Assoc. Prof. Ri Myong Jin, Faculty of Finance, Kim Il Sung University
2026.10.1.
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said:
"Etched on the hearts of our people, including the teaching staff and students of Kim Il Sung University, is the august image of the great General Kim Jong Il, who unfolded the plan of building it into one of the most prestigious universities in the world and, despite the mental and physical fatigue he accumulated on the road of the Songun revolution, put his heart and soul into creating world-class educational conditions and a world-class environment for the university."
As the founding anniversary of Kim Il Sung University is coming near, we recall with deep emotion the painstaking efforts made by the peerlessly great Leaders for the founding and development of the University.
Without their energetic leadership, it would be inconceivable to think about the university at present that is making rapid progress through the fierce competitions with other world-famous universities, being equipped with world-level education foundations and facilities.
Kim Il Sung University founded under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung could continue its steady advance on its way to be one of world-famous universities thanks to the energetic guidance of another great man Chairman Kim Jong Il.
Earlier when he clarified his stand that he would study at Kim Il Sung University, Chairman Kim Jong Il unfolded his great plan to develop the university into the one admired by the world.
It was on January 27, 1959.
The Chairman said, although the university had a short history, it was our great pride to have Kim Il Sung University with wonderful teaching staff and excellent content of education. He added that if we tried hard for several years, it would be possible to turn the university into one of the world-level universities and also to bring up our own competent talents well-versed in science and technology who would truly serve the Korean revolution.
During the days when he was conducting revolutionary activities at Kim Il Sung University the Chairman gave valuable instructions for the university to go ahead of others in all aspects and to build excellent teaching foundation and environment.
In a talk with students on May 2, 1961, he said that it would neither be possible to step up socialist construction nor to rapidly improve the standard of people's living without acquiring up-to-date science and technology, emphasizing that now modern science developed fast enough for mankind to launch spaceships and make machines that could replace human brain.
That day, he encouraged them to cherish the ambition to push back the frontiers of the ultra-modern science by trying hard to develop science and technology of our own country to the world level, not just being envious of scientific achievements in other countries.
On July 14, 1962, in a talk with the students, he said that we had a wide prospect of developing science and technology of our country and that our country would catch up with developed countries in the field of science and technology in the near future. He stressed that the students of Kim Il Sung University had to prepare themselves to be versatile talents possessed of profound knowledge of modern science and technology and excellent practical abilities during university days, thus making active contribution to rapidly development of science and technology of our country in the future.
Looking around Mineral Resource Sample Room of Geology Department on March 16, 1961, he emphasized the need to turn laboratories into modern ones equipped with modern experiment apparatuses and analyzing means in order to develop geology of our country into the world level.
On October 12, 1961, when he visited Astronomical Earth Physics Lab of Physics Faculty, the Chairman said to the teachers and students that in our country astronomy lectures were only given at Kim Il Sung University and added that it was necessary to build Astronomy Lab and Earth Physics Lab separately to satisfactorily solve scientific and technological problems arising in conquering space. He also told the officials concerned to build a new astronomical observatory outside and equip it with modern facilities for students to do effective astronomical experiments.
Despite the fact that he was very busy leading the revolution, the Chairman, always bearing in his mind the alma mater, energetically led it to set a high goal and channel all its efforts into building of world-level university.
In a letter he sent to teaching staff and students of Kim Il Sung University on the occasion of its 50th founding anniversary, the Chairman said that it was the intention of President Kim Il Sung in his lifetime to build Kim Il Sung University into one of the most advanced universities in the world. He set forth the task to turn Ryongnamsan area into a more modern university area equipped with modern educational facilities and equipment, thus turn the university into world's leading one.
Looking round the newly-built swimming complex of the university in December, 2009, the Chairman earnestly instructed that the e-library should be built into the best one in Asia, emphasizing that it was the firm resolution and will of our Party to turn Kim Il Sung University into the world-level one, into the highest edifice of Juche-oriented education and science.
On December 17, 2009, he sent his autographic proposition to the teaching staff and students of the university. In his proposition he said that we should keep our feet firmly planted on our land and look out over the world with a firm determination to redouble our efforts to make the great Party, Kim Il Sung's Korea admired by the world.
In April 2010 when he last visited the university, the Chairman earnestly asked that the university management work should be done well enough to turn the university into world-class university true to the intentions of President Kim Il Sung and the Party.
Indeed, on each page of development history of Kim Il Sung University is recorded warm care and painstaking efforts of Chairman Kim Jong Il, who led the teaching staff and students of the university step by step to vigorously advance towards the building of a world-level university with a decisive will to compete with the world with world-wide perspective.
In the near future, Kim Il Sung University, which is accelerating the building of world-class university based on a solid foundation for education in science under the warm care of the peerlessly great Leaders, will shine as one of the world-level universities, one of the world-famous edifices of education and science envied by the world people.
