Kim Jong Un Visits Pyongyang Orphanage and Baby Home
Kim Jong Un leafs through a children’s book during a visit to the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage on January 1, 2015. Also in attendance is Ri Ch’ae-il (right), senior deputy director of the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his delivery of the 2015 New Year’s Address
Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage on January 1 (Thursday). Among those attending his visit were Han Kwang Sang (Director of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Finance and Accounting Department), Ri Jae Il (Senior Deputy [1st vice] Director of the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department) and Kim Yo Jong (Deputy [vice] Director of the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department and KJU’s younger sister).
Kim Jong Un tours a classroom at the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage on January 1, 2015. Also in attendance is his younger sister Kim Yo Jong (annotated), deputy director of the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Upon his arrival, children living at the orphanage presented Kim Jong Un with floral bouquets and New Year’s greetings. According to KCNA he said that he “came to the baby home and orphanage right after finishing his New Year address to meet the children there on the New Year’s Day as he had promised to do so during his visit to the newly built baby home and orphanage in October last year.” He toured the orphanage/baby home’s dormitories, dining rooms, classrooms and recreation areas. He was reported to be “greatly satisfied to see highly nutritive and special food on the tables for children” and he remarked that he ” very pleased to see the children having a pleasant time on the New Year’s Day.”
Kim Jong Un noted, “all the facilities at the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage fully reflect the advantages of the socialist system of the country” and underscored the “the need for the officials and employees there to fulfill their responsibility to make sure that the children feel the party’s warm love for the younger generation and future.” According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un called for “bringing up the children in such a manner that they may nurture good moral traits, creativity and independence so that service personnel of the People’s Army, doctors and heroes may be produced from among them” and remarked that “all the nurses and teachers should have good qualities as educators as well as motherly warm love.”
Kim Jong Un in a classroom at the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un tours a dining hall at the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage on January 1, 2015 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un walks through a classroom at Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage on January 1, 2015 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un and senior DPRK officials watch a performance given by the children living at Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with the children and staff of the Pyongyang Baby Home and Orphanage during a tour of the facility on January 1, 2015 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
He watched the children give a performance and had commemorative photos taken with them. KJU said that “the whole country will become bright only when happy laughter of the children is heard” and “that the laughter of the children, their song ‘We Are the Happiest in the World’ will ring out louder on this land making the revolution.” Kim Jong Un reiterated his request of the baby home/orphanage staff to “successfully bring up the children as their real mothers would do” and posed for commemorative photos with the staff.
Kim Jong Un greets children residing at Pyongyang Orphanage and Baby Home after posing for commemorative photos with the children and staff on January 1, 2015 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).
