Few would probably believe that soldiers studied in a war where do-or-die battles were waged.

It is more surprising that the supreme commander gave guidance over ordinary soldiers’ study at the Supreme Headquarters where strategies and military operational plans decisive of the destiny of the war were worked out.

During the Fatherland Liberation War (June 25, 1950-July 27, 1953) a foreigner witnessed the fact.

Once he visited the Supreme Headquarters. There and then he happened to see Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army Kim Il Sung examining a soldier’s study result. With doubt, he asked a Korean official what was going on.

To his surprise, the official explained that the guidance was intended for soldiers to study abroad for postwar rehabilitation. The foreigner was impressed.

He said that he came to ask about the tide of the war in light of the new offensive of the US imperialists and he already got the answer. Such a thing can never be found in any war history, he said, adding he was sure that the Korean people led by General Kim Il Sung would emerge victorious without fail and that the day of their victory was not far.

One day in Juche 41 (1952), while being under check over his study result, a soldier doubtfully asked the Supreme Commander why he had to study in wartime.

You mean it is useless to study in hard times of war, Kim Il Sung said and asked the soldier if he thought they could win the current war. The latter said yes, elaborating on the factors of their final victory.

The Supreme Commander appreciated that he made a good study of the situation and had a firm confidence in victory, and asked him again who would undertake the rehabilitation after victory.

After getting the soldier’s unhesitating reply that it is up to the Korean people, he affirmed his remarks, adding: Reconstruction will be done by our people. You should become the masters of rehabilitation. To this end you should be armed with advanced technologies. Since you are still young, you should live with ambition and aspiration towards the future. Well, the immediate battles are important, but you don’t have to worry about it because we are fighting a winning war. Now I am going to send you abroad for study. You should learn much and come back home to build a prosperous country on this land where fireworks would be shot to celebrate war victory. You should also give full play to the mettle of heroic Korea in postwar rehabilitation.

At last, the soldier came to understand why the Supreme Commander made sure that they concentrated on study and checked their results every day.

So Kyong Hyok