“Girl Mother” at Kangson

Kangson in Korea is widely known as the place in which the working class of the Kangson Steel Works (the present Chollima Steel Complex) created a new speed of Chollima (a legendary horse that runs a thousand ri at a gallop).

Its fame has risen again throughout the country for a “girl mother” of seven orphans.

She is Jang Jong Hwa, 20 of age and working at the public catering agency in Chollima District, Nampho.

Two years ago the girl, together with her mother, visited the steel workshop at the Chollima Steel Complex to assist the workers, when she happened to see three children, orphans of a worker who had worked there.

Back at home, Jang could not beat out of her mind the thought of those children, who were sick for their parents. So she made up her mind to take care of them like their elder sister and brought them home.

A month later she adopted another four orphans. Among them was Ja Myong, a two-year-old boy.

It is said that it is easy to become a mother but difficult to discharge the duty of the mother.

The same held true for Jang. It was not an easy job for a girl fresh from school and in the prime of her life to mother seven children.

Always busy with household chores, she could not find enough time for sleep, so she often had to do with a cat’s nap in the corner of the kitchen. When she fell ill, she tried hard not to betray her illness.

But, what was the most difficult for her was that the children were reluctant to open their heart to her. She thought her lack of sincerity was the reason, and redoubled her efforts to take care of them with motherly affection.

Every day she checked their homework, firming up her determination to make the children study well and grow happily and cheerfully.

She made an effort to please their tastes and participated in every parent-teacher evening to familiarize herself with the school life of her children. She also held family recreation parties in evenings so as to encourage the children of different ages and with different characters to cultivate intimacy and lead a cheerful life.

More than that, Jang paid particular attention to making them inherit the lofty spirit of their parents. On every Chusok, 15th day of the eighth month by the lunar calendar, she took the children to their parents’ graves and told them about how they had supported the country with steel production. She frequently visited the steel complex with the children so that they could witness the vibrant reality of the country making leaps forward towards prosperity.

Her sincere image was imprinted in the minds of the children as that of their mothers, and also nurtured the spirit of loving their friends, schools and native places.

At the sight of the children growing up, Jang was greatly encouraged.

On holidays and birthdays of the children, officials and smelters at the Chollima Steel Complex visited Jang’s house with special foods and souvenirs.

Not only them but also her neighbours paid continuous calls on hers to assist her with washing and other household chores.

Jang was happy among such people who rendered her selfless assistance.

Last May the respected Kim Jong Un met the young people attending the Second National Conference of Exemplary Young People of Virtue and spoke highly of Jang Jong Hwa, calling her “girl mother.” Jang was thus known throughout the country as an exemplary girl of virtue.

The “girl mother,” a beautiful flower blooming in the flower garden of human love, is now redoubling her efforts to live up to the great affection of the leader.