Kim Jong Un Visits Construction of Okryu Children’s Hospital

Kim Jong Un (2nd R) tours the construction of the Okryu Children’s Hospital in east Pyongyang. Also seen in attendance is Jang Song Taek (2nd L), NDC Vice Chairman and KWP Administration Department Director, and Ma Wo’n-ch’un (R), deputy director of the KWP Finance and Accounting Department (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 5 October (Saturday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the construction of the Okryu Children’s Hospital in Pyongyang.  He was accompanied by Jang Song Taek (Vice Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission and Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Administration Department), Pak Chun Hong (KWP Department Deputy Director), Ma Won Chun (Deputy Director of the KWP Finance and Accounting Department) and Ho Hwan Chol (KWP Department Deputy Director).  Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his visit to the construction of an apartment complex for the faculty of Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng) University.

He toured the hospital’s patient rooms, medical departments and service facilities “with satisfaction.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “took measures to fully ensure the conditions of the room of intensive treatment and indicated concrete ways for putting the operation rooms on a sterilized and dust-free basis” and on the construction of the hospital he “expressed great satisfaction over the fact that a hospital to be proud of before the world has been built as it was excellently designed under the guidance of the party, an able unit undertook its project and it was finished with good building materials.”  He also said “the hospital has also taken on splendid looks as a specialized one like the recently built Breast Tumour Institute of the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital and Dental Hospital” and that “it is a hospital demonstrating the validity of the public health policy of the WPK and the advantages of the socialist healthcare system in the country.”  Kim Jong Un named it the Okryu (Ongnyu) Children’s Hospital “as it is situated in the area of Munsu where the clean water of the River Taedong flows.”

Construction of the Okryu Children’s Hospital in east Pyongyang in June 2013 (top) and in Rodong Sinmun in October 2013 (Photos: Google image, Rodong Sinmun).

The cover of the 6 October 2013 edition of Rodong Sinmun showing Kim Jong Un’s visit (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).