Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, was visibly emotional as he pleaded with thousands of women to address the declining birth rate in the country. During the first National Mothers’ Meeting in 11 years held in Pyongyang, Kim wiped away tears with a handkerchief while addressing the women in attendance. Concerned about the drop in the birth rate, Kim emphasized the importance of preventing further decline and promoting good childcare as shared responsibilities. He urged the women to instill the values of the communist party in their children and address various social tasks, including eliminating non-socialist practices, fostering family harmony, and promoting cultural and moral values. The emotional plea was met with tears from the women dressed in traditional attire, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Addressing the audience as ‘Dear Mothers’, Kim told them ‘We are confronted with a host of social tasks that our mothers should join to tackle’.
‘These tasks,’ he said, ‘include bringing up their children so that they will steadfastly carry forward our revolution, eliminating the recently-increasing non-socialist practices, promoting family harmony and social unity, establishing a sound way of cultural and moral life, making the communist virtues and traits of helping and leading one another forward prevail over our society, stopping the declining birth rate, and taking good care of children and educating them effectively.
‘These belong to our common family affairs, which we need to deal with by joining hands with our mothers,’ he added.