A balanced relationship
After the students went back to the DPRK, Xiu visited Changdok School for the first time in 2014.
It was early autumn. Ginkgo trees across the campus shimmered gold beneath the sunlight.
"The friendship between our two schools, and between China and the DPRK, felt like those great trees — deep-rooted, flourishing, and full of life," Xiu recalls.
The reception was warm and heartfelt. Teachers from Changdok constantly asked whether their guests were comfortable and eating well. They proudly introduced their classrooms, educational programs and extracurricular activities.
The hosts also took the Yuwen delegation to Mount Myohyang, one of the DPRK's most celebrated scenic destinations. There, the teachers shared food they had prepared themselves, including the country's distinctive grilled beef.
Changdok School has likewise paid many visits to Yuwen. Sun remembers Principal Jeon Jong-ho, who appeared stern at first glance but was in fact exceptionally kind. When traveling to China, he would sometimes bring dried fish from the DPRK to share with his Chinese friends.
According to Xiu, each school possesses its own strengths. Changdok is known for its rich arts and sports programs, while Yuwen places particular emphasis on preserving and promoting traditional culture.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, exchanges between the two schools became less frequent. Yet the bond endures.
In May, the Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, Wang Yajun, visited Changdok School and noted that the sister-school relationship has now entered its 66th year. He expressed hope that educational cooperation would continue to deepen and that future generations would carry forward the friendship between the two countries.
Principal Jeon echoed that sentiment, expressing his wish that the two schools would further strengthen exchanges and contribute together to the China-DPRK friendship.
As for the 30 DPRK students who graduated from Yuwen, they are now approaching their 30s. Their former teachers often wonder how they are doing.
"I always thought they were extraordinary," Yu says. "I imagine they must still be doing exceptionally well in their own country.
