Kim Jong Un Visits 18 January General Machine Plant and Inspects KPA Air Force Unit #1017

Kim Jong Un tours a section of the 18 January General Machinery Plant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 18 June (Tuesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the 18 January General Machine Plant in South P’yo’ngan Province and inspected Korean People’s Army [KPA] Air Force Unit #1017 in South P’yo’ngan Province.  Attending his tour of the machine factory were VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Hong Yong Chil, Yun Tong Hyon and Han Song Ho.  At his inspection of the air force unit, he was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju (Ri So’l-chu), Choe Ryong Hae, Yun Tong Hyon, Hong Yong Chil, Commander of the KPA Air Force Gen. Ri Pyong Chol.  Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his visit to the machine plant managed by Ho Ch’o'l-yong.  Ri Sol Ju’s last reported public appearance was at Kim Jong Un’s visit to the Mt. Myohyang Children’s Camp.

Kim Jong Un’s first visit was to the 18 January General Machine Plant.  After touring the factory’s historical exhibition, he became quite severe in his criticism of provincial party officials and factory management.  This was the third reported public appearance since his accession** at which Kim Jong Un openly disparaged subordinate officials.  According to KCNA, “after being told that the construction of the above-said room was not completed even in over two years, he said he learned about what was the main reason for the plant’s failure to put production on a normal footing” and that “the party has stressed that it is important to keep the ideological education ahead of production for raising the enthusiasm of the producer masses, he noted, strongly criticizing the party committee of the plant for failing to accept the party’s policy ideologically.”  Kim Jong Un said “I don’t know what officials of the provincial party committee see at the plant and what they are guiding” and he warned “them of their businessmen-like hackneyed way of thinking and work style.”  At the construction of a revolutionary historical education area he “watched for a long while piles of gravels and sand and blocks here and there” and remarked “I can’t find proper words to express that mess.”

Kim Jong Un gives instructions during his visit to the 18 January General Machine Plant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un toured an ideological education center and “noted that the provincial party committee should draw a serious lesson as regards the implementation of the party’s policy on giving priority to the political and ideological education.”  He was briefed about the 18 January General Machine Plant’s production planning and he toured various sectors of the factory.  According to KCNA, he “seriously noted that production equipment of the plant are outdated in view of the requirements of the age of the knowledge-based economy and it is behind other industrial establishments in cultured practices in production and life.”  After being briefed about food distribution and other provisions to employees, Kim Jong Un “felt heart-broken when he learned officials of the plant failed to take good care of the living of the employees as desired by the party.”  As he itemized tasks to the factory’s managers and party officials he said:

The plant should glorify the leadership exploits o the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.  It should dynamically conduct the ideological education to give fullest play to the mental power of the workers.  It should steadily push forward the work for putting the production processes on a modern and scientific basis.  The plant should launch a dynamic campaign to improve the supply service, working people’s material and cultural standards and establish cultured practices in production and life.  The plant is faced with difficult and huge tasks, but it can surely implement them as it has revolutionary workers, the technical staff steeled in practice and a wealth of experience and proud tradition.

Kim Jong Un also “expressed great expectation and belief that the workers of the plant would radically remodel it as required by the new century and bring about a great leap forward in the production of modern machines and successfully perform the role as vanguard and shock brigade in carrying out the economic policy of the party.”

Kim Jong Un watches flight training by KPA Air Force Unit #1017. Also seen in attendance is his wife Ri Sol Ju 2nd L), KPA Air Force Commander Gen. Ri Pyong Chol (4th L) and VMar Choe Ryong Hae (5th L) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un also inspected KPA Air Force Unit #1017 where he guided “flight drills”.  Whilst watching air maneuvers, he said the KPA pilots “were very good in training” and he “praised them for having acquired high flying skills as intended by the party.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “expressed great satisfaction, noting that the airmen of the unit are fully ready to make sorties any moment” and he said “I always think of the air routes covered by the pilots to reliably defend the sky of the country.”  He “gave an instruction to further intensify the flight training in the future to fully prepare the pilots as death-defying corps and able combat pilots capable of skillfully fighting a modern war.”  Kim Jong Un toured a combat personnel facility and hangar.  He also visited a monument to previous visits by late leader Kim Jong Il and he “instructed the unit to preserve well the photos of Kim Jong Il and take good care of the monument so as to let airmen and other service personnel always bear his undying feats deep in mind.”  Kim Jong Un “stressed the need for the pilots of the unit to make good preparations for the military parade for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the victory in the war” and he “expressed great expectation and conviction that the service personnel of the unit would put bigger spurs to rounding off the combat preparations and thus defend the sky of the socialist country as firm as an iron wall.”

KPA Air Force Unit #1017 (Photos: Google image and Rodong Sinmun)

**The first reported public appearance at which Kim Jong Un expressed his displeasure with subordinate officials occurred in May 2012 when Kim Jong Un visited Manyo’ngdae Fun Fair (amusement park) in Pyongyang and upbraided officials for slipshod landscaping and broken sidewalks.  The second reported public appearance at which he lambasted subordinate officials occurred in May 2013 when Kim Jong Un inspected the progress (or in his mind, lack thereof) of the renovation of the Mirim Riding Club (f.k.a Equestrian Company of KPA Unit #534; KPA Equestrian Training Company).

The Ministry of People’s Security and DPRK Media Hit Back at Mein Kampf Allegations

Gifts office employees assist Kim Jong Un with a watch presentation ceremony held in Pyongyang in February 2013 (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap)

DPRK state media published two statements on 19 June (Wednesday) that lambasted and partially denied** an allegation that the country’s leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) distributed copies of  a translation of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s memoir-cum-manifesto Mein Kampf (My Struggle) along with other gifts to DPRK elites on Kim Jong Un’s birthday in January 2013.  New Focus International, citing DPRK sources in China and internal documents, reported on 17 June (Monday) that “to mark Kim Jong-un’s birthday on January 8th, DPRK officials ranked departmental director and above in the National Defence Committee were presented with the autobiography of Adolf Hitler in the form of a ‘hundred-copy book’ (This refers to a limited edition of translated books which are officially banned but have been published in secret for the consumption of members of the North Korean elite).”  NFI‘s report was disseminated, without any independent corroboration, in South Korean media and by  The Washington Post‘s WorldViews blog.   KCNA issued a commentary which described NFI‘s story as “sheer fabrication” and “false trumpeting by forces hostile to the DPRK”:

The Washington Post recently quoted an article allegedly carried by New Focus, media of human scum in south Korea, as saying that the DPRK presented Hitler’s memoir “My Struggle” to its officials and there is possibility of the DPRK mounting a campaign of learning after Hitler, which is sheer fabrication.

As known, New Focus is wicked media made up of human scum who fled to south Korea from the DPRK after betraying the nation and which is supported by the south Korean puppet group and ultra-right conservatives. It has carried a whole gamut of false reports slandering the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK and distorting the situation of socialism only to be cursed and censured by the public at home and abroad.

The group of such dirty men talked rubbish packaged in false information, a mockery of media whose basic mission is objectivity, impartiality and neutrality and an intolerable insult to human conscience.

This foolish act is aimed to tarnish the image of the DPRK and hurt the validity and invincibility of the Songun cause, being frightened by the might of the DPRK that arouses admiration and support from the world with time.
The U.S. media professing professional journalism carried the false report written by those rubbish betes noires for a few pennies, bringing shame to itself.

Fabricating false reports, away from elementary human conscience and ethics, and echoing them all disclose ignorance of the situation of the DPRK. It is a hysteric symptom of those who are frightened by the DPRK demonstrating its might as the world’s strongest political and ideological power and a nuclear weapons state and making leaping progress to bring prosperity.
No one will believe such a false report in the bright world of the 21st century.

The false trumpeting by forces hostile to the DPRK is a serious, politically-motivated provocation against it.

Just as it is impossible to smear the blue sky dark with dirty writing brush of falsity and machinations, the forces hostile to the DPRK can never undermine the validity of the Military-First (So’ngun) cause pioneered and led by the peerlessly great men nor can they keep the army and people of the DPRK from dynamically advancing toward victory, true to the new line on simultaneously pushing forward economic construction and the building of nuclear force.

New Focus International‘s original report on Kim Jong Un distributing Mein Kampf also alleged that Minister of People’s Security, Gen. Choe Pu Il, invoked one of Nazi Germany’s key internal security agencies the Geheime Staatspolizei (a.k.a The Gestapo), which was subordinate to the Schutzstaffel (a.k.a. The S.S.) during an undated speech to public security officials.  According to NFI Gen. Choe said, “We are equivalent to a police force. In other countries, people fear the police more than they fear the army. Stop focusing on ways to make money in the markets, and mould yourselves after the Gestapo. In the Kim Jong-un era, the Department of People’s Security is the most powerful department – be proud.”

Nazi leader Adolf Hitler (L) (1889-1945) with the head of his body guard, favorite chauffeur and former Reichführer-SS (1925-1926) Julius Schreck (R) (1898-1936)

Graphic of the key bureaus of the Ministry of the People’s Security (Graphic by Michael Madden/NK Leadership Watch).

The Ministry of People’s Security [MPS] released a “Special Press Statement” published and broadcasted on 19 June which alleged that South Korean President Park Geun-hye “and other incumbent puppet authorities are falsifying the human scum belonging to the malicious organizations of the escapees from the North into experts on North Korean affairs and using them as a front in an open smear campaign against us” because “they staged a burlesque of carrying in Yonhap News and The Washington Post even the escapees’ fabricated article saying that we had given to cadres as gifts copies of the book ‘My Struggle’ written by Hitler, and we are waging a campaign to learn from the experience gained in rebuilding Third Empire in Germany following the World War I.”  The MPS said that “from the beginning, our army and people have thought that talking about the escapees from the North itself is shame, while regarding them as herds of the starved wild dogs in human skin. . .however, we can neither overlook nor tolerate these ugly creatures removed from the rolls of human beings and expelled from the bright world, as they are recklessly slandering and hurling abuses at our dignity and system, while playing main roles in staging the burlesques of confrontation with the incumbent South Korean gang of puppets and the brigandish US imperialists under their protection and manipulations.”

The MPS attempted to further link NFI‘s report to the Park Administration saying “we do not want to further mention how difficult is the situation of the Park Geun-hye gang that is trying to confront us at any cost even by relying on these human rubbish and how pitiable is the politics of the United States that is trying to topple our system by using them” and that “no matter how desperately they make last-ditch efforts, gripped by extreme anxiety and fears, the trouble-ridden lives of the puppets cannot be prolonged, and the hostile policy of the United States toward the DPRK, which is to realize its goal of aggression through the puppets, too, cannot escape the fate of failure.”  The Ministry claimed that “our army and people are turning out, calling for eliminating as early as possible the human rubbish which are kicking up hysterical frenzies after being reduced to servants for confronting fellow countrymen, far from paying for their criminal past by death.  People in the hometowns where they lived and even their own flesh and blood as well are begging us every day to allow them to kill these human scum with their own hands.”  MPS also announced that “reflecting the rage of the millions of soldiers and people that is full in this land, has decided to take an actual action to physically eliminate the ugly human scum that are continuing to additionally commit high treason under the abetment of the incumbent puppet authorities and the brigandish United States.  The ugly human scum will never be able to look up to the sky by remaining alive nor be able to find even an inch of land to be buried after death.”  The MPS concluded its “special press announcement” saying that “the United States, the incumbent South Korean authorities, and the vicious conservative media that are tenaciously persisting in smear propaganda and criticisms against us by using them, too, will receive merciless showers of justice.”

According to KCNA, the MPS’ statement said:

The Ministry of People’s Security of the DPRK issued the following special statement Wednesday:

The DPRK, a country dignified with independence and powerful with Songun, is enjoying the greatest dignity with a bright prospect of socialism of Juche.

The world is looking enviously at the army and people of the DPRK dashing ahead toward the final victory in sight on the horizon at the “Masikryong Speed”. Meanwhile, the moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK on the part of the dishonest and hostile forces have faced bankruptcy.

A handful of human scum is moving desperately to deter this progress.

Park Geun Hye and other present puppet authorities of south Korea are openly putting to the fore human scum belonging to the organizations of die-hard defectors from the north, painting them as “experts in north Korean issue” and instigating stepped-up criticism.

On June 18, south Korea fed to Yonhap News and The Washington Post articles contributed by defectors saying that copies of book “My Struggle” authored by Hitler were presented to officials in the DPRK as gifts and campaign is now under way to learn from the experiences gained in rebuilding the “Third Empire” that existed in Germany after the First World War.

They even committed the thrice-cursed crime of belittling the matchless great personality of the leader of the DPRK reflected in his loving care for the future generations.

The army and people of the DPRK regard it as shame to make mention of defectors from the north, a group of wild dogs in human form.

The group of human scum marginalized in the bright world has become the main player in the confrontation farce under the patronage of the south Korean puppet group and brigandish U.S. imperialists. They even slandered and insulted the dignity and the social system of the DPRK, an act which can neither be overlooked nor tolerated.

By origin, defectors are human scum who were deserted even by home folks and kinsmen being branded as elements subject to legal punishment in the clean society in the DPRK for their crimes of murder, robbery, pilferage, embezzlement of state properties and corruptions.

South Koreans also know this.

But the south Korean authorities try to escalate confrontation with the DPRK by using them and the U.S. seeks to overthrow the social system in the DPRK in reliance on them. This proves the poor plight of the Park Geun Hye regime and the U.S. politics.

It is none other than the present puppet authorities of south Korea which seek to fan up confrontation wind despite their loud-mouthed ballad for “confidence” and “dialogue”. And it is the U.S. which moves overtly and covertly to topple the social system in the DPRK despite its stereo-typed call for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

No matter how desperately the puppet group of south Korea may try being gripped in extreme uneasiness and horror, they can never prolong their dirty remaining days. The U.S. which tries to attain its aggression aim in reliance on the group is bound to face bankruptcy in its hostile policy toward the DPRK.

The National Defence Commission of the DPRK on June 16 warned that all the future developments depend on the U.S. responsible option.

The army and people of the DPRK are strongly calling for punishing those human scum as early as possible as they are going hysteric as servants escalating confrontation with fellow countrymen, far from trying to redress their crime-woven past with death.

There are daily requests from home folks and kinsmen of those defectors for letting them kill human scum with their own hands.

The Ministry of People’s Security of the DPRK, reflecting the grudge of all its service personnel and people, is determined to take substantial measures to physically remove despicable human scum who are committing treasons at the instigation of the south Korean puppet authorities and the gangster-like U.S.

Sordid human scum will never be able to look up to the sky nor be able to find an inch of land to be buried after their death.

The U.S. and the south Korean authorities and wicked conservative media resorting to smear campaign against the DPRK in reliance on them will be made to meet merciless punishment of justice.

**Whether or not the DPRK denies the distribution of Mein Kampf in its two statements is a subjective interpretation.  New Focus International claims that the DPRK did not deny it had given copies of the book to senior cadres in its 19 June statements.  However, describing something as a “fabrication” and “false trumpeting” can be viewed as an indirect denial.

Kim Jong Un Visits Ch’angso’ng County

Kim Jong Un (R) tours the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 13 June (Thursday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) toured different locales in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province and toured Taegwan Glass Factory.  Attending the visits were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department), Choe Hwi (Senior Deputy [1st vice] Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Propaganda and Agitation Department), Pak Tae Song (Deputy KWP Department Director) and Ri Man Gon (Chief Secretary of the North P’yo’ngan KWP Provincial Committee).  Kim Jong Un’s last reported public appearance was his visit to the Pyongyang International Football (soccer) School, the Rungna Sports Park and the offices of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Committee.

Kim Jong Un reviews a product display at Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins whilst touring a section of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un’s first stop in Ch’angso’ng County was to the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory.  He toured the factory’s historical exhibition followed by “the milling work-team, liquor production work-team, confectionary production work-team, wild fruit processing work-team and the products show room and other various places of the factory.”  According to KCNA he “praised the employees of the factory and officials in the field concerned not only for building it well as befitting a base specializing in processing wild fruits but achieving a lot of successes in carrying out the instructions given by Kim Jong Il to take the lead in wild fruit processing” and “underscored the need for the factory to more energetically push forward technological updating, not resting content with the successes already achieved, and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the employees and meticulously organize the factory and business management.”  Kim Jong Un also “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the factory would intensify the drive for increased production, bearing deep in mind the profound loving care shown by the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for the people.”   He ended his visit by posing for commemorative photographs with factory managers and employees.

View of Ch’angso’ng-u’p, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Google image)

Kim Jong Un (2nd R) is briefed about products of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un inspects a product of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un smokes a cigarettes and reads a menu at the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un holds a cigarette while touring a kitchen in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un also visited the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant and Ch’angso’ng Noodle House where he “asked about their accommodation capacity and measures to keep them provided with adequate quantities of foodstuff” and “underlined the need to promote culinary festival in order to further develop cooking culture as required by the new century.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the restaurant and the noodle house would improve their service in the spirit of dedication to the people” and posed for commemorative photographs with the restaurants’ employees.  He then visited Undok Health Complex where he “called for more splendidly remodeling it, noting there can be no satisfaction in doing anything for the people.”

He later visited Ch’angso’ng-u’p, the county seat.  He “praised the builders for successfully constructing the town to suit the characteristics of the mountainous county” and “noting that the county is playing the role of a base for carrying out the three revolutions, ideological, technical and cultural, and vanguard in the struggle for defending the socialist system” Kim Jong Un “called on it to increase its role as required by the Military-First (So’ngun) era.”  Kim Jong Un toured the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum and was “briefed on it before the monument to the immortal revolutionary activities conducted by the great Generalissimos and Kim Hyong Jik, an outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea, in the land of Ch’angso’ng.”

Kim Jong Un tours Undok Health Complex in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins during a tour of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

According to KCNA, he “called for sprucing up Changsong County as a people’s paradise and making hurrah for socialism ring out louder from the county” then attended a photo-op with museum employees.  Kim Jong Un then visited the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Historical Site and the the county’s cultural hall.  Of the revolutionary site he called for “preserving it on a permanent basis to educate party members and other people, soldiers and school youth and children in the immortal revolutionary exploits performed by Kim Il Sung in leading the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War) to victory and his noble personality” and “proposed a task for creating art pieces depicting Kim Il Sung working at the revolutionary site.”  At the cultural hall, he watched a performance by Ch’angso’ng County’s art propaganda squad.  According to KCNA he “highly praised the members of the art group for giving a successful performance with great cognitional and instructive value by truthfully representing their life” then posed for commemorative photographs with the art squad’s members.

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un (R) smokes a cigarette and talks with a subordinate during a performance by the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad at the county’s cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

In August 1962, the late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung (paternal grandfather of Kim Jong Un) led the Joint Conference of Local Party and Economic Officials, which convened in Ch’angso’ng County.  The meeting resulted in the publication, under Kim Il Sung’s name, of “Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country.”  Kim Jong Il conducted multiple visits to sites Ch’angso’ng County and the county was established as a model for developing local economies in the DPRK.  According to one official DPRK text, “experience of Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province, a county which after Comrade Kim Il Sung’s field guidance there, made good use of its mountains, comprising 90 per cent of its whole territory, and turned itself into a rich and modern county by developing livestock farming and local industry.”  The 50th anniversary of the Ch’angso’ng joint conference was held on 8 August 2012 at which a third generation of Kim treatises on the county, ”Let Us Build All Counties into People’s Paradise Good to Live in by Embodying Historic Spirit of Changsong Joint Conference” by Kim Jong Un, was read.  Ch’angso’ng County is also the location of a residential compound used by members of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites, which sits on the DPRK-China border.

View of the Kanam-ri residential complex of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites (Photo: Google image).

Kim Jong Un tours an assembling shop with CNC machines during a tour of Taegwan Glass Factory in North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 14 June (Friday) that Kim Jong Un visited the Taegwan Glass Factory in Taegwan County, North P’yo’ngan Province.  He inspected “the performance of the optical measuring instruments” and said that “it further improved the performance of the instruments than last year and ensured their safety. . .in order to make the instruments produced at the factory prove effective in reality, it is necessary to further raise their precision.  The inquiry into the performance of the instruments today proved that it is quite possible to succeed if endeavors are made, based on scientific researches and technological updating.”  Kim Jong Un also inspected other assembly and production sectors in the factory.  According to KCNA, he said “the optical measuring instruments being produced at the factory require high technology, stressing that in order to keep the production going at a high rate and improve their quality it is necessary to give full play to the mental power of the producers, intensify scientific researches and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the workers” and “underlined the need to focus efforts on the independent technological development capable of surpassing the world level, put the production processes on a modern and automatic basis and wage a more dynamic drive to raise the rate of locally available equipment and materials.”

Kim Jong Un “underscored the need to raise high demands to the units producing items of cooperative production and successfully conduct cooperative operations” then he inspected computer numerical control machines.  According to KCNA, he “set forth tasks which would serve as guidelines for the management and operation of the factory and production.”  After touring the factory, Kim Jong Un posed for commemorative photographs with factory employees, managers and officials “expressing expectation and belief that they would boost the production of quality and modern glass products and optical instruments by conducting a widespread mass technological innovation movement, true to the WPK’s idea of pushing back the frontiers of the latest science and technology.”

Commemorative Photo Watch

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with managers, officials and employees of Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees of a restaurant in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with restaurant employees in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees and officials of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph with museum employees in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with members of the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad in front of the county cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” Watch

(Photos: Rodong Sinmun)

Chinese Vice President Attends Anniversary Reception at DPRK Embassy in Beijing

DPRK Embassy in Beijing (Photo: Google image)

DPRK state media reported that the DPRK Embassy in Beijing hosted a reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s “maiden visit” to China in 1983.  Attending the reception from the Chinese government were Vice President Li Yuanchao, Deputy Director of the Communist Party of China’s International Liaison Department Liu Jieyi and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.  DPRK Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong and embassy personnel attended on behalf of the DPRK.  In his anniversary speech, according to KCNA, Ji Jae Ryong remarked “that the maiden visit to China by Kim Jong Il was a historic event which greatly contributed to putting on a new high stage the traditional DPRK-China friendship which was provided and cultivated by President Kim Il Sung together with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the elder generation of China and stood all tests of history and to ensuring the peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world and advancing the human cause of independence against imperialism” and that “Kim Jong Un is paying deep attention to boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations true to the noble intention of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.”  Ji also said “we will as ever make joint efforts with Chinese comrades to steadily boost the traditional DPRK-China friendship.”

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (L) and DPRK Ambassador to the PRC Ji Jae Ryong (R) spoke at an anniversary reception commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China held at the DPRK Embassy to China on 13 June 2013 (Photos: Xinhua and Yonhap)

According to KCNA, Li Yuanchao said in his speech that “Kim Jong Il worked heart and soul to develop the Korean revolution and construction and the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations and made important contributions” and “First Secretary Kim Jong Un in his recent personal letter sent to General Secretary Xi Jinping underlined the need to carry forward and develop the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Li also said “the Chinese party and government set great store by the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and the new collective leadership of the Communist Party of China will together with the party and government of the DPRK respect and trust each other and conduct friendly exchange and cooperation in the spirit of inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation and thus promote the development of the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and defend the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

The reception in Beijing followed a similar anniversary event hosted by the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Central Committee at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June.  The Pyongyang reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China was attended by PRC Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, PRC Embassy personnel and Chinese nationals and students working in the DPRK.  KWP Secretary and Director of the International Affairs Department [IAD] Kim Yong Il attended the reception on behalf of the DPRK, and was joined by officials from the IAD, the DPRK Foreign Ministry and the National Defense Commission.

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai (L) and KWP International Affairs Secretary Kim Yong Il (R) spoke at an anniversary event commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China, held at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June 2013 (Photos: PRC Embassy in the DPRK, NKLW file photo).

In his speech Kim Yong Il said “Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in June 1983 marked a historic event of weighty significance in boosting the traditional DPRK-China friendship generation after generation” and “recalled that senior officials of the party and state of China enthusiastically welcomed Kim Jong Il, who paid a maiden visit to their country as most important state guest and accorded him cordial hospitality with all sincerity.”  Kim Yong Il also remarked that “Kim Jong Il, setting greatest store by the DPRK-China friendship provided by President Kim Il Sung, exerted great efforts to make the deeply rooted friendship flourish and develop.  It is the noble duty and obligation of the present generation to steadily boost the precious DPRK-China friendship associated with great efforts of the leaders of the elder generation of the two parties and countries.  The recent visit paid by a special envoy of Comrade Kim Jong Un to China marked an important occasion in steadily boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations, wealth common to the peoples of the two countries, as required by the new times.”  According to KCNA, Kim also said that “tt is the unshakable political stand of the WPK and the government of the DPRK to steadily develop the DPRK-China friendship, he said, stressing that the WPK would in the future, too, to boost with vitality and dynamism the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.”

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, according to KCNA, said “General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited China several times to forge close relations with Chinese party and state leaders and worked heart and soul to boost the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations” and that “China and the DPRK are the friendly neighbors linked by the same mountain and rivers, he said, stressing that it is the consistent stand of the Chinese party and government to steadily develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Liu also said “the Chinese side deems it important to invariably develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations on a strategic height and from a long-term viewpoint” and Liu “underscored the need to further value the Sino-DPRK friendship, the precious common treasure of the two peoples, and carry forward and develop it generation after generation.”  Liu “recalled that the special envoy of First Secretary of Kim Jong Un visited China and met with General Secretary Xi Jinping and other leading officials of China and had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on issues of common concern” and said “the relations between the two countries at present have entered a new historic phase. . .underlining the need to promote common development on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and co-prosperity and thus bring welfare to the two peoples.”

The two events commemorating the anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in 1983 appear to be part of a reconciliation process between the DPRK and China.  The Beijing reception was attended by PRC Vice President Li Yuanchao, who visited the DPRK Embassy on a condolence call after Kim Jong Il’s death in December 2011 and who lead a CPC delegation on an official visit to the DPRK in June 2011, during which he met with the late DPRK leader.  Also attending the Beijing anniversary event were Liu Jieyi, who escorted VMar Choe Ryong Hae during his visit to Beijing in May 2013, and Liu Zhenmin, who had previously participated in several senior DPRK-PRC interactions.

Minister of People’s Security Reclaims 4th Star

Gen. Choe Pu Il, Minister of the People’s Security (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported that Choe Pu Il, Minister of the People’s Security, was restored to his previous rank of four-star General (taejang) per an order of Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n).  Choe Pu Il was first promoted to General by late leader Kim Jong Il on 28 September 2010.  Choe’s name appeared on a promotions list which also elevated Kim Jong Un, Choe Ryong Hae (current Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department; later elevated to Vice Marshal [ch'asu]) Kim Kyong Ok (Senior Deputy (vice) Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Organization Guidance Department), Hyon Yong Chol (then-commander of VIII Army Corps; served as Chief of the KPA General Staff from July 2012 to May 2013 and currently commander of V Army Corps) and Kim Kyong Hui (Kim Jong Un’s aunt and a core member of the DPRK leadership).  Choe was rumored to have been reduced rank to three-star Colonel-General (sangjang) in late 2011, although it is not clear what prompted his demotion.  From about 2012 until February 2013 Choe Pu Il served as the Chief of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau.  In February he was appointed Minister of the People’s Security, where he replaced Gen. Ri Myong Su.  On 31 March 2013, Choe was elected an alternate (candidate) member of the KWP Political Bureau and at the 7th session (plenum) of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] on 1 April 2013 Choe was elected a member of the DPRK National Defense Commission [NDC].

According to KCNA, the Ministry of the People’s Security [MPS] and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces [KPISF] “together with the Korean People’s Army constitute armed groups which play the role of two mainstays of the Korean revolution” and in issuing the promotion order Kim Jong Un “expressed belief that all service persons of the people’s security organ and the KPISF would creditably perform their honorable mission and duty as the first-line soldiers protecting the socialist system, remaining loyal to the leadership of the party.” Rodong Sinmun reported that Choe Pu Il’s rank was restored because “The organ of people’s security and the people’s internal security forces are two leading armed groups that, together with the people’s army, form twin pillars of our revolution.  In the past period, members of the public security corps and the officers and men of the people’s internal security forces performed great feats that will forever shine in the history of the fatherland by highly demonstrating boundless devotion and sacrifice in the sacred struggle to defend the party, system, and the people both in the days of glory and days of ordeals while highly upholding the banner of death-defying defense of the leader” and that “the prevailing situation urgently demands the organ of the people’s security and the people’s internal security forces, which are the revolutionary armed forces of our party, to impregnably guard the gateway of the socialist system and to reliably guarantee, with gun barrels and law, the party’s line on simultaneously pushing forward economic construction and the building of nuclear armed forces.”

Graphic of the key bureaus of the Ministry of the People’s Security (Graphic by Michael Madden/NK Leadership Watch).

Ministry of People’s Security headquarters (Photo: Google image)

Choe Pu Il’s February 2013 appointment as Minister created a superficial gap in the power balance among the DPRK’s internal security agencies.  His counterpart at the Ministry of State Security, Kim Won Hong, was a four-star general.  The formal military rankings of these agencies’ leading officials suggest that the one led by a full-general has a more superior position, and valued more by the leader, than an agency led by a three-star general.  Based on his observed and reported public activities, Kim Jong Un appeared to be favoring the Ministry of State Security over the Ministry of the People’s Security.  Both ministries erected statues of late leader Kim Jong Il on the campuses of their respective headquarters, however Kim Jong Un visited the Ministry of State Security after it unveiled its KJI statue, but not the MPS.  The MPS, however, demonstrated its political clout in 2012 when KPISF commander, Gen. Kim In Sik, was appointed Vice Premier of the DPRK Cabinet and later appointed Chairman of the Capital City (Pyongyang) Construction Commission.  Kim Jong Un visited People’s Security headquarters and inspected a KPISF unit on May Day (1 May; International Labor Day) 2013.

The Ministry of the People’s Security is a large security organization consisting of (ca.) 200,000 employees with diverse missions.  In DPRK vernacular, the MPS is “a dinosaur” indicating the immense size and resources of the organization.  The MPS is the DPRK’s major domestic law enforcement and public safety organization.  It enforces DPRK laws and statutes (i.e. misdemeanors and felonies), discharges a number of public safety functions (fire departments, traffic control, road and railway security), administers prisons and labor detention facilities and is responsible for various registration records (the census, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses).  MPS personnel provide security to DPRK Embassies and missions located abroad, to DPRK Cabinet members and other DPRK government officials and DPRK universities and research institutions.  They also support the missions of the Guard Command, which provides close protection for Kim Jong Un and others core DPRK elites.  The MPS and the KPISF also operate several engineering and construction brigades (which some sources claim construct the tunnels used in nuclear detonations) and own several farms and other production sites, including the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm and Factory and the 927 Chicken Farm.  The MPS and KPISF are subordinate to the National Defense Commission, but they report to Jang Song Taek in his capacity as NDC Vice Chairman and Director of the KWP Administration Department.

Ministers of the People’s (Public) Security from 2000 through the present (Graphic by Michael Madden/NK Leadership Watch).

Like some other recent personnel changes at the upper tier of the DPRK’s** national security community, Choe Pu Il’s replacement of Ri Myong Su did not involve an aggressive purge of the incumbent official in favor of a Kim Jong Un loyalist.  Despite being removed from office, Gen. Ri appears to remain a member of the central leadership, albeit operating in a diminished capacity.  Like his two immediate predecessors, Choe has spent part of his career in command positions in the KPA’s conventional forces.  Both Choe Pu Il and Ri Myong Su have held the position of Chief of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau [GSOB].  Choe was head of the operations bureau from 2012 to 2013 and Ri headed the bureau from approximately 1996 to 2007.  Like the Minister of People’s Security, the Chief of the General Staff Operations Bureau leads a diverse security organization with hundred of thousands of personnel, has direct access to the supreme leader and an intimate knowledge of the country’s various power organizations and their activities.  While not a head of the GSOB, Ri Myong Su’s predecessor, Gen. Ju Sang Song, had served as an inspector-general of the Chief KPA General Staff and was the commander of the IV Army Corps.  Since the health-related retirement of Paek Hak Rim in 2003, the MPS had only once been led by a civilian, Choe Ryong Su, who served as Minister for about a year until he was removed from office.  Since Choe’s 2004 dismissal, the DPRK leadership has seemingly earmarked the Minister’s position for the KPA.

**Rumors of purged security officials are greatly exaggerated in the Pyongyang watching community.  Gen. U Tong Chuk stood aside as Minister of State Security in 2012 and vacated his political offices, but was never purged.  Readers can do the math on Gen. U’s status, factoring in that he spent much of his career as an overseas intelligence manager and officer.  VMar Kim Jong Gak was removed as Minister of the People’s Armed Forces in November 2011, but has not lost his Vice Marshal’s rank and was assigned another position.  Hyon Yong Chol, who served as Chief of the KPA General Staff from July 2012 to May 2013, was reduced in rank and assigned command of V Army Corps.  And then there’s Kim Kyok Sik, removed from office as Minister of the People’s Armed Forces in May 2013 after six months in officer.  Gen. Kim, identified as the target of the biggest purge this side of ’56, ended up appointed Chief of the General Staff.

***For fans of James Church’s Inspector O series, “the Minister” in The Corpse in the Koryo and Bamboo and Blood was Paek Hak Rim and “the Minister” in Hidden Moon was Choe Ryong Su***

Kim Jong Un Attends 7th Korean Children’s Union Congress and Photo-op with Participants

Kim Jong Un (2nd L) applauds during the Korean Children’s Union’s 7th Congress held in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) attended the 7th Congress of the Korean Children’s Union [KCU] and a commemorative photo session with participants in the KCU Congress on 6 June (Thursday).  Attending the KCU congress and photo session with him were VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department, Ri Yong Su, Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Workers’ Organizations Department, Kim Sung Du, Chairman of the DPRK Education Commission, Jon Yong Nam, Chairman of the Kim Il Sung (Socialist) Youth League, along with KISYL, KWP, KPA and DPRK Government officials.  Kim Jong Un’s last observed public appearance was a visit to the newly constructed Posong Mushroom Farm.

The Korean Children’s Union’s 7th Congress was held at the 25 April House of Culture.  The purpose of the KCU’s 7th Congress was “strengthening the KCU developed under the care of the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il into the Military-First (so’ngun) children’s revolutionary organization of the Workers’ Party of Korea.”  Attending the congress, according to KCNA, were “delegates selected from KCU organizations across the country, officials in charge of children’s life and other officials concerned,” and “as observers were children of servicepersons on Jangjae, Mu and Wolnae islets and other frontline posts and schoolchildren in Pyongyang.”  Kim Jong Un, described as “the benevolent father of the Korean schoolchildren,”  made his way to a VIP seating area and had the KCU’s red neckerchief tied around his neck.  He “congratulated the delegates on their enthusiastic cheers and warmly acknowledged all the participants in the congress.”

Kim Jong Un attends greets a member of the Korean Children’s Union (KCU) during the KCU’s 7th Congress held at 25 April House of Culture in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photo: KCTV-Yonhap)

Participants in the 7th Congress of the Korean Children’s Union, held at the 25 April House of Culture in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

A member of the Korean Children’s Union ties a red neckerchief around Kim Jong Un’s neck prior to the 7th Congress of the Korean Children’s Union in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un (3rd L) applauds during the Korean Children’s Union’s 7th Congress on 6 June 2013. Also in attendance is Jon Yong Nam (L), Chairman of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

View of the Korean Children’s Union 7th Congress held at the 25 April House of Culture in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photos: Rodong Sinmun)

The KCU’s 7th Congress had two agenda items: 1.) “On the tasks of the KCU to bring up its members to be young revolutionaries and vanguard of the Military-First (so’ngun) Era always following the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un in firm conviction,” and 2.) revising the KCU’s bylaws.  Jon Yong Nam delivers a report on the first item on the agenda. According to KCNA, in his report Jon said “the glorious course of the KCU has been associated with the deep loving care of the Generalissimos who provided deep and firm roots for the Juche-oriented children’s movement and led the KCU step by step in line with the requirements of the developing revolution” and Jon “referred to the great successes of the KCU after the 6th congress under the sagacious leadership and meticulous care of Generalissimo Kim Jong Il and Marshal Kim Jong Un.”  The report “called upon the KCU members to cherish honor and pride of being members of glorious Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il’s KCU and firmly prepare themselves to be reliable successors of the military-first (so’ngun) revolution faithful to Kim Jong Un, true to their pledges before the KCU flags.”

After the meeting report, a series of KCU and KISYL speakers “talked about their honor of taking part in the congress in the presence of Marshal Kim Jong Un and their pride of acquiring ample knowledge, good moral character and good health under the deep care of the peerlessly great persons” and “vowed to carry forward the traditions of Mt. Paektu under the leadership of the Workers’ Party of Korea.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “heard with keen interest the speeches of delegates, warmly applauding them.”  KCNA reported that the first agenda item was adopted and that the second was “discussed and decided upon.”

Kim Jong Un and senior Kim Il Sung Youth League officials pose for commemorative photographs with participants of the 7th Congress of the Korean Children Union in front of the Mangyo’ngdae Schoolchildren’s Palace in Pyongyang on 6 June 2013 (Photos: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un later attended a commemorative photo session with congress participants.  KCU members presented him with floral bouquets prior to the photo-op.  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un said that “the congress marked an important occasion in eternally glorifying the undying feats of the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il who dedicated their all to developing the Chuch’e-oriented movement of the Korean children” and  ”congratulated the participants in the congress who demonstrated before the world through the congress the spirit of the KCU members firmly preparing themselves to be dependable builders of the thriving nation.”  He also “expressed expectation and belief that the delegates to the 7th Congress of the KCU would always take the lead in consolidating the KCU organizations to be stronger ranks of the pillars responsible for the future of the great Mt. Paektu (Paektusan) nation.”

KPA Meeting Begins “Masikryong” Speed Campaign

Meeting of KPA personnel at Masik Pass ski park in Kangwo’n Province on 5 June 2013 in support of an economic construction speed campaign proposed by leader Kim Jong Un (Photo: KCNA screengrab)

DPRK state media reported that Korean People’s Army [KPA] officers and service members assembled at the construction site of the Masik Pas Skiing Grounds in Kangwo’n Province on 5 June (Wednesday) in support of the “Masikryong Speed” a development and construction speed campaign initiated by Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n).  Attending the rally were VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Director of the KPA General Political Department, and Col. Gen. Jang Jong Nam, Minister of the People’s Armed forces, along with officials of the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces and KPA Personnel.

VMar Choe Ryong Hae, Director of the KPA General Political Department, speaks at a meeting in support of the “Masikryong Speed” battle in Kangwo’n Province on 5 June 2013

Senior officials attend and speak at a KPA meeting in support of the “Masikryong Speed” battle for economic construction on 5 June 2013, including Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Jang Jong Nam (middle image) (Photos: KCNA screengrabs)

Choe Ryong Hae, Jang Jong Nam and KPA construction personnel spoke at the meeting.  According to KCNA, the meeting speakers said “the appeal serves as inspiring banner instilling redoubled energy and courage into the service personnel.  In response to the historic appeal the service personnel will creditably fulfill their responsibility and role they have assumed before the era and history in the on-going sacred struggle to live up to the Supreme Commander’s trust and expectation” and that they “will wind up the construction of the skiing ground in the shortest possible span of time as the first-line unit in creating the “Masikryong Speed” with the same vim and vigor with which they created the Hu’ich’o'n speed. They will fully prove once again before the whole world that the resolution of the Supreme Commander precisely means practice.”

KPA officers and servicemembers attend a 5 June 2013 meeting in Kangwo’n Province in support of the “Masikryong Speed” battle initiated by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (Photos: KCNA screengrabs).

On 5 June DPRK state media reported that Kim Jong Un issues an “urgent appeal” under the title “Let Us Create the ‘Masikryong Speed’ and Usher in New Heyday on All Fronts for Socialist Construction.”  While Kim Jong Un’s appeal focused on completing construction of the Masik Pass Skiing Grounds before the end of 2013, the “Masikryong Speed” is model for economic construction throughout the DPRK, a byproduct of the simultaneous line “pushing forward economic construction and the building of nuclear force” adopted at the March 2013 meeting of the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee.  Speed campaigns and economic battles and publicity campaigns focused on model workers or model complexes.  Modeled on the “Ch’o'llima Speed” in post-Korean War construction, the most recent speed campaign was “Hu’ich’o'n Speed” (2009) which referred to the construction of the  Hu’ich’o'n Power Station and recent model complex/worker campaigns have been “Chuch’e Steel” (2009-2010) and the “torch of Hamnam (South Hamgyo’ng Province)” (2011-present).  According to KCNA Kim Jong Un’s appeal, in part said:

Kim Jong Un said the construction of the Masik Pass Skiing Ground is a gigantic patriotic work initiated by the Workers’ Party of Korea to provide the people with better cultural conditions by translating into reality President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il’s noble idea of loving the people.

The soldier-builders have achieved remarkable successes by cutting off natural rocks and steep mountain ranges and building skiing courses covering hundreds of thousands of square meters with more than a hundred thousand meters in a total length in a matter of less than one year since they had a ground-breaking ceremony, he said, and continued:

The construction of the skiing ground is such a huge project that it is hard for others to complete the project even in ten years. But the WPK remains unchanged in its resolution to build a world-class skiing ground within this year and provide the people and school youth and children with a highly civilized and happy living conditions to enable them enjoy all blessings.

He expressed belief that the soldier-builders would wind up the construction of the skiing ground within this year by creating the “Masikryong Speed” by dint of indomitable mental power and persevering charge and that all the service personnel and people across the country would bring about a great leap forward and signal innovations on all fronts for socialist construction in that spirit.

The secret to completing the construction of the Masik Pass Skiing Ground ahead of schedule lies in giving fullest play to the mental power of the service personnel, he noted, adding Kim Jong Il’s patriotism is the core of the mental power to be cherished by the soldier-builders.

He underscored the need to dynamically push ahead with the construction of the skiing ground by dint of great army-people unity, the mainstay of the Songun revolution and groundwork of society.

It is the intention and resolution of the WPK to raise a hot-wind of great innovations and upswing throughout the country by letting all people learn from the indomitable fighting spirit and work style being displayed by the soldiers in the construction of the skiing ground, he stressed.

He also underlined the need for the People’s Army to make thorough-going preparations for combat and bring about uninterrupted innovations in all major construction projects and in the work for sprucing up the provinces, cities and counties.

He called on all the people including workers, farmers and intellectuals to further reenergize all the economic sectors of the country and positively contribute to implementing national economy plan by fully implementing the WPK’s line on simultaneously pushing forward economic construction and the building of nuclear force.

With KPA Assets in Syria and Rumors of Moscow Trip, Gen. Kim Kyok Sik Remains PY Man of the Hour

KPA officers meet a man injured during the Syrian civil war at a hospital in Syria in 2012 (Photo: SANA/NKLW file photo)

Al-Sharq al-Awsat reported on 3 June (Monday) that Arabic-speaking Korean People’s Army [KPA] personnel are serving as military advisers on artillery tactics and providing logistical support to the Syrian Armed Forces, currently defending the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s ongoing civil war. Citing information from a pro-Assad militia,  Rami Abd-al-Rahman, director of the the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,’ told Al-Sharq al-Awsat “that North Korean officers are taking part alongside the regular forces in the fighting in Aleppo” and that “the overall number of these officers is unknown but there are certainly between 11 and 15 North Korean officers and the majority of them speak Arabic. . .(they) are deployed at several fronts such as the defense factories southeast of Aleppo and at the regular forces’ bases inside the city itself.” He went on to point out that “these officers are not taking part in the field battles but offering logistical support in addition to drawing up the military operations maps. They are also supervising the regular army’s artillery shelling.”

The last observed, credible reports about DPRK military assistance to Syria during the unfolding civil war were in May 2012 and involved dedicated shipments of vehicle parts, munitions’ component parts and ordnance.  DPRK cargo vessel ODAI docked in the Syrian port cities of Latakiya and Tartus during 29 to 31 May 2012.  According to Haaretz, citing elements of the Syrian opposition, reported that “North Korea is also continuing to send arms to Syria. The shipments arrive by air and sea and they are being paid by a special slush fund that the Iranian government set up for this purpose.”   The DPRK has made several public demonstrations of support to its embattled ally including meetings between DPRK and Syrian officials in July 2012, DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yo’n referring to Syria’s civil war in address to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2012 and a number of exchanges of gifts and congratulatory letters between President Assad and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n).  

The DPRK began contacts and exchanges with Syria in the early 1960′s and established former diplomatic relations in 1966.  Syria was the DPRK’s major conduit through which it provided military equipment, training and advisers to freedom fighter and radical Muslim groups in the Middle East and Africa from the 1960s on.  KPA assets assisted Syria during the October War (Yom Kippur War) in 1973 and provided support, at Syria’s behest and participated in the Lebanese Civil War.  In 1982, KPA advisers were present when Syrian forces quelled an uprising in Hama and later that year KPA forces were deployed to Syria and Lebanon during the 1982 Lebanon War.  Since the 1970s the DPRK and Syria have had an extensive military exchange relationship which has included numerous arms shipments and the deployment of KPA strategic and logistical advisers.  The DPRK Foreign Ministry and DPRK state media have also publicly defended Syria, including issuing official denials that the two countries were cooperating on nuclear weapons development after the Israeli Air Force bombed an alleged nuclear facility in Syria on 6 September 2007.

The Korean People’s Army General Staff, led by Gen. Kim Kyok Sik (Graphic: Michael Madden/NK Leadership Watch)

One of the DPRK’s major players in its military relationship with Syria is current Chief of the KPA General Staff, Gen. Kim Kyok Sik.  Gen. Kim served as a deputy military attache at the DPRK Embassy in Damascus for almost decade starting in 1971.  Gen. Kim managed a number of military cooperation projects with the Syrian Armed Forces, including rehabilitating Syrian military forces in the mid-1970s and coordinating shipments of multiple-launch rocket systems and other military support to various radical organizations.  With the DPRK and its core leadership providing both public and substantial support to Syria during the civil war, and given Gen. Kim’s experience and extensive ties to Damascus, it is likely his recent public profile and switching one senior KPA position for another after six months are partially linked to the DPRK’s continued support for Syria.

Gen. Kim Kyok Sik was also rumored to to have been selected to lead a senior DPRK delegation on a visit to Moscow.  Kyunghyang Shinmun reported “Chief of the Korean People’s Army General Staff Kim Kyuk Sik is being tapped as the (North Korean) envoy and the number of the North’s delegation is likely to be six or seven” and that Gen. Kim and the delegation would arrive on or around 7 June (Friday), timed to occur whilst US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in California.  On 3 June, Interfax quoted an anonymous official in the Russian Foreign Ministry that “no high-level visits are being planned at the moment” between the DPRK and Russia.

Kim Jong Un Visits Kosan Fruit Farm

Kim Jong Un (1) tours the Kosan Fruit Farm in Kangwo’n Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 3 June (Monday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the Kosan Fruit Farm in Kosan County, Kangwo’n Province.  Attending the visit were Gen. Kim Kyok Sik (Chief of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Staff), Choe Hwi (Senior Deputy [1st] Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Propaganda and Agitation Department) Pak Tae Song (Deputy KWP Director), Col. Gen. Pak Jong Chon (Chief of the KPA Artillery Command) and Maj. Gen. An Ji Yong.  Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his inspection of the KPA base on Mt. Osong and KPA Unit #507.

The Kosan Fruit Farm is reportedly undergoing a major expansion.  The fruit farm was one of two pomiculture sites on the DPRK’s east coat which received technical advice on cultivation and modernization during 2008 to 2010 through a program of Germany’s Ministry of Cooperation [PDF available from the National Committee on North Korea here]. After arriving at the fruit farm, Kim Jong Un was briefed about the farm’s geography and production.  He recalled a June 2011 visit to the fruit farm by late leader Kim Jong Il and said the farm “an important one to which the leader paid special attention as it is directly linked with the people’s living.”  Kim Jong Un was also briefed about the construction activities of KPA Construction Shock Brigade #618 which has contributed to the Kosan Fruit Farm’s expansion.

Overview of Kosan Fruit Farm and Kosan County, Kangwo’n Province with images from the Kosan Fruit Farm (Photos: Google image; Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un (1) tours pomiculture plantings at Kosan Fruit Farm (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un was also briefed about the cultivation of apple trees and according to KCNA said that “he felt as if he were watching trees heavily laden with apples in autumn and expressed satisfaction at the fact that the farm has turned into a young orchard.”  He “stressed the need to mass-produce organic compound fertilizer and thus decisively raise the fertility of soil by applying a ring-shaped rotation production system to the combination of fruit farming and stock-breeding” and “also underscored the need for the farm to make full preparations from now on to solve the issues arising in picking and carrying apples and processing fruits, in particular, in keeping with the increase of fruit production.”  Kim Jong Un instructed that a combined fruit farm be constructed on the premises of the fruit farm.  He also toured an irrigation facility.  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “praised the builders and employees of the farm for having introduced a modern irrigation system to put the manuring and cultivation of fruit trees on a highly intensive basis and thus provided a scientific and technological guarantee for boosting the fruit production while safely cultivating the trees.”  He also saw a road recently completed by KPA Construction Shock Brigade #618.

Kim Jong Un remarked that “it is meaningful, indeed, that a large orchard has made its appearance at the foot of Chol Pass symbolic of the Military-First (So’ngun) revolutionary leadership. . . a fresh fairyland called ‘the sea of apples at foot of Chol Pass’ will spring up when the project for expanding the capacity of the farm comes to a finish and a sea of apples is unfolded there.”  Kim Jong Un toured a small construction materials factory and said “the expansion project should be completed unconditionally at the date fixed by Kim Jong Il” and he “expressed expectation and belief that the members of the shock brigade and the employees of the farm would make sustained efforts to step up the project and increase the fruit production.”