Kim Jong Un Visits KPA Science and Technology Exhibition Hall

Kim Jong Un views products during a visit to the KPA Scientific and Technological Exhibition Hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 20 August (Tuesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited the Korean People’s Army [KPA] Scientific and Technological Exhibition Hall.  Among those in attendance were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the KPA General Political Department), Col. Gen. Jang Jong Nam (Minister of the People’s Armed Forces), Col. Gen. Ri Yong Gil (Chief of the KPA General Staff Operations Bureau) and Yun Tong Hyon (Senior Deputy Director of the KWP Organization Guidance Department and a Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces).  Kim Jong Un’s last reported appearance was his inspection of KPA Unit #3404.

At the exhibition, Kim Jong Un looked at a variety of inventions and “acquainted himself with the military scientific and technological successes made by the KPA recently.”  According to KCNA he said that “that it is good to have chosen the matter arising in reality as a seed and learnt in detail about the introduction of equipment ensuring improved performance and better preservation and safety” and that equipment recently manufactured is “badly required by the KPA for making combat preparations and bolstering up the fighting capability. ”  He “urged” the KPA “not to rest content with the successes made in researches but make them pay off in reality.”  Kim Jong Un was also “pleased to see” baggage and training equipment “were successfully made to suit physical constitution of service personnel and actual conditions of the country. He was satisfied to see batteries for long use.”  According to KCNA he said that “it is clear from the inventions that the KPA has worked hard to solve scientific and technological problems by its own efforts true to the party’s intention” and he “repeatedly made a high appreciation of the shining successes made by service personnel, scientists, technicians and researchers in the relevant field in their scientific researches conducive to stepping up combat preparations and improving the soldiers’ service and people’s living standard in the past.”

Kim Jong Un also toured combat and other equipment at the exhibition hall’s outdoor facilities and “set forth tasks to be implemented by the KPA to further develop military science and technology.”  According to KCNA he “underscored the need to successfully organize the 27th military scientific and technological exhibition of the KPA slated for this year” and “expressed expectation and belief that the KPA would develop the nation’s military science and technology on a higher stage true to the party’s intention.”