Special services were also offered to the elderlies at restaurants and public service institutions as a sign of respect paid to them in the country, KCNA informed.

Among the most important events were those held at the Ponghwa Art Theater, with the participation of war veterans, and at the Pyongyang Sports Palace, where the autumn festival of senior citizens engaged in sports and physical activities was held.

In Pyongyang and other cities, Party and local government officials visited old people’s homes to look after their living conditions and give them gifts, KCNA reported.

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 UN 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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