North celebrates International Children's Day with foreign diplomats

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North celebrates International Children's Day with foreign diplomats

Published: 02 Jun. 2025, 12:43 Updated: 02 Jun. 2025, 18:39

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on June 2, shows the North holding a celebratory event in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of International Children's Day the previous day, attended by foreign diplomats stationed in the country. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

North Korea held large-scale events and invited foreign diplomats to mark International Children's Day on Sunday, a move that appears to be an attempt by the state to soften its image.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday that various events for children with and without disabilities were held nationwide the previous day, on International Children’s Day.

On Sept. 11, 1949, the Women's International Democratic Federation designated June 1 as International Children’s Day during a meeting in Moscow. Since then, countries that were formerly part of the Eastern bloc such as Russia as well as China have commemorated the date as Children’s Day.

A friendship gathering was held at the Taesongsan Funfair amusement park in Pyongyang to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the day. At the event, which was attended by foreign diplomats based in North Korea and overseas Koreans, there were remote control model aircraft performances by the capital’s aviation club, dance shows and sports games.

Children with disabilities, their teachers and parents gathered for performances and sports activities at the gymnasium of the extracurricular sports school in Pyongyang’s Taedonggang District.

The KCNA report on the event said, “There are our children before or over the people our Party respect as Heaven and it is not hardship but happiness and glory to make painstaking efforts for the younger generation who should grow up to be bolder and more lively persons," adding that such sentiment is state leader Kim Jong-un's "noble view of the rising generation.”

In addition, Korean Central Television reported that related events were also held in North Pyongan, Jagang and the city of Nampo. The network also aired a separate broadcast of a children’s performance whose title translates to “We Are Happy."

North Korea’s invitation of the diplomatic corps to its events and its broad celebration of Children’s Day appear to be an effort to underscore that it is a state that cares for its children.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]