in 1923, but the number of Koreans allowed to study there never exceeded 40 percent of its enrollment; the rest of its students were Japanese. Private universities, including those established by missionaries such as Sungsil College in Pyongyang and Chosun Christian College in Seoul, provided other opportunities for Koreans desiring higher education. After the establishment of North Korea, an education system modeled largely on that of the Soviet Union was established. According to North Korean sources, at the time of North Korea's establishment, two-thirds of school-age children did not attend primary school, and most adults, numbering 2.3 million, were illiterate. In 1950, primary education became compulsory for children. The outbreak of the Korean War, however, delayed attainment of this goal; universal primary education was not achieved until 1956. By 1958 North Korean sources claimed that seven-year compulsory primary and secondary education had been implemented. In 1959 "state-financed universal education" was introduced in all schools; not only instruction and educational facilities, but also textbooks, uniforms, and room and board are provided to students without charge. By 1967 nine years of education became compulsory. In 1975 the compulsory eleven-year education system, which includes one year of preschool education and ten years of primary and secondary education, was implemented; that system remains in effect . According to a 1983 speech given by Kim Il-sung to education ministers of Non-Aligned Movement countries in Pyongyang, universal, compulsory higher education was to be introduced "in the near future." At that time, students had no school expenses; the state paid for the education of almost half of at the time North Korea's population of 18.9 million. In 2012, leader Kim Jong-un advocated that North Korea should expand its compulsory education from 11 years to 12 years. According to the state Korean Central News Agency, a bill to expand its compulsory education was passed in September 2012. Prior to this reformation, North Korea had eleven years of free education system which consisted of one year of kindergarten, four years of elementary school and six years of secondary school prior to college. After reformation, now, it resembles education system in South Korea which consists of six years of elementary school, three years of middle school and three years of high school. Primary and secondary education In the early 1990s, the compulsory primary and secondary education system was divided into one year of kindergarten, four years of primary school (people's