(2021.4.20.)

On May 23, Juche 37 (1948) President Kim Il Sung, during his field guidance tour, had lunch with some elderly local people by a reservoir in the then Riin-ri, Kumje Subcounty, Daedong County, South Phyongan Province, and left for another leg of the tour.

At the moment he noticed some children dashing toward his car. He stopped his car to meet them. Throwing his arms around them, he kindly advised: You may have heartache and cough if you suddenly run a long distance. So you had better warm up before you run. And you should slow down and do some breathing exercise at the end of running.

Then he asked if their school was far off, if they had any inconvenience in their study, what kind of activities they did after class, and whether they did any artistic activities.

Now he suddenly turned to a boy and asked if he had hurt his foot by kicking a stone. The boy answered he had kicked a stone but had no pain. Hearing him the President bent over to feel his bruised foot.

Moved by his kindness, the boy burst into sobs. Trying to calm him down, the President said with a smile, “I am sorry you go to school barefoot now. But when your parents have a good harvest on their farm and the workers work hard at factories, there will be a lot of products, including shoes. Then you will be able to go to school with shoes on, and you will be given leather shoes in the future, I am sure.”

An accompanying official told him that much time had passed. But the President said with pleasure, “I am most pleased when I find myself among children like this.”

The President kindly told the children, who were reluctant to say good-bye, to work hard at school and thus become good personnel of the country.