We arrived at the June 9th Middle School at 2.40pm, just after extra-curricular activities had started.

Students in North Korea have a fixed timetable all year through—classes from 8am to 12pm and afterschool activities from 2pm onwards, our guide said. Students are free to choose the activities that suit their talents, from learning musical instruments to studying math.

This middle school, named after the date on which Kim Il-sung ordered it to be built, is a showcase school in Pyongyang open to tourists.

In the auditorium, 13 girls wearing high heels, white shirts, above-the-knee blue skirts and, of course, red neckerchiefs stood lined on stage ready to perform. When they started to sing, they moved in perfect unison. There were a number of performances, a girl on an electric bass guitar off to one side and another with an accordion.

After the performance, while walking to the tour bus, I saw two boys in uniforms playing volleyball in the yard. I waved to them to ask if I could play, a wild request as most North Koreans are not allowed to talk to us.

Then, they threw me the ball. And I hit it back. I wish we could have stayed there longer.

This small moment was one of the best memories of my trip. The first time I felt even remotely close to North Korean life since I passed through immigration.

That night in the hotel bookstore, I bought a book called “Child is king of the country.”  In the chapter “Placing Happiness of Young Generation in the Topmost Position of Consideration”, it says:

“The great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il is the very one who is bringing true life and boundless happiness to the young generation and giving full scope to their hope and talents like the fatherly leader Comrade Kim Il Sung did.”

No matter where they believe their happiness comes from, to me, the boys are no different than any other young people in the world—energetic and curious.

Watch a video of the “children’s performance” at the June 9 Middle School by Joanna Wong here: 

by Viola Zhou

Children play at a school on the Chongsan-ri Cooperative Farm.

by Joanna Wong

Three North Korean boys enter the Pyongyang Skate Park.

by Alice Wan

Kids play roadside in Pyongyang.

by Kyle Sun

Students with cleaning supplies walk along a street in Pyongyang. Red scraves are part of the school uniforms.

by Kyle Sun

North Koreans wash clothes roadside in Kaesong, a city near the border with South Korea.

by Yupina Ng

A bass guitar player performs for tourists at the June 9th Middle School in Pyongyang.

by Alice Wan

Children learn about former leader Kim Jong Il in a classroom on the Chongsan-ri Cooperative Farm outside of Pyongyang. Education in North Korea is compulsory for 12 years, though reports have said the system is still in ruins since the famine in the 1990s.

by Joanna Wong

Children play on the playground of a school at the Chongsan-ri Cooperative Farm outside of Pyongyang.

by Viola Zhou

Children play on a school playground at the Chongsan-ri Cooperative Farm. Military elements are everywhere at the school including paintings of children in military uniform holding guns and murals of Americans and Japanese being stabbed.

by Rainbow Wong

by Mari Chow

by Joyce Wong

by Shan Shan Kao

Former leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il's protraits are on most buildings.

by Shan Shan Kao

Four years of primary school is part of the free education provided by the government.

by Shan Shan Kao

Citizens receive state funded schooling by the government.

by Shan Shan Kao

Leader worship education starts early- children sing to praise Kim Jong-un at a school on the Chongsan-ri Cooperative Farm.

by Shan Shan Kao

English is the foreign language for 80% of the secondary schools, others learn Russian. Manderin or Japanese is learnt in universities as the second foreign language.

by Shan Shan Kao

Students performance at June 9th Middle School, Pyongyang.

By Shan Shan Kao

by Shan Shan Kao

Only children who were born in Pyongyang are allowed to live there, otherwise they must receive an offer from a university in Pyongyang or have a special contribution.

by Shan Shan Kao

A woman and child squat outside Ryugyong Skate Park in Pyongyang.

by Shan Shan Kao

A child Rollerblades kid an inline Skate Park next to the Ryugyong Health Complex in Pyongyang.