On July 27, 1993, Kim Jong Il instructed the North Korean authorities to designate the day when the armistice agreement which ended the Korean War was signed, July 27, 1953, as Victory Day in the Fatherland Liberation War, and celebrate it by holding various events.
Since when, on that day, the authorities have held the “Commemorative Conference for Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War,” an event whose standard emphasis is that although the “American imperialists” and “South Chosun puppet factions” launched an “aggressive war” in order to occupy the northern part of the Republic, the North Korean people and the Republic’s government repulsed the enemy and defended the fatherland and the territory.
In addition, in the neighborhood of military camps, the military and citizens hold joint events.
A typical event is “aiding our guard post:” Each work place and social organization, such as Party cells, the Union of Democratic Women, the General Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, takes charge of a company or battery and provides the soldiers there with special food.
Each organization is allocated to a company consisting of around 120 soldiers; to serve them chicken soup and provide them with farming tools or a “Sincerity Box,” in which people put things like laced velvet cloth or pretty dusters for cleaning up portraits of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Suk, and other items displaying idolization of the leading family.
Of course, members of such organizations have to give money to prepare presents for the soldiers; otherwise they will suffer criticism in evaluation meetings all year round.
A source from Shinuiju reported on the 25th to the Daily NK, “The Union of Democratic Women has been collecting money: 1,000 North Korean won from each household.”
According to the source, current jangmadang prices are 6,000 won for a chicken; a small North Korean hoe is 1,000 won; a Chinese shovel is 4,000; a Chinese hoe is 5,000 won; and a wooden sincerity box is 2,000 won.
He added that, therefore, “Providing enough takes a significant amount of money.”
Besides all this, art performances for soldiers are put on too. Social organizations prepare songs to commemorate victory in the War and depict the spirit of the army, then perform them for the soldiers. In the evening a dancing party is held in Pyongyang and other major cities so that residents and soldiers can get together.
Additionally, meetings where people can listen to veterans’ war experiences are also held. These events are held on both April 25, the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Army, the June 25th anniversary of the start of the Korean War, and on July 27th.
