In the period of the Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) Ri Su Bok silenced a firing enemy pillbox with his body at the age of 18 to open a route of charge for his military unit.

The poem says in part, "Nothing is more glorious than to dedicate my life to my one and only motherland."

Kim Ho Chol, an officer of the Korean People's Army, told KCNA:

"Now when the anti-DPRK moves of the United States and other hostile forces have reached a danger line, the poem fans up ardent patriotism among servicepersons.

To us, Supreme Commander Marshal Kim Jong Un represents our motherland and so there is no more valuable life than to devotedly defend him even at the cost of life.

All servicepersons are fully ready to risk their lives in an all-out action for defending the nation's sovereignty as Ri Su Bok did."

Ri Song Ho, a student of Pyongyang University of Architecture who recently volunteered for military service, said:

"Hero Ri Su Bok's poem is well known to all the Korean youths in the Songun (military-first) era.

Since the spirit of the hero remains alive in the hearts of millions of local young people, the DPRK will emerge victorious in a showdown with the U.S."

With the poem kept in their mind, graduates of secondary schools across the country are now volunteering to join the KPA, determined to defend their motherland at the cost of their lives.