In the period of the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule over Korea, he had to suffer hard toil in a coal mine from the age of 14. After President Kim Il Sung liberated Korea, he could lead a genuine human life.

So, he had devotedly worked with a single mind to contribute to the building of a new country with increased coal production. In Juche 36 (1947), he carried out the yearly coal production quota before April 15.

During the Fatherland Liberation War (June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953) and in the postwar period, he took the lead in the struggle for increasing the coal production. He invented a new blasting method to make his work-team set new records of tunneling 102 meters in 18 days and 139.2 meters in one month. This was the start of the high-speed tunneling movement in the country.

The Kim Jik Hyon-led tunneling work-team finished its five-year national economic plan (1957-1961) in a matter of one year and two months.

The torch for high-speed tunneling movement kindled by him spread all collieries and mines in the country.

Under the benevolent care of the Workers' Party of Korea, he won the title of DPRK Labor Hero in February 1953 and became the first twice DPRK Labor Hero in January 1958.

The DPRK people are still remembering his labor feats and striving to follow the fighting spirit of the preceding generations.