Pyongyang, November 25 (KCNA) -- U Won Yong, a pitman of the Inpho Coal Mine of the Pukchang Area Coal Mining Complex in the DPRK, is one of the patriots in the Songun (military-first) era.

He, 39, has worked hard for increased coal production over the past two decades.

Since he began to lead a workteam, he has overfulfilled the yearly plan at 114.6 percent on average.

Just before his graduation from a secondary school, he was told that President Kim Il Sung said if he had been ten years younger, he would have felt like mining coal. Deeply moved by the President's remark, he joined a youth shock brigade of the mine.

He worked twice and thrice as hard as others, giving full scope to comradeship.

During a 150-day campaign, he made six technological inventions to carry out the workteam's assignment more than 70 days earlier than schedule. His workteam was the highest in the coal production volume per head throughout the country.

He guided his workteam members to be labor innovators and three-revolution standard-bearers.

U Won Yong was honored with the title of Merited Coal Miner.