The Korean leader broke down in tears when he was told that mothers are willing to sacrifice themselves for the future of their children.

This is not the first time Kim has cried during a speech. Last October, Kim broke down in tears while speaking about the country’s hardships, forcing her to stop speaking and take off her glasses in the middle of a crowd. of the people.

In a speech during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party, the North Korean leader spoke of the difficulties the country was facing, and he also announced at the time that his country had recorded “zero” infections with the coronavirus. , I wish health to the Koreans.

North Korea held a meeting to hand out gifts to participants of a recent national mothers’ conference, in an apparent move to bolster their loyalty amid a declining birth rate, state media reported Wednesday.

North Korea last held a national conference for mothers in 2012, while the first was held in November 1961.

The Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party awarded participants large gifts “associated with intense paternal affection” for leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim called for measures to stem North Korea’s declining birth rate during the Fifth National Mothers’ Conference.

According to data published on the website of the United Nations Population Fund, North Korea’s total fertility rate, the number of children a woman gives birth to in her lifetime, will reach 1.8 in 2023.

This ratio is well below the alternative level of 2.1, which would have kept North Korea’s population stable at 26 million.