approached this work as routine, showing deviations. This shows how vital it is for emergency people’s sanitation guidance committees responsible for regional sanitation and culture work to closely plan and strictly execute according to nationally directed sanitation month orientations. They must deeply re-engrave why the Party established emergency people’s sanitation guidance committees regionally and values their work, guiding officials to fulfill responsibility and duty at the forefront of implementation. Next, sanitation and culture work must be advanced steadily as a mass movement. Building our motherland into a socialist paradise cannot be done by a few units, regions, or health officials alone. Especially today, with infectious diseases threatening human health worldwide causing international concern, demands primary attention to meticulously tending one’s streets and villages while eliminating health/life-threatening factors timely. As experiences of units always leading in sanitation and culture work show, clean and civilized environments never materialize spontaneously. Only when many true masters emerge—capable of blooming sound, revolutionary lifestyles and environments wherever they live and work, regardless of attention or recognition—can new life and civilization be created. Among units lagging this year are factories and enterprises previously evaluated highly. Chronic treatment of this yearly work prevented consistent advancement, eventually making them culturally backward units. Sanitation and culture work is not optional—done when conditions favor or postponed when unfavorable. It is important work for remolding all social members’ ideology and cultivating ardent patriotism. All officials and workers must well understand sanitation and culture work’s significance and importance, actively strive to build streets, villages, and workplaces into socialist paradises showcasing local/unit characteristics and enduring excellence. Correspondent Kim Ok Byol
Though Over 30 Years Passed Days ago, while preparing for her mother’s birthday, a smile graced the lips of Jang Hye Gyong from People’s Neighborhood Unit 68, Hwawon 1-dong, Hwasong District. Her mother had been gazing out the window since morning. "Mother is thinking of her students again," she said. Though over 30 years have passed since middle school graduation, students never forget their teacher, visiting on holidays or birthdays. "Seeing them, I feel immense pride in living as an educator," murmured Kim Yong Sun, the elderly teacher. Images of her students arose: Kim Myong Suk, Ri Eun Hwa, Ri Hye Ryon... Among them were women officials and educators. Visiting, they recalled school days, shared work achievements, and reaffirmed vows to live lifetime unwavering of the teacher’s expectations. Learning last year that the octogenarian teacher still delivered support materials to construction sites, they pooled modest sincerity. Receiving the students’ flower bouquet, Kim Yong Sun’s heart overflowed with gratitude for our system, where noble moral obligation blooms.
Amidst Countless People’s Warm Blessings One day last May, unusual calls reached every household in People’s Neighborhood Unit 52, Yokjon-dong, Sunchon City: "Comrade Kim Hye Gyong from our unit will hold her wedding soon. Let’s all congratulate the new family!" News spreading house-to-house set the whole village abuzz with joy. Meanwhile, officials at a Sunchon City Party office held a consultation meeting preparing for the wedding of Comrade Kim Hye Gyong—a female honorary soldier—whom they had cared for with kin-like affection, frequently visiting honorary soldier families. That day, they earnestly discussed everything from setting wedding tables to preparing household goods—as if their own family’s celebration. Days later, amidst countless people’s warm blessings, Comrade Kim Hye Gyong formed a new family. The honorary soldier devoting herself to the motherland and the youth pledging lifelong companionship are splendid, but people sharing affection and offering unstinting blessings for their happy future are equally beautiful. Text and photos by Correspondent
True Masters of Mountain Village Branch Schools Learning recently that Unpha County would substantially advance constructing county branch schools, we visited. The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un stated:
The Chogu Senior Middle School branch school in Unpha County lay ~10 ri along mountain paths from Chogu-ri’s center. Meeting the ri Party official and school principal en route, the ri official began: "Branch school construction is our duty." Following last year’s county goal to improve all branch schools’ educational conditions/environments, Chogu-ri boldly launched work to demolish and newly construct its branch school. One day, the ri Party official saw a man inspecting the construction site—Yang Song Chol, director of the Unpha Smelting Plant. Deeply moved by the director’s words—"We’ll fully guarantee construction materials; push construction mightily"—the ri official couldn’t hide emotion. Director Yang Song Chol learned about the branch school construction days earlier while surveying residents’ lives in Chogu-ri’s Rodonggol as a county people’s assembly deputy. He discovered that the ri’s economic foundation was weakest county-wide, Rodonggol Branch School was larger than others, and it faced multifaceted difficulties. Hence, he voluntarily assumed responsibility for material supply. Materials earmarked for strengthening the unit’s material foundation were redirected; workers devoted sincerity to supporting construction—even a single nail. When farm work caused labor shortages, smelter workers undertook construction. The principal warmly recalled subsequent events. As construction neared completion, his heart grew heavy over outdated educational equipment mismatching the new school. Smelter officials and workers then solved everything—newly manufacturing desks/chairs, installing playground equipment, ensuring heating, supplying student essentials, cleaning tools, and office supplies for teachers. At the inauguration ceremony last year, many farm workers present couldn’t hold back emotion at the smelter officials/workers’ sincerity in correctly implementing the Party’s education policy. Learning that many county officials now emulate the smelter’s example, achieving much progress in multiple branch school constructions, we arrived at the neat branch school. Children playing joyfully in the yard greeted us happily. Seeing happy faces and every corner of the splendidly erected school campus embodying true masters of educational work as the Party desires, our hearts warmed. Meeting Director Yang Song Chol, he said: "We’re still far from mastering our role. We plan to newly construct Rodonggol’s nursery and kindergarten, and increase goat numbers. Please revisit us then." Hearing this, we reflected: When all embrace such sincere patriotism and become true masters of educational work, the Party’s vision for building an educational power will hasten to realization. Correspondent Cho Hyang Mi
Uniquely Passionate Economic Agitation Team in Mangyongdae District The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un stated:
Visiting the Mangyongdae District Battalion of the Pyongyang People’s Committee Detachment at the Hwasong Area housing construction site, one hears builders eagerly discuss a uniquely passionate economic agitation team—residents including elders from Janghun 1-dong, Mangyongdae District, who continue their economic agitation path this year as last. All builders affectionately call them the "Resident Economic Agitation Team," respecting them deeply. Residents of Mangyongdae District’s Janghun 1-dong began walking the economic agitation path in July last year. Patriotic hearts desiring to modestly repay the country’s ceaseless benevolence led them to unfold a distinctive economic agitation stage at the construction site. Witnessing daily news of new housing last year through TV and newspapers, residents of People’s Neighborhood Unit 110 felt hearts burning. The more they felt the motherly Party’s boundless love—fetching stars from heaven or making flowers bloom on rocks for the people—the more they resolved to find their duty as citizens of this land. One day, gathering, they poured out heartfelt determination: "We too breathe this land’s air and water. Though aged bodies prevent great deeds, why not devote hearts to the path upholding the Party’s capital construction vision?" They sprang unanimously to prepare songs and dances for the construction site. They devoted much effort selecting fresh, meaningful art pieces resonating with builders; Comrade Kim Hu Bok Ryong and neighborhood members devoted wisdom and passion to heighten artistic levels. Touched by their deeds, district and dong officials joined hearts, solving raised problems wholeheartedly. In July last year, ~20 economic agitation team members from this neighborhood—carrying aspirations to contribute to blossoming the Party’s vision and numerous support materials—headed to the grand construction front. That day’s on-site agitation powerfully encouraged builders’ labor struggle. Performances have continued multiple times since, their ranks significantly expanding. The economic agitation performance held on the 13th at the Hwasong Area 4th stage 10,000-household site deeply stirred builders’ hearts. All items—male chorus by discharged soldiers and officers, mixed chorus, etc.—received unreserved applause, but the agitation stage by dong residents holding microphones was especially acclaimed. Moved by their simple, sincere performance, builders rushed to present flower bouquets, resolving to achieve greater innovations on the capital’s grand construction front. The uniquely passionate economic agitation team in Mangyongdae District—their image warmly embracing our hearts with precious intention to uphold the Party’s will single-heartedly. Text and photos by Correspondent Om Su Ryon
Meeting Held to Mark Day of Persons with Disabilities A meeting marking the Day of Persons with Disabilities was held at the Sci-Tech Complex on the 18th. Attended by Comrade Jon Chol Hui, chairwoman of the Korean Federation for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities Central Committee; officials from relevant units and employees; persons with disabilities; family members, etc. Speeches were delivered. Speakers mentioned persons with disabilities enjoying state benefits under socialist policies in all social spheres under the Party’s benevolence, freely blossoming hopes and talents. Donation certificates were awarded to entities excelling in supporting persons with disabilities, and work achievements of persons with disabilities were introduced. Participants watched a video compilation showing recent disability protection work progress and viewed exhibits created by persons with disabilities. Meanwhile, a performance by Korean Art Association of Persons with Disabilities members was held at the Chongjin Theatre to mark the day.
[Korean Central News Agency] | |
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