Kim Jong Un Visits KPA Unit #169

Kim Jong Un waves to personnel of KPA Unit #169 in an image released by DPRK media on 18 January 2012. Seen walking behind him in grey parkas are Gen. Kim Myo'ng-kuk (R) and Gen. Kim Wo'n-hong (2nd R) (Photo: KCNA)

Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) was reported by DPRK media on 18 January (Wednesday) to have inspected Korean People’s Army [KPA] Unit #169, which is linked to the IV Army Corps in South Hwanghae Province.  KJU’s last public appearance, reported on 15 January, was his attendance of a music and dance performance at the 25 April House of Culture.  Kim Jong Un was reported to have attended a field inspection of KPA Unit #169 and observed field exercises on 30 November 2011.  On that occasion he accompanied Kim Jong Il who was engaged in a vigorous inspection tour of KPA units.

At his latest visit to the unit KJU was reported to have been accompanied by Party Central Military Commission Members VMar Ri Yong Ho (Chief of the KPA General Staff), Gen. Kim Myong Kuk (Chief, GS Operations Bureau), Gen. Kim Won Hong (Chief, Military Security Command), as well Gen. Pak Jae Gyong (Deputy Director, KPA General Political Department) and Lt. Gen. Ri Tu Song.  KCNA reports:

Going round the room dedicated to the education of the revolutionary history and the room devoted to the history of the unit, he recollected with deep emotion the undying leadership feats of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il associated with the proud course covered by the unit shining with heroic feats.

He called upon the unit to conduct the combat and political training well, not forgetting the loving care Kim Jong Il showed for its service personnel by having a picture taken with them as he had promised them four years ago while inspecting their unit in November last year, the last period of his life. He, at the same time, urged them to live up to the deep trust Kim Jong Il reposed in them by encouraging them to stand at the head of the whole army, calling the unit the unit like a tiger of Mt. Paektu.

Kim Jong Un acquainted himself with the training of the unit.

Noting that the unit has a very important duty to perform, he set forth the important tasks which would serve as guidelines for increasing the combat capability of the unit in every way.

The primary duty of the soldiers is to conduct training well, he said, underlining the need to concentrate all efforts on intensifying training and prepare the service personnel of the unit as all-round fighters capable of satisfactorily and independently discharging any combat duty, in particular.

Making the round of the soldiers’ hall and library, he expressed satisfaction over the fact that the unit has conducted political and ideological education of the soldiers in a unique manner to suit their characteristic features by keeping diverse materials for ideological and cultural education and building sufficient facilities for that purpose.

He stressed the need to continue paying primary attention to the political and ideological education of soldiers so that they may become fighters strong in idea and faith.

Looking at the photos of combat heroes, he said that the unit would produce more heroes in the future. He called on it to improve the education by use of materials on combat feats to train all its service personnel as heroes.

Stopping before the photos of the officers whom soldiers call “our officers,” he appreciated the officers who have warmly loved their soldiers, regarding them as revolutionary comrades-in-arms.

Then he dropped in at a mess hall and looked at the program for observing the “day for soldiers.” He was pleased to learn that commanding officers and families of service personnel have made every sincere effort to take good care of soldiers.

Going round a bedroom, an education room and training and lecture rooms of a company under the unit, he took care of the soldiers’ living as their real father would do.

He invited the commanding officers of the unit which Kim Jong Il visited in the last period of his life to have a picture taken together.

Calling upon them to take warm care of the living of the soldiers, he said only by doing so, they will make success in training and it is possible to bolster the combat capability of the unit. He earnestly told the officers to make long and difficult marches for training all together this year and thus finish the combat preparations of the unit without fail as desired by Kim Jong Il.