The paper engineering institute of the State Academy of Sciences has left an indelible imprint on economic development by developing and producing dozens of kinds of high-tech functional papers in recent years.

The HEPA-class high-performance air filter, diaphragm paper for high-power battery and multi-layer water filter tip developed by the institute are much needed for economic development and their economic effectiveness is very high. Only a few developed countries produce them at present.

“Until a few years ago, our institute was not yet equipped with conditions good enough to develop high-tech products. But such remarkable achievements are attributable to director Ri Yong Il,” said researcher Kim Sung Chol.

Ri Yong Il (pictured) has been working at the institute since his prime of life.

His greatest wish was to become a researcher after jumping on the bandwagon of scientific research as an experimentalist.

After accumulating knowledge with his painstaking and stubborn efforts in the study-while-you-work system, he came up with distinctive research findings from the beginning since he became a researcher.

As he researched anything in an innovation-driven way, not in the previous copy-based way, in order to produce findings of great practical significance, he achieved successes in national priority research tasks and became a section chief in his 30s and the director of the institute in his 40s.

“When I became director, I found that the work as a director is different from that as a researcher. We encountered lots of difficulties as we had to carry out our research projects while creating necessary conditions afresh in the institute, but the urgent national demand did not allow us to idle away time ,” Ri Yong Il recalled.

He inspired researchers to display their spiritual strength so as to create necessary research conditions by their own efforts, develop high-tech functional papers and build their production foundations.

While overseeing difficult and huge work, he undertook a priority research task and burnt the midnight oil trying to achieve research successes in the van.

“We will be unable to say that we are genuine scientists, if we fail to lighten the burden of the country with scientific research successes, while placing our individual interests above the country’s at the time when it is having a hard time. I have only strived to do my duty as a scientist to the call of the country,” said the director.

He had the honour of having a photo taken with the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un on several occasions for his remarkable scientific research findings for over 10 years and earned the titles of Merited Scientist and professor and PhD degree. He was also nominated as one of top national scientists and technicians in 2017.

A meritorious person of socialist patriotism, he has been working as a deputy to the Pyongyang Municipal People’s Assembly since 2017.