Affection and Solicitude Enjoyed by the DPRK Scientists
1. Dr. Ri Sung Gi Who Lives Forever in the Embrace of the Leaders

President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il were the great teachers and benevolent fathers of all the scientists in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, who bestowed warm affection and solicitude on them and brought them up to be revolutionary intellectuals.

Among the scientists who are blessed with an eternal memory is Dr. Ri Sung Gi.

Chairman Kim Jong Il said:

"The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung always values and loves the scientists and resolves all the problems arising in their work and living."

President Kim Il Sung took loving care of Ri Sung Gi, who had been subjected to colonial slavery and all sorts of humiliation and contempt in south Korea, and led him at every step to become a scientist loved by the people.

The President took measures to bring Ri and his family to the northern part of Korea during the grim Fatherland Liberation War days and paid close attention to their life and health.

While organizing the temporary, strategic retreat in October Juche 39(1950) owing to the critical war situation, the President ensured that even means of transport was provided for their safe travel to the destination.

On receiving a report that Ri was hospitalized for an illness in September Juche 49(1960), when the "vinalon speed" was created, the President wrote a letter to him and sent gifts.

As he was busy with guiding the Fifth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea in early November Juche 59 (1970), he noticed an abnormal sign in Ri's eyes, though the doctor in charge of Ri and even his wife failed to do, and took measures for his treatment. It surely was a legendary story which cannot be made apart from the warm care of the President.

Under the warm care of the President, Ri Sung Gi enjoyed youthful vigour until he reached 91.

President Kim Il Sung led Ri Sung Gi to make successes in his scientific researches.

It was in his thirties that Ri invented vinalon, a new polyvinyl alcohol-based synthetic fibre, for the first time in the world, but he could not escape a miserable fate as a colonial intellectual, and the same was the case with his brainchild.

It was the President who saved the destiny of Ri and his vinalon.

On April 27, Juche 41(1952), Ri Sung Gi took part in the conference of scientists held in the presence of President Kim Il Sung. Listening to the President's speech on developing the independent chemical industry, Ri decided on the correct direction of his research and buckled down to the research of vinalon.

The President saw to it that ample conditions were provided for Ri's research work in the flames of the fierce war. Experimental apparatus and reagents were supplied to Ri and a laboratory built in the tunnels so that he could conduct his research without any worries.

Thanks to the warm care of the President, Ri could continue his study of vinalon even in the war and thus make a great contribution to laying a scientific foundation for the establishment of the Juche-oriented vinalon industry with limestone and anthracite abundant in the country as raw materials.

On the day of the inauguration of the first vinalon factory, the President visited the factory and spoke highly of Ri's scientific successes, saying that Ri's wish was finally realized.

In the embrace of President Kim Il Sung who highly valued every one of the scientists, Ri Sung Gi enjoyed the most dignified and happiest life as a scientist of the DPRK, an intellectual of the Workers' Party of Korea.

While working as director of the Hamhung Branch of the State Academy of Sciences until the end of his life, he was elected as deputy to the Second Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK in August Juche 46 (1957) and consecutively to the Ninth SPA.

In high appreciation of his distinguishable services to the development of the country's science and technology, President Kim Il Sung had official commendations, including the Order of the National Flag 1st Class, conferred upon him. Ri was awarded with the titles of academician (1952), professor (1961), PhD (1959), Labour Hero (1961), and People's Scientist (1986), and won Kim Il Sung Prize (1980), People's Prize (1958), and so on.

Chairman Kim Jong Il saw to it that Ri participated in the Conference of Korean Intellectuals and sent a birth spread on his 90th birthday.

When Ri passed away, the Chairman said Ri was a scientist who was highly appreciated by the President for having made a tangible contribution to studying and industrializing vinalon in the country. And he ensured that Ri was buried in the Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery.

The affection and solicitude enjoyed by Ri Sung Gi are just one of many examples showing how much the great leaders valued and loved the scientists and technicians.

The DPRK scientists are now giving fullest play to their scientific talents, enjoying the most dignified and happiest life in the world in the embrace of the great WPK.