Resting Place and Vegetable Plots for Coal Miners

Premier Kim Il Sung visited Sadong Park in Pyongyang for the second time on September 16, Juche 37 (1948) several days after the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

When he asked officials to go to the park that day, they were very pleased as they thought that they could take a rest in such a picturesque park together with him, who had worked day and night for the founding of the DPRK.

But their expectations were dashed in no time.

As he arrived at the park, Kim Il Sung mounted a pavilion and enjoyed a panoramic view of the park which looked like a beautiful picture. And he told the officials that the scenery of the Sadong Park was very beautiful and it was advisable to build a playground, fix chairs in several places and pave the road well so that the workers of the Sadong Coal Mine and people around the area could visit it and enjoy a pleasant time there.

He then said that Sadong Park should be developed into an excellent cultural resort for the working people and that the Sadong-bound trolley track should be turned into a double-track to provide the citizens with every convenience for going on a picnic there.

After discussing the problems arising in sprucing up the park together with officials, he headed for the Sadong Coal Mine village.

At the entrance of the village, he dropped in at a coal miner’s cozy home.

The wife of a coal miner was too surprised to see the Premier visiting their home so unexpectedly to make a bow to him.

After acquainting himself with the living conditions of coal miners from her, he said it would be difficult to buy vegetables as it was near the city. After a moment’s thought, he told the accompanying officials that they would rather give small vegetable plots to the families of coal miners so that they could grow vegetables by themselves.

He then stressed once again the need to give about 30 phyongs of land to each household of the coal mine employees so as to help them satisfy their need for vegetables.

The coal miner’s wife thanked him, saying “Premier, it is very kind of you to come and care for our coal miners’ families. Thank you very much.”

Such an expression of gratitude to him was heard in all parts of the country right after the founding of the DPRK.