North Korea Leadership Watch

Research and Analysis on the DPRK Leadership

International Women’s Day Meeting Held

View of the venue and participants at a central report meeting marking International Women’s Day in Pyongyang on March 8, 2018 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

View of the platform at the International Women’s Day Meeting: (L-R) Women’s Union Central Committee Chairwoman Jang Chun Sil, Pyongyang WPK City Committee Chairman Kim Su Gil, SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop and DPRK Vice Premier Jon Kwang Ho (Photo: KCTV)

A central report meeting for International Women’s Day was held at the People’s Palace of Culture in Pyongyang on March 8 (Thursday).  Among those who sat on on the platform were Chairwoman of the Women’s Union Jang Chun Sil [Chang Ch’un-sil], Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop [Yang Hyo’ng-sop], Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Vice Chairman for Workers’ and Social Organizations Choe Hwi [Ch’oe Hwi], DPRK Vice Premier Jon Kwang Ho [Cho’n Kwang-ho], senior officials of the Women’s Union at the central level and the chairs of Women’s Union chapters.  Attending the meeting were women who have received state titles and awards for their work and contributions and Women’s Union members from DPRK Government Ministries and Commissions, national institutions and production units based in Pyongyang, along with women from embassies and foreign missions stationed in the DPRK.

WPK Vice Chairman for Workers’ and Social Organizations Choe Hwi reads the report at the March 8, 2018 meeting for International Women’s Day (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Choe Hwi delivered the report.  He stressed that “the women’s movement of Korea is the Chuch’e-oriented women’s movement that pioneers by President Kim Il Sung [Kim Il-so’ng] and has covered the proud course of development under the wise guidance of the President and leader Kim Jong Il [Kim Cho’ng-il].  The history of the Korean women’s movement is closely associated with the exploits of Kang Pan Sok  [Kang Pan-sok; mother of Kim Il Sung], an outstanding leader of the Korean’s women’s movement, and anti-Japanese war heroine Kim Jong Suk [Kim Cho’ng-suk], who dedicated themselves to resolving women’s problems.”

Choe also said that “today the Korean women’s movement of Chuch’e is ushering in the greatest heyday of its development as it holds respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un [Kim Cho’ng-u’n] in high esteem.  The Korean women’s movement has taken only the road of victory as a revolutionary and militant movement generation after generation and prided itself on being an example of the movement of the world’s progressive women.”  Choe called “upon all women to make a positive contribution to glorifying the glorious history and tradition of the Korean women’s movement of Chuch’e and achieving a fresh victory on all fronts of building a powerful socialist country.”

An affiliate of 38 North