People often criticize China’s media for their practice of censorship, but recently the Communist Party’s official newspaper People’s Daily blew the lid on a story that no other news organization dared speak of.

Only the People’s Daily should be commended for their expose regarding North Korea’s deep, deep love of children.  How much do they love kids? According to the writer of the article, North Korea’s Future Is Raised In Love, their kindergarteners eat 5 squares a day.

This news certainly has ruffled feathers with the authoritarian government of Kim Jung-un.  North Korea has long demanded the respect of the international community through fear and intimidation.  Surprisingly their closest ally, China were the ones to pull back the curtain revealing their gentle spirits for all to see.

China’s vicious attack reaches a fever pitch with these statements:

“Pyongyang Maternity Hospital was given the title ‘child-friendly hospital’ by UNICEF.  We should show some love for them as not only is North Korea’s medical care’s level is at the highest standards but they are leaders in healthcare for housewives and children.”

“To develop an importance on education in our own country we need to get their limitless drive.  Helping the children is the way to fulfill a rich nation’s aims, to give them a life overflowing with happiness.”

Stinging words about a country who spent decades convincing everyone they were starving their own people while the ruling class lived in opulence, spending the rest of the money on long range missile programs.  Now, we know the truth; North Korea’s just a bunch of big ol’ softies.

The report was written by a shrewd female reporter who apparently when taken on the state-guided tour didn’t take to the more manly aspects like the USS Pueblo, super-deep trains, or gasoline clam bakes that tend to distract male reporters.

No, she instead saw something different in the way the provide everyone with universal healthcare and deliver 20,000 babies every year from Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.  She dared to shed light on the fact that North Korean kindergarten students eat five times a day with a menu arranged by a nutritionist.

When the article ran in China, the citizens were in a state of disbelief over these revelations.  Many commenters wrote the article off as a joke or “fantasy novel.”  One commenter even dared to suggest that these things exist in North Korea but only for the elites.  Surely North Korea would like us to believe that so they can go back to being the semi-psychotic starving nation they were once thought to be.

Instead I have a sneaking suspicion that all their “scary” missile silos are, in reality, chocolate factories and petting zoos.

Other newspapers reprinted this amazing story for all to see, none of them mentioning whether they agreed or not with the original article.  Well, actually, one paper did – but we don’t talk about them anymore.
[ Read in Japanese ]