Kim Jong Un Visits T’aeso’ng Machine Factory

Kim Jong Un speaks during a visit to Thaesong Machine Factory in Taean-kuyo’k, Namp’o (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un’s last observed appearance was his inspection of an anti-tank weapons test

DPRK state media reported on March 2 (Wednesday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) visited Thaesong Machine Factory in Taean-kuyo’k, Namp’o.  In attendance were Jo Yong Won (deputy director of the Workers’ Party of Korea [WPK] Organization Guidance Department) and Kim Jong Sik (deputy director of the WPK Machine-Building [military] Industry Department).  T’aeso’ng Machine Factory is one of the DPRK’s leading producers of ballistic missiles and subsystems [PDF link] and one of the oldest munitions production sites in the country.  Kim Jong Un last visited the T’aeso’ng Machine Factory with his father, Kim Jong Il, on November 2, 2011.

A commemorative photograph of late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un at T’aeso’ng Machine Factory with factory managers, senior Korean People’s Army [KPA] and WPK officials in November 2011 (Photo: NK Leadership Watch file photo/KCNA).

Upon arrival, Jong Un noted that “the officials and workers of the factory have carried through its production assignments for the past decades, thus working proud feats for the development of the nation’s machine-building industry” and he “gave thanks in the name of the Workers’ Party of Korea to them.”  Kim Jong Un toured the factory revolutionary history exhibitions and said that “every part of the factory has sacred traces of President Kim Il Sung (Kim Il-so’ng) and leader Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il).  The room has been built very well.  Primary efforts should be directed to the education in the great leaders’ exploits so that the workers of the factory can glorify the undying feats with big achievements in production, well aware of how important their factory is.”

Kim Jong Un tours T’aeso’ng Machine Factory and views machinery and products of the factory (Photos: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

He toured workshops and other areas of the factory and learned about its production, operations and its products.  He said that “T’aeso’ng Machine Factory, the eldest, pioneer and core factory in the machine-building industry of the country has a very important role to play in building a thriving nation” and stressed “the need to modernize it as required by the age of knowledge-based economy.  The factory’s production and technology management process should be turned into one of development and creative style, not sample-imitation style.”  He added that his “visit is aimed to lay a new springboard for the development of the country’s machine-building industry through modernization of the factory.  It is the intention of the Party Central Committee to turn the T’aeso’ng Machine Factory into a world-level ultra-modern machine producer.  The work for modernizing the factory should be dealt as an important and strategic affair related to the future of the development of the country’s machine-building industry.”

Kim Jong Un on the premises of T’aeso’ng Machine Factory, its revolutionary history exhibitions and tours the factory (Photos: Rodong Sinmun/KCNA).

Kim Jong Un issued instructions about renovating and modernizing the factory.  According to KCNA he noted that he “felt very high degree of revolutionary zeal and spirit of the workers at the factory struggling with their firm resolution to proudly attend the Seventh Congress of the WPK with a record-book on campaign of loyalty.  There will be no fortress unconquerable for us when we go with those workers.”  He “expressed expectation and belief that the officials and workers of the factory would completely renew the factory to meet the demand of the age of knowledge-based economy and the needs of a high civilized socialist nation and bring about a great upsurge in the production of modern machines urgently needed for various economic field and thus creditably play the role of vanguard and shock brigade in the struggle for the development of the country’s economy.”