April 5 Pit at the Kumgol Mine under the Komdok Mining Complex, a leading non-ferrous minerals producer in the DPRK, has a workteam that was organized in July Juche 69 (1980). The workteam was comprised of young people born in Juche 50 (1961) when President Kim Il Sung visited Komdok or Kumgol for the first time, crossing the rugged Machonryong Mountains. With the passage of time it witnessed many changes of its membership. However, it has been called invariably “a workteam of people born in 1961.”
Ko’s workteam has always overfulfilled its annual assignment for national economic development, and that as much as more than twice during the past ten odd years when the imperialist forces went to extremes in trying to isolate and stifle the DPRK.
Though it was clearly recognized by the management officials and miners of the complex, most of them were apprehensive at the outset of this year about how Ko’s workteam would carry out its annual task. To say nothing of difficult outward conditions and circumstances, the workteam had only three skilled hands, including Ko himself, and the remaining 12 were not fully prepared in workmanship. Worse still, among them were four newcomers who had just been discharged from military service the previous year.
However, never daunted by the facing difficulties, the workteam members made a firm determination to carry out the yearly mineral production plan without fail in this year that is of key importance in carrying out the five-year strategy for national economic development, and strove dynamically to increase ore production.
Ko and two other hero miners taught the new miners the knack of mining work and passed on techniques in detail. The latter assiduously trained the technical skills in order to be well versed in the work and become the creators of new standard and record as soon as possible.
Four stopes were developed at depths of 650, 700 and 800 metres respectively, with seven drills being operated at the same time. Emulation campaigns were waged between work units and between individuals to overtake others, learn from them and exchange experience.
Workteam leader Ko Kyong Chan maintained his seasoned method and style in organizing and conducting work with a prospective view on implementing the plans for coming months and years. He also ensured that conditions for production were sufficiently provided and accidental circumstances be dealt with timely countermeasures, thereby leading his workteam to continuous innovations.
A man of ability in understanding every member’s qualifications and capacity, Ko manifested genuine feelings of affection for and trust in his team members by valuing and putting them forward while fairly assessing their successes free from subjective and impulsive behaviours. His strict principles of work brought about harmony and unity in the team and served as a secret of the workteam to further its achievements.
On the occasion of the Day of the Sun (April 15), a greatest national holiday, the workteam overfulfilled the yearly plan of ore production by 1.5 percent ahead of schedule, and that of two years by 1.1 percent as of June 29.
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un sent them a message of congratulations on April 21, and highly appreciated them for having created a new legendary tale in the era of Mallima, calling them members of the Ko Kyong Chan-led Hero Workteam.