It was October 21, 1982, a couple of years after the inauguration of the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.
While talking with the officials concerned, Kim Jong Il asked one of them if the hospital was serving the patients with honey after their delivery.
The latter gave a specific report on the supply of the tonic following the opening of the hospital.
Kim Jong Il looked so happy about it, and then asked how they were supplying honey.
The official was hesitant, not understanding what he really meant.
Kim Jong Il asked again if they were receiving money for the honey or not.
The official replied that they were charging the price set by the state and it was negligible.
Kim Jong Il reasoned that it was wrong to make the mothers pay for the honey at the hospital.
He went on: Since olden times Korean women have taken honey after delivery. It is a good tonic for recovering their health quickly. So the Party saw that honey was sent to the maternity hospital after its opening.
It is unacceptable to ask the mothers to pay for the honey which was sent to them by the Party.
From now on you should serve it to them free of charge. President Kim Il Sung was very pleased that the Party was supplying honey to the patients at the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.
Kim Jong Il asserted:
Our Party spares nothing for the future of the revolution.
