One day in January Juche 83 (1994), Chairman Kim Jong Il convened a consultative meeting on the issue of widely encouraging national traits in all fields of social life.

   The participants were surprised at such an unexpected issue.

   In fact, there were more important issues awaiting solution in socialist construction at that time.

   But the Chairman saw it as an important matter for the accomplishment of the socialist cause to actively sustain the national traits in social life, and made sure that the issue was laid down at the consultative meeting that took place for the first time in the new year.

   The Chairman pointed out that national identity was fading away gradually in the socio-cultural life of our people. He said that most of the sports games held those days only include international sports events and national sports events like ssirum (Korean wrestling) were rarely included.

   Until then, the events of football, volleyball, table tennis and the other international competitions took the main part in the public sports games and the folk games of our nation from olden times such as ssirum, yut game, swing and tug of war were difficult to see.

   Emphasizing that national sports events should be encouraged in the future, the Chairman said that ssirum contest should be organized in a large scale with the bull as a prize and also provincial kite-flying game and the like should be organized and winners should be awarded a prize. He continued that the people would be pleased if national sports games were organized on holidays.

   Since then, our people have kept deep in their mind the precious teachings of the Chairman on sustaining the national traits in social life and have been conducting more diverse events such as ssirum, seesawing, swinging and kite-flying in different parts of the country every year. Our people are enjoying the cultural and emotional life to their heart’s content, taking part in national sports events not only on holidays or rest days but also on everyday occasions.