In this regard, KCNA met President Chae Ryang Il and Secretary General Ko Song Ryol of the Fund.

Q: Please tell me about the activities of the KEF.

Chae: Its activities cover construction and renovation of schools, cooperation and exchange of teachers in foreign languages education, promotion of children's health, improvement of home economics labs, support to production of textbooks and references and supply of modern educational facilities.

Last year, the Fund rendered assistance to renovating five flood-damaged schools and improved educational facilities in scores of schools.

It supplied food and daily necessities to more than ten schools, while organizing teachers' regular courses on several occasions.

In recent years, the Project Approval Committee of the Fund approved scores of proposals after making deliberations of them. The approval led to implementation of more than 40 assistance projects.

The KEF issues annual reports, conducting information activities through mass media.

The website run by the Fund is www.koredufund.org.kp.

Q: It is said that the KEF has received support from many foreign agencies and organizations. Can you tell me about it?

Ko: The KEF has closely cooperated with many foreign donors. It made agreements on some assistance projects with foreign donor agencies, including the Light Foundation of Canada, Foundation for Micro-projects in Vietnam-DPRK (FMV-DPRK), Friends in Education of Canada, Maranatha Trust Group of Australia, Russkiy Mir Foundation of Russia and Secours Populaire Francais and Manna Mission Europe of Great Britain.

In the last six years alone, the KEF conducted activities for improving educational facilities and studying and living conditions and supporting the promotion of children's health at nearly 200 educational establishments of different levels.