Om Tong Sop, a disabled soldier, devoted his whole life to the education

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said:

"Our war veterans are truly outstanding revolutionaries and patriots and a priceless treasure of our revolution who, despite the trials they went through, have devoted their all to the rising generations by invariably and faithfully supporting the Party and the leader, from the grim times of the war through to the years of postwar reconstruction and socialist construction."

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said in his speech at the 7th National Conference of War Veterans that the fighting spirit of the great victory and miracles serves as an inexhaustible source of bringing about fresh victory and miracles no matter how much water may flow under the bridge.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un said that the defenders and builders of the country in the 1950s who honorably defended our glorious DPRK and provided it with the immortal heroic spirit to be carried forward generation after generation are the benevolent benefactor and genuine teachers who should be praised and emulated for all ages.

Among the excellent revolutionaries, patriots and war veterans who devoted their all to the younger generation while suffering hardships, and who continued to bring about the revolutionary cause after the war, is Mr. Om Tong Sop, who is teaching at the Education Science Institute of the Wonsan University of Education.

The following is a story about the life of a disabled soldier with only one thumb left among the fingers of both hands, who has had long teaching career for decades after graduating from Kim Il Sung University with such uncomfortable body.

The veteran, who was awake at the bedside of the hospital shed tears of agony and bitterness gazing at his hand.

What he could remember was the voice of his squad leader shouting "Look out, Tong Sop" who covered him with his body to protect him from the enemy's bombs and bullets.

It was blood not tear that was running down his cheeks in front of squad leader's dead body who sacrificed himself to save his comrade. Tong Sop cried in agony gazing his hands because he had no longer able to trigger.

"What should I do, Squad leader? I thought that I had to take revenge upon the enemy and receive the cost of the blood that you shed…"

After parting forever with his squad leader, the veteran had to be discharged.

When they returned home, their grandparents embraced their brave son who had fought bravely for the country. They shed tears again, saying: "My son, we will be your hands since now."

President Kim Il Sung bestowed great favor upon him.

Fathoming the desire of a disabled soldier, President Kim Il Sung showed great loving care for him so that he could study at Kim Il Sung University in Paeksong-ri.

In the hearts of the veteran who left for the university with tears of emotion, he hardened his determination to contribute to the prosperity of the country by dint of high science and technology.

But for him, a disabled soldier, learning was not as easy as he expected. It was a poem of another disabled soldier student that gave him strength and courage. The poem depicted the teachings of President Kim Il Sung who had visited Paeksong-ri. During his visit, the President had told the students to study hard, adding that study was also a battle. The poem deeply moved him.

(Right, learning is a battle, and I must win, or I can't repay the wrath of my comrade-in-arms who are already dead.)

He made strenuous efforts with a new determination. The teachers and comrades of the university rendered selfless assistance to him. Seeing the teachers who had given individual lectures all night long and the comrades who had been helping him with inconvenience, he was deeply moved to take part in teaching after graduating from the university.

Om Tong Sop was appointed as a teacher of the Wonsan University of Education after graduating from Kim Il Sung University. He worked hard to make the younger generation cherish the loyalty to the Party and the leader which was displayed by the heroic soldiers of the war and the indomitable spirit of defending the country at the risk of his life.

At that time, Om Tong Sop, who took charge of the discharged soldiers' class, led the class to be the first one to have the honor of the double Chollima class and implanted the figure of genuine human being into the hearts of the students.

Om Tong Sop's efforts to teach ex-soldiers students with only one thumb were a really hard battle. But he devoted all his efforts to the education of the rising generation with his unyielding appearance of the war.

Once he had even thought of giving up his career.

Om Tong Sop, who had been giving lectures in front of freshmen, held a chalk to write on the blackboard. His thumb became stiff and the chalk fell down.

Mr. Om Tong Sop's thoughts deepened from the dissatisfaction of the students.

(The teacher, standing in front of the students must be beautiful, but what would they think looking at my appearance?)

Afterwards, he practiced writing with chalk on his thumb all night and gave his students more knowledge through good lectures during each class.

Mr. Om Tong Sop let his two daughters married to the disabled soldiers and even his eldest granddaughter. This fact shows that he has taught him how to live, both at home and in teaching.

His life itself was a lecture. Seeing him living in the same shape all his life, people learn from the ideological spirit of the revolutionary forerunners of the preceding generations.

Mr. Om Tong Sop concealed his hand whenever he has his photograph taken.

Thinking that people should leave a good impression and there would be nobody who likes his hands, he would not let his hand appear in the photograph whenever the photograph taken.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un warmly shook that hand.

Om Tong Sop, who attended the 5th National Conference of War Veterans, was honored to take a photograph with the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un.

He went to the venue of the event hiding his hand, in case the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un saw his hand only to worry.

But the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un shook his hand which Om Tong Sop himself was unwilling to show others.

Indeed, the victorious wartime generations including Om Tong Sop and disabled soldiers are leading a worthwhile life under the guidance of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un who takes loving care of war veterans and disabled soldiers.

Om Tong Sop is still devoting his patriotic concern for education.