The contest is popular with students across the country, their parents and teachers as it helps students widen their knowledge and common sense in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, history and geography.

The first prize of the recent contest went to Choe Kwon Song, a third-year student from Sungni Senior Middle School in Rangnang District, Pyongyang.

Looking at him who readily solved all the problems related to applied mathematics, the Juche iron production process, worldwide environmental protection, historical master-hands and angling and the composing of impromptu poem, the participants and TV viewers throughout the country lavished praise on him calling a “walking dictionary”.

Choe rounded off the first stage, which drew over 30 contestants, with top honour. Some ten students competed in the second stage and only six winners advanced to the final.

At the final stage deciding the winner of this year’s contest, Choe correctly solved all the problems including the operating principle of spaceship and took the first place in the contest.

When the contest was over, many students asked him the knack of studying method as they presented him with bouquets and put garlands around his neck. At the time he said it is imperative to find a studying time and method suitable for everyone, winning another big hand for his answer.

As he had a marvellous memory from his childhood, he would almost remember the content he had once read or learned at schools.

As soon as he entered the senior middle school he distinguished himself as he had always taken the lead in studying during his primary and junior middle school days.

“Kwon Song’s memory is really good. He has distinctive understanding ability more than that of other students, as well as a strong desire to acquire ten if he learns one thing”, said his class teacher Choe Myong Hwa.

A passionate student, he did not go to the bed before he understood the principle of problems and considered all matters in correlation with other subjects in a systematic and all-round way.

According to his mother, he read as many reference and other books of common sense as higher than his height.

He is specially interested in history, geography and physics.

He often spends his after-school hours visiting the Sci-Tech Complex and the Natural History Museum to broaden his knowledge related to the origin of mankind, history and astronomy.

When asked about his dream, he answered that he wanted to become a competent scientist who would exalt the honour of the country.