culture

Modern houses built all across the countryside are a hot topic of conversation these days.

Some people say they look like a picture and others call them nice villas.

People moved into new houses also at the Jangsuwon Farm under the Pyongyang Municipal Rural Economy Committee in April this year.

‘New houses are really good’

Each of the scores of blocks of single- and low-storey and terraced dwelling houses boasts unique architectural and modern beauty.

“The stairs are so comfortable my aged parents do not find it hard to go up and down them,” said Ri Won Sok, another farmer living in a terraced house. “The floor of the kitchen is covered with white tiles and it is sunny. I feel as if I'm dreaming."

Ri Sun Sil, mother of Ri Sun Chol who is a farmer living in a low-storey apartment house, said that she is hale and hearty though she is over 80 thanks to the Workers' Party of Korea, and continued:

"As there is balconies at the new house, I can take the air, do exercise and command an overall view of the village at any time. It’s really refreshing.” 

She added that all the farmers are now living happily in highly civilized villages under the loving care of the Workers’ Party.

‘I’ll become a patriotic farmer’

Our couple volunteered for the farm last year.

We settled in the countryside with the determination to contribute to filling up the country’s granary with rice, along with some sort of worry.

As we were strangers to farming, we feared that we would be unable to become attached to rural life.

Then one day, I was very surprised.

The state provided us with a new house just like the farmers who had cultivated land all their lives.

On the day of moving into the new house, my wife kept smiling as she saw the smart kitchen equipped with a convenient sink, kitchen table and cupboard and a washroom with taps from which clear water streamed down.

As I spend dreamy days in the new house, I feel deeper gratitude toward the country bestowing great favours on ordinary farmers.

An official of the farm told me the following story:

General Secretary Kim Jong Un gave guidance over each formation plan in “The Collection of 100 Dwelling House Illustrations”. Not only the structure of rural houses, which are diverse in architectural style and whose formative artistic quality is ensured at a high level, but also such architectural elements as wall decoration, railings and ornamental lamps are associated with his warm love and meticulous care and his intention to provide our agricultural workers with civilized living conditions.

Our couple will become patriotic farmers who repay the deep affection of the country with high crop yields by devoting our sincere sweat to the fields.          

Kim Man Song, farmer

Knowing farmers’ innermost thoughts

More than 250 families moved into new modern flats all at a time in our farm.

Some months have passed since then, but as the days go by, I feel my home warmer, cosier and more comfortable to live.

I particularly like the communal domestic animal house.

It is very convenient to raise domestic animals such as pigs, goats and rabbits.

It has a veterinary and anti-epizootic room and a disinfecting room and also the conditions for producing a lot of manure by treating the excrement of livestock.

All the farmers are determined to raise animals well at the good communal animal houses, which the country set up by reading their innermost thoughts, to enrich their life, produce a large amount of manure and thereby increase grain production.

Kye Chun Il, technical staffer