Measure of Affection

The following happened in April Juche 36 (1947), when Comrade Kim Il Sung visited the then Nampho Smeltery. 

After looking round the production sites of the smeltery, he headed for the electrolysis workshop.

The general manager tried to dissuade him not to go in, for the workers there, even after the liberation of the country, were still working under bad circumstances caused by pungent gas. 

Kim Il Sung, however, did not care about his health but stepped in the workshop. Looking at the workers, he asked an official if there was no way to remove the gas smell. 

The official answered: According to technical data a certain foaming agent could remove the gas smell; but we have not used it yet; we have to buy it from abroad. 

Kim Il Sung was lost in thought for a while before saying to an official accompanying him: Human being is the most precious in our system; measures must be taken to protect the people’s health, prior to production. 

The officials of the smeltery lowered their heads. They had lacked in the right attitude towards workers; they had regarded improving the working conditions as something beyond their capacity under the prevailing circumstances. Therefore, even though they knew about the foam agent, they paid no heed to it.

The general manager said that he would find out a good additive and take thoroughgoing measures against pollution by gas. 

Stressing the need to do so, Kim Il Sung asked what impact the gas smell had on human body. On hearing from an official that it would damage the respiratory organ and teeth, Kim Il Sung took the measure of specially supplying the workers with nutritious foods including millet jelly produced in the Pyongyang Cornstarch Factory.