The elderly were also offered special services at gastronomic and public service institutions as a sign of the respect paid to them in the country, KCNA said.

Among the most important events was the performance of the opera Eternal Victors at the Pyongyang Grand Theater with the participation of war veterans.

Special attention was given to the elderly who were evacuated to Pyongyang after the severe floods in the north of the country last July.

As usual, Party and local government officials visited old people’s homes in Pyongyang and other cities to take care of their living conditions and give them gifts.

Life expectancy in the DPRK is close to 74 years, and as in most other countries, women outnumber men 75 to 71.

October 1 was declared International Day of Older Persons by the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the contribution of older adults to human and economic development, as well as to highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with global demographic aging.

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