Born into a tenant's family in a remote island village of south Korea on July 17, Juche 17 (1928), Choe had to suffer the grief of statelessness.

He admired the northern half of the Republic where people were leading a happy life under the care of President Kim Il Sung.

During the Fatherland Liberation War he joined the Korean People's Army and bravely fought for victory in the war.

He was arrested while struggling for national reunification but kept his revolutionary faith and principles though he suffered unbelievably terrible hardships in jail for decades.

Leader Kim Jong Il highly appreciated his feats and put him forward as hero of the Republic and winner of National Reunification Prize, showing much loving care for him.

Kim Jong Un has taken care of him so that he has glorified his life as an indomitable pro-reunification patriotic fighter full of energy despite his advanced age.