Today water crisis gets more serious globally. So, it is an important guarantee for boosting the agricultural production to make more effective use of water.

Last year, the technology of electrical treatment of water was introduced into paddy-rice cultivation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, making it possible to produce one ton of grain more per hectare on an average in the areas which introduced the technology. Doctor Kwon Chang Dok, Section Chief of the Faculty of Mine Engineering of Kim Chaek University of Technology, played a pivotal role in developing this technology.

One day 10 years ago, he went to the spot for research into flotation technology and happened to hear workers say that if ores are concentrated by water from other place, the actual extraction rate of concentrated ore is raised.

He thought there must be a problem to be solved. He made a deep study and analysis of technical literature related to water and came to have an idea of applying activated water to the flotation process.

He manufactured and introduced a device of activating water with an electrical method, thus making it possible to greatly decrease the consumption of reagent and raise the grade of concentrated ore and the actual extraction rate of flotation.

Later, in the course of expanding the application range of activated water into various fields, he came to have a conviction that if it is used as an irrigation water, it is possible to overcome the effect of disastrous abnormal climate and raise the unit-area yield with less manpower and effort.

At that time he was over 50. Some people advised him that if he failed, his feats piled up so far might be like a castle on the sand.

Thinking that he should solve the problem unconditionally, which could make a contribution to the settlement of the food problem even a little, however, Dr. Kwon Chang Dok neither gave up nor abandoned but led the group of researchers to success.

Water treatment devices of different types were developed, their specifications and capabilities improved and the scale of their introduction gradually expanded.

The scientific successes made by Dr. Kwon are all great and valuable.

What is more valuable, however, is the genuine spirit of pursuit of Dr. Kwon who made researches necessary for the country and people of his own accord as well as his pure and clear conscience of scientist.

Kwon Chang Dok says:

"As I am nearing 60, it is not so easy for me to travel the farms across the country to introduce the technology.

But we should do what is badly needed for the country and for the sake of the people unconditionally. Even if we fail to succeed, we should devote our lives to it. This is the conscience our scientists should have, I think.

The honour of a scientist never shines with an academic degree or title. It shines when he devotes his all to the country and people."

Dr. Kwon Chang Dok was selected as one of the best scientists and technicians of the state in 2023.