“We will forever remember your self‑sacrifice for the defense of the nation and its people.”

At just after midnight on September 11, 1975, an urgent report was received that an armed infiltrator had appeared on the shore in front of Outpost No. 79 at Gushipo, Jaryong‑ri, Sangham‑myeon, Gochang County. The 106th Combat Police Unit then carried out an anti‑infiltration operation. Among them were 양규식, 김갑중, and 임동표, who had been enrolled at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) before entering military service.

They pursued the armed infiltrators with utmost devotion and were fatally wounded in the firefight that evening. That was the end.

On the 24th, a day before the 63rd anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, JBNU held a meaningful diploma presentation ceremony to console the spirits of the fallen.

An honorary graduation certificate presentation ceremony was held at 3:00 p.m. in the President's Office for 양규식, 김갑중, and 임동표, who lost their lives while participating in the "Gushipo Operation"—the last major anti‑infiltration operation by the Jeonbuk Police—on September 11, 1975, and were subsequently removed from the student register.

The presentation was attended by President 서거석, 홍익태 전북지방경찰청장, JBNU administrative officials and members of the Academic Affairs Council, and bereaved family members, who together paid tribute to the spirits of the fallen.

At the event, President 서거석 presented the deceased students' diplomas to the bereaved families, including 양규성, brother of the late 양규식; 김중, brother of the late 김갑중; and 임동옥, sibling of the late 임동표.

The late 양규식, who received the honorary diploma, matriculated in 1972 in the Department of International Trade; the late 김갑중 matriculated in 1973 in the Department of Textile Engineering (now the Department of Organic Materials and Fiber Engineering); and the late 임동표 matriculated in 1974 in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering.

The three, alumni of JBNU, were promising young men: at the time 양씨 was 23, and 김씨 and 임씨 were both 21. After completing Combat Police Unit training for their military service and being assigned to Gochang, they participated in the armed infiltrator suppression operation within days and were killed in action during the engagement. They are currently interred at the Jeonju Military and Police Cemetery. A memorial monument to them was erected in 2009 beside Gushipo Beach in Gochang to honor those whose lives were cut short before they could fully blossom.

The University Museum, together with the Jeonju Veterans Affairs Office (Director 김명한), is holding a "Photo Exhibition to Commemorate the Fallen Patriots" in the central hall and interior spaces through July 5.

The exhibition displays various records related to the late 양규식, 깁갑중, and 임동표, whose honorary diplomas were awarded that day. It reexamines their spirit of defending the homeland and love for their local community and brings back memories of those who had been forgotten.

President 서거석 said, "We present these honorary diplomas with the heartfelt sentiments of the entire university community to honor the self‑sacrifice of the three who sacrificed themselves for the defense of the nation and its people and to hold their patriotism up as an example," adding, "JBNU will forever remember the spirit of sacrifice of the three for the nation and the people."