A mixed-gender soccer match was held in the Ranam district of Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, on International Women’s Day. The female athletes, who showed great fighting spirit, received unexpected supplies and cash after the match, earning the envy and jealousy of those around them.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in North Hamgyong Province said on Wednesday that the Ranam District People’s CommitteeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More in Chongjin “organized a soccer match to mark International Women’s Day on Mar. 8 with a special mixed-gender event, and when some of the female athletes were seriously injured, the authorities scrambled to provide them with benefits such as cash.”
According to the source, the Ranam District People’s CommitteeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More set the date for the mixed-gender soccer match, recruited women who had never played soccer before, and trained them for a week before putting them on the field. In the end, most of them suffered minor and major injuries.
The mixed-gender soccer game, which featured physically strong men and relatively less fit women running around together, attracted a lot of public interest from the moment it was announced. Many people gathered to watch the special game.
The female athletes gave a passionate performance on the field, tussling fiercely with the male athletes, getting up immediately after being knocked down and continuing the game. Perhaps because they fought so hard, they suffered various injuries and sat on the turf for a while after the game ended, before barely getting up and leaving the field.
Local government shifts to crisis control
The district people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More immediately responded to the injuries by ordering the district finance department to provide three kilograms of soybeans to the female athletes who participated in the match. It also ordered that they be given four weeks’ leave to receive treatment for their injuries and that their member organizations “take good care of them.”
“This is exactly what the people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More publicly ordered and implemented,” the source said. “Quietly, officials visited the homes of the women who participated in the game at night and delivered five kilograms of sugar, 4.5 kilograms of oil, and 20,000 KPW each.”
The women were very happy to receive more supplies than they had ever seen and more money than an ordinary worker earns in three or four months. “Although the struggle was hard, it was worth it after receiving such benefits for the first time in our lives,” they said.
The district people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More took such action to protect itself, the source said. When rumors surfaced that some of the women had been seriously injured, the district people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More was worried that there might be trouble if the matter was reported to the city party committee, the provincial party committee, or even the Central Committee.
However, when rumors of the people’s committee’s nighttime supply arrangements finally surfaced, some people said the measure was “excessive.” Others vowed to attend the next mixed-gender game organized by the local people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More.
However, after hearing such talk, an official from the district people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More began to refute the accusations to prevent further rumors, the source said. The official said, “We gave some supplies as a reward because we don’t want it to be said that women were hurt on International Women’s Day, and the people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More that organized the game had to save face. Why else would we spend the money to give them supplies?”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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