Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s state affairs commission chairman, watched a mortar live-fire competition marking April 25, the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army, which Pyongyang portrays as an anti-Japanese guerrilla force and the roots of today’s military.
The Korean Central News Agency said Sunday that Kim on April 25 visited a combined unit under a mechanized infantry division in the western region, congratulated service members and offered encouragement on the 94th anniversary of the force’s founding.
KCNA said Kim laid a bouquet at a monument commemorating the achievements of state founder Kim Il Sung, observed a moment of silence and toured a revolutionary history museum.
Kim said the party’s “unchanging” concept for building a strong military is that “the ideological elite-ization of soldiers is the invincible, sure-victory sword,” and said only an ideologically firm force that is constantly aware of its “lineage and roots” can “resolutely subdue and crush” any enemy.
He said the unit should set an example for the entire military in political-ideological work and in completing combat readiness, in line with its characteristics and status, KCNA reported.
Kim then observed the mortar competition by light infantry units under combined formations at multiple levels. KCNA said he was accompanied by Defense Minister No Kwang Chol, Ri Yong Gil, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army, and Kim Song Gi, director of the General Political Bureau, among other military leaders.
Satisfied with the results, Kim said combat training should be organized to fully implement the party’s military strategic thinking and “Juche tactics,” focusing on building combat power capable of “completely annihilating” the enemy. He called for more intensive training competitions across the military by unit level and specialty, KCNA said.
North Korea says the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army was organized by Kim Il Sung during anti-Japanese activities in Manchuria. Since 1978, it has designated April 25, 1932, as the founding anniversary of its armed forces and holds commemorative events.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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