On December 24, Juche 97 (2008), during a visit to the Chollima Steel Complex Chairman Kim Jong Il stopped at the smelters’ canteen.
He said he was pleased to see that mineral water as well as nutritious foods was served to the workers.
Suddenly, pulling a face, he commented that the temperature in the canteen was low and he felt cold. Then he said:
“It’s no use the workers eating in such a cold place, however good the foods are. You are wrong not to have done anything even though you must have seen the workers eating in this cold room.”
The officials had considered the workers to be lucky to have nutritious foods at a time when everything was in short supply, and had paid little attention to the low temperature in the canteen.
Chairman Kim Jong Il said that the senior officials of the complex should gather the workers and apologize to them for their mistake and ensure that the temperature in the canteen was raised to an acceptable level before New Year’s Day.
