During the Fatherland Liberation War (June 25, 1950-July 27, 1953), there were many soldiers in the Korean People’s Army who had studied at universities or colleges before volunteering to fight on the front.
According to the order of Supreme Commander Kim Il Sung of the KPA in December Juche 40 (1951), the number of student-soldiers were surveyed and collected and, in January next year, a measure was taken to recall them back to their universities and colleges.
While learning about how the work to recall them was going on one day in February Juche 41 (1952), Kim Il Sung was reported that two soldiers of a KPA unit refused to follow the order of discharge.
They were students who had volunteered to join the People’s Army after hearing the news about the outbreak of the war while studying abroad.
Noting that they were excellent, talented young people, Kim Il Sung said we decided to get them to study for the future of the country.
Then, he stated as follows: We are fighting a winning war; we should bring up larger numbers of talented native cadres and, technical personnel in particular, for the future of the victorious country. Studying well is a combat duty for the students studying abroad.
In April 1952, he met with the students of Kim Il Sung University who had been recalled from the front and told them: On the battlefields, your primary duty was to do away with as many enemies as you could. But now your basic duty is to study well. Upholding the slogan “Studying is also a battle!”, all of you, students, should study energetically with the same stamina as you showed on the battle line.
