In recent years the DPRK has newly enacted, amended or supplemented many laws for the wellbeing of the people.

The 21st Plenary Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea held in August 2022 adopted the law on medicines to make sure that medicines are used for protecting and promoting the people’s health from A to Z. And last year the law on public health and the law on medical treatment were amended and supplemented.

The law on public health stipulates that the state, regarding it as an important duty of its activities to take measures to prevent people from getting sick, shall direct primary efforts to prophylactic treatment.

Under the socialist system of the DPRK not only ordinary working people but also disabled people and persons with disabilities are leading a worthwhile life under the protection of people-oriented policies and laws.

The Ninth Session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK adopted the law on ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities, making it possible to provide all of them with better working and living conditions and further develop the social climate of helping them.

In October last year, the law on house maintenance was adopted whose mission is to make a contribution to providing the people with stable and cultured living environment and conditions.

According to the principles of allocation of houses specified in the law, preference shall be given to the families of revolutionary martyrs, patriotic martyrs, fallen soldiers, persons killed by the enemy, heroes, war veterans, honoured disabled soldiers, discharged officers, teachers, scientists, technicians, meritorious persons, labour innovators and triplets, and those with many children. And working people in difficult and labour consuming sectors such as coal and other miners, smelters, pelagic fishermen and engine drivers shall be provided with modern houses with sufficient conditions to rest.

The law also stipulates that the families who have lost their houses due to natural disasters and those who have been displaced by state measures shall be given houses compulsorily and in consideration of the number of family members, commuting conditions, conditions of residence and physical conditions.

The new streets built in the capital city of Pyongyang and modern houses under construction in the socialist countryside across the country and in the flood-afflicted areas of North Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces show that the Korean people are living under the protection and concern of the law.

Article 6 of the law on the socialist rural development adopted in September 2022, stipulates that the state shall build rural villages into ideal socialist ones which are impeccable by any standards, even by the standards of the distant future.

In addition, many laws including the law on the development of city and county, the law on landscaping and the law on public catering have been newly enacted, amended and supplemented, thus making a contribution to stepping up socialist construction in the country, improving the people’s standard of living and providing them with better living environment and conditions for cultural recreation.

An Song Il