Pride

Han Mi Hwa, headmistress of Sanghung Primary School in Sosong District, Pyongyang, is a mother of four children including triplets.

When she got married as a primary school teacher in the early 1990s, she was very anxious. She had to look after a large family of eight as the first daughter-in-law of an intellectual family.

After giving birth to her first child (daughter), she even thought about abandoning her job.

Some years later, she was diagnosed as conceiving triplets.

She was admitted to the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital and, months later, on October 1, Juche 88 (1999), gave birth to triplets, the 252^nd set of triplets of the country. Gold rings and silver daggers were presented to her and her husband Son Chol Ho and the triplets.

The parents of the couple were so excited to see healthy grandchildren.

According to Han, the triplets respectively weighed 1.6, 1.2 and 1.7 kilograms at birth but they got over four kilograms heavy within some months in incubators. 

After leaving the hospital, they lived on the state’s expense until they were four years old. During those days, they received warm love and care of over ten “mothers” including doctors, nurses and others.

They cultivated their talents at football, music and art clubs, receiving free compulsory education. Afterwards they served in the army. They are now studying at Kumsong University of Politics which trains officials working with young people.

When she gave birth to triplets, some people advised her to resign from job and look after her family.

But her father-in-law who worked as a head of department at Pyongyang University of Medical Sciences encouraged her to carry on her career. Her husband who was a researcher told her to repay the benevolence of the country with knowledge and science.

She made a great contribution to making her school a winner of the title of thrice Honoured Red Flag School and a model school for the whole country. She won a Master’s degree in pedagogy and the title of October 8 Model Teacher by introducing new teaching methods.

She was elected deputy to Pyongyang Municipal People’s Assembly last year. When people congratulated her, she said that she tried to perform her mission as a mother and educator.

The birth of grandson by her daughter is adding more delight to her family.